The latest round of matches in the 2023 Major League Soccer season see Sporting Kansas City and St Louis City lock horns at the Children's Mercy Park on Sunday.
Both teams came out on top in their most recent outings and will head into this weekend's meeting with the wind in their respective sails.
Match preview
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Sporting Kansas City picked up a first league win in four matches courtesy of a commanding 3-0 victory over San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday.
First-half goals from Daniel Salloi and Johnny Russell saw Peter Vermes's men in pole position at half time, after which Erik Thommy sealed the deal just past the midway point of the second period.
As a result, the Wizards have moved up to 11th place in the Western Conference of the MLS, albeit still six points off the final automatic playoff place.
Coming up next is the challenge of an opposing outfit who ran out comprehensive 4-0 winners in the only previous edition of this fixture back in May.
Having scored eight times across their last three home matches, Sunday's hosts will be aiming to put on another attacking masterclass in front of their fans en route to a positive result.
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St Louis City made it four home wins on the bounce by seeing the threat of FC Dallas in a 2-1 triumph at the City Park on Thursday morning.
Late goals from Anthony Markanich and Nokkvi Thorisson set Bradley Carnell's men on their way to all three points before Eugene Ansah halved the deficit in second-half stoppage time.
With 47 points from their 26 matches so far, the Missouri-based side sit top of the Western Conference standings, a whopping seven points clear of nearest challengers Los Angeles FC.
Currently on a run of four straight defeats on the road, Sunday's visitors now prepare for another tough assignment as they look to turn their away fortunes around.
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Team News
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Kortne Ford and Kayden Pierre both miss out for Sporting Kansas City through Achilles and knee injuries respectively, while Graham Zusi remains out of action with a thigh problem.
Stephen Afrifa has missed the hosts' last four game with a muscle problem, but the Canadian is drawing increasingly closer to making a return to action.
St. Louis City's Jakob Nerwinski is eligible to feature once again having served his one-game suspension in the win over Dallas last time out.
Nokkvi Thorisson has made a fast start to life for the away side, directly contributing to two goals in his first three games, and the midfielder is one to keep an eye on.
Sporting Kansas City possible starting lineup:
Melia; Davis, Rosero, Fontas, Ndenbe; Walter, Radoja, Thommy; Russell, Pulido, Salloi
St Louis City possible starting lineup:
Burki; Watts, Yaro, Parker, Hiebert; Blom, Lowen; Alm, Jackson, Stroud; Adeniran
We say: Sporting Kansas City 2-1 St Louis City
St. Louis City have found life difficult on the road, and Sporting Kansas will be looking to further compound their visitors' away woes. We are tipping the home side to get the job done, albeit by only a narrow margin.
How to watch
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