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Fresh off the end of the World Cup and with Major League Soccer action back up and running, Sporting Kansas City will welcome Minnesota United to Children's Mercy Park on Thursday.
The hosts have been back in action once since the World Cup, suffering a defeat last time out, while the visitors will play for the first time since May in a bid to crack the top seven of the Western Conference.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United key stats
- Sporting Kansas City are one of just two MLS teams without a clean sheet this season.
- Sporting Kansas City have conceded the most goals in the MLS Western Conference this season.
- Minnesota United are winless in their last four MLS games.
Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United preview: Can visitors end winless run on return from World Cup break?
Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United — Tale of the Tape
| Sporting Kansas City | vs | Minnesota United |
|---|---|---|
| 15th (Western Conference) | Position | 8th (Western Conference) |
| 11 | Points | 22 |
| 16 | Goals For | 18 |
| 39 | Goals Against | 22 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 4 |
| 29th | Home / Away Rank | 4th |
Sporting Kansas City returned to MLS action following the World Cup with the hopes of a fresh start following a poor start to their 2026 campaign, but they now come into Thursday aiming to arrest another slump.
After 15 outings, Raphael Wicky's side sit bottom of the Western Conference, having won just three games alongside 10 defeats leaving them on 11 points – with no side across either conference suffering more losses.
The Wizards have struggled at both ends of the pitch, with only one MLS team scoring fewer than their 16 goals and just one conceding more than the 39 they have allowed, with their final game before the break ending in a 2-1 home defeat to New York Red Bulls, making it one win, two draws and four losses from their seven home games thus far.
Aiming to bounce back on their return, Wicky's men visited St Louis City last week but again fell short, falling 2-0 behind and levelling through Capita and Dejan Jovelkic, only for Eduard Lowen to convert a penalty five minutes from time for a 3-2 home win.
Now sitting 15th and already trailing the top nine spots in their conference by nine points, while facing the ongoing absences of Diego Borges, Justin Reynolds, Taylor Calheira and likely Wyatt Meyer who missed out at the weekend, Sporting Kansas City will be desperate to kickstart their term with a home win on Thursday.
Their visitors, meanwhile, play their first game after the World Cup this week aiming to end a winless streak of their own, having lost momentum heading into the pause in May.
Minnesota United currently sit 11 points better off than their hosts on 22 in eighth spot in the Western Conference, having won six and lost five of their 15 matches.
That is largely down to a positive away record, with only three of the MLS' 30 teams topping their tally of 13 points from eight games on the road with four wins coming from those trips.
The Loons are looking to return to form in their first game back in almost two months, though, having drawn two and lost two of their last four matches, most recently hosting Real Salt Lake and sharing the points as Mauricio Gonzalez equalised for them in injury time to settle the game at a goal apiece after they looked destined for a third straight defeat.
Cameron Knowles's team will now go in search of a return to winning ways, with key attacker Kelvin Yeboah who leads with eight goals this season likely back in the fold, and with the chance to break back into the top seven.
Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United form guide & betting tips
| Sporting Kansas City | vs | Minnesota United |
|---|---|---|
LWWLL |
Form | WDLLD |
| 6 | Points | 5 |
| 21st | Form Table | 23rd |
| 8 | Goals For | 7 |
| 13 | Goals Against | 8 |
LWWLL |
Form (All Comps) | WDLLD |
Whispers predicts: Sporting Kansas City 1-2 Minnesota United
The visitors will hope to break their winless streak on their return from the World Cup break, and they meet a Sporting Kansas City side who have earned just five points from seven home games while conceding 14 goals. We back Minnesota United to win at 43/50 (1.86).
Sporting Kansas City have only failed to score once in their seven MLS home games this season, while Minnesota United's eight away games have seen them score 12 goals and concede 17. We anticipate Both Teams to Score at 1/2 (1.50).
Anthony Markanich is often given license to attack from a wing-back role for Minnesota United, and he has managed four MLS goals this season after hitting 10 in 36 games last time around. We see him to score anytime as good value against a struggling home side at 9/2 (5.50).
> Minnesota United to win at 43/50 (1.86) | Likelihood: Probable
> Both Teams to Score | Likelihood: Likely
> Anthony Markanich to score anytime at 9/2 (5.50) | Likelihood: Possible