The Timbers have won three straight at home against Sporting Kansas City, including a 7-2 victory in Portland in May, when seven goals set a club record in MLS play and six second-half goals tied for the most in league history. The Timbers had only won two of their first 10 home matches against Sporting Kansas City, including playoff games.
With just 11 wins, the Timbers’ fewest in a full season since 2012, they ended their run of five consecutive postseason appearances. They also tied the club record for most goals conceded in a single season, which stood at 56, set in 2012.
Sporting Kansas City had the second-worst record in club history at that point in a season with just 20 points from their first 24 games last season (17 in 1999). However, Sporting Kansas City has won six of its last ten games (D2 L2), ranking fourth in the league with 20 points from August to the end of the season.
Last season, the Timbers scored 73.6 percent of their goals in the second half (39.53 percent), the highest percentage in the league. After halftime, top soccer player Dairon Asprilla scored eight of his ten goals in the 2022 season.
Even though he didn’t make his debut until the end of July, William Agada scored eight goals in Sporting Kansas City’s last ten games and finished as the club’s joint-leading scorer with Johnny Russell. From the beginning of August to the end of the regular season, Agada led only five players in goals scored.
