Sporting Kansas City begin the payback for their long road swing to open the campaign when they play host to Toronto FC on Saturday evening at Livestrong Sporting Park. Sporting are playing the first of nine consecutive home games; they extended their unbeaten streak to 11 games with a 1-1 draw at Houston last weekend. TFC have lost three games on the trot, falling 1-0 at home to FC Dallas at midweek.

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LAST MEETING

June 4: Toronto 0-0 Kansas City

* Eric Kronberg made three saves in goal for Sporting Kansas City, including a stop in added time on a header from late-game substitute Doneil Henry.
* Stefan Frei made two saves in the TFC goal, his best a save on a Teal Bunbury shot from outside the area midway through the second half.

TORONTO FC (4-1-2-3): Stefan Frei - Richard Eckersley (Dan Gargan 76), Ty Harden, Nana Attakora (Doneil Henry 92+), Danleigh Borman - Nathan Sturgis - Tony Tchani, Mikael Yourassowsky - Javier Martina, Maicon Santos, Joao Plata (Nick Soolsma 67).

SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-2-1-3): Eric Kronberg - Chance Myers, Aurelien Collin, Matt Besler, Michael Harrington - Davy Arnaud, Craig Rocastle (Luke Sassano 60) - Graham Zusi (Birahim Diop 85) - Ryan Smith, Teal Bunbury (C.J. Sapong 88), Omar Bravo.

THE TEAMS

[inlinenode:7384]TORONTO FC

Toronto FC suffered a third consecutive loss, falling 1-0 to FC Dallas on Wednesday evening at BMO Field. TFC has 18 points from 21 games on the season, sitting in a tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

LAST MATCH

* The game's only goal came four minutes after the second-half restart. Brek Shea picked up the ball in midfield, went haring forward and finished it off by thundering a left-footed shot from outside the box into the upper left corner.

* With all the changes rang into the squad with the opening of the secondary transfer window, TFC head coach Aron Winter brought in six newcomers to the side that suffered a 2-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium. Keeping their places were Stefan Frei, Danleigh Borman, Ty Harden, Mikael Yourassowsky and Joao Plata.

TORONTO FC (4-3-3): Stefan Frei - Eddy Viator, Andy Iro, Ty Harden, Danleigh Borman - Nathan Sturgis (Nick Soolsma 56), Torsten Frings, Mikael Yourassowsky (Maicon Santos 54) - Ryan Johnson, Danny Koevermans, Joao Plata (Gianluca Zavarise 70).

SPORTING KANSAS CITY

Sporting Kansas City once again salvaged a point with some late heroics, getting a late 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Saturday evening at Robertson Stadium. Sporting have 23 points from 19 matches on the season, sitting in a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

LAST MATCH

* The Dynamo took the lead after just eight minutes. Brian Ching drew a foul some 22 yards from goal and Brad Davis curled the resulting free kick over the wall and inside Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen's left-hand post.

* The home side went a man down in the 56th minute when Colin Clark came in with a studs-up challenge on KC center back Aurelien Collin, then 14 minutes later, Ching was sent off with a straight red card from referee Kevin Stott after kicking at Collin’s heel deep in the Sporting end.

* Collin then made the Dynamo pay, taking a pass about 25 yards goal and hammering a hard, low shot which took a slight deflection to send Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall diving the wrong way.

* SKC manager Peter Vermes made two changes to the team that got a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Chivas USA at Livestrong Sporting Park. Kei Kamara and Birahim Diop and came into the team for Milos Stojcev and Julio Cesar.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-1-2-3): Jimmy Nielsen - Chance Myers, Aurelien Collin, Matt Besler, Michael Harrington (Teal Bunbury 80) - Birahim Diop - Graham Zusi, Roger Espinoza - Kei Kamara, C.J. Sapong, Omar Bravo.

REFEREE: Chris Penso. SAR (bench): Craig Lowry; JAR (opposite): Mike Rottersman; 4th: Landis Wiley.
Penso MLS Career: 6 games; Fouls Called/game: 20.0; Yellow cards/game: 3.1; Red cards: 2; Penalties: 3

[inlinenode:6930]INJURY REPORT

SPORTING KANSAS CITY – OUT: DF Olukorede Aiyegbusi (jaw contusion); MF Davy Arnaud (sports hernia surgery); MF Craig Rocastle (R knee sprain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Aurelien Collin (L quadriceps contusion); PROBABLE: FW Kei Kamara (R achilles tendinitis); MF Graham Zusi (L ankle sprain)

TORONTO FC – OUT: MF Elbekay Bouchiba (R knee surgery recovery); DF Adrian Cann (R knee sprain); DF Dicoy Williams (R knee surgery recovery); MF Leandre Griffit (abdominal strain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Julian de Guzman (L knee swelling); FW Maicon Santos (R hamstring strain); MF Terry Dunfield (R adductor strain)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: KC - Jon Kempin (U.S. U-18 national team)

SUSPENDED: none

WARNINGS

SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: KC - Aurelien Collin … TOR - Terry Dunfield, Mikael Yourassowsky
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: KC - Omar Bravo, Julio Cesar … TOR - Danleigh Borman, Dan Gargan, Ryan Johnson, Javier Martina

HEAD-TO-HEAD

* ALL-TIME (11 meetings): Sporting 4 wins, 10 goals …Toronto FC 3 wins, 7 goals … Ties 4
* At KC (5 meetings): Sporting 3 wins, 9 goals …Toronto FC 1 win, 4 goals … Ties 1
* The teams are meeting for the second time this season, after playing to a scoreless draw June 4 at BMO Field.
* Since losing the club’s first game ever at BMO Field, 1-0 to Kansas City on April 28, 2007, Toronto FC have not lost at home to K.C. TFC has won twice, with three draws, in their four home games since.
* Coaches' records: Peter Vermes vs. TOR - P3 W1 L0 D2 … Aron Winter v KC - P1 W0 L0 D1