Major League Soccer · Matchday 31 Austin under pressure as losing run deepens in Kansas City
Austin head to Sporting Kansas City with three straight defeats on their record and their season drifting. Both sides are desperate for a result, and the pressure falls hardest on the visitors.
📍 Children's Mercy Park
All Matchday 31 matchesFull head-to-head
Match facts
Recent form
Last 5 league games, latest on the right
Goals per game
| · | Scored | Conceded |
|---|---|---|
| Sporting Kansas City | 1.2 | 2.5 |
| Austin | 1.3 | 1.9 |
PreviaXI model
- Predicted score
- 2-1
- Expected goals (model)
- 1.65 – 1.45
- Double chance
- 12 · 75%1X 67% · X2 58%
- Over 2.5 goals
- 60%
- Both teams score
- 62%
- Expected corners
- 9.85.6 – 4.2 · Over 9.5: 51%
- Expected cards
- 3.81.9 – 1.9 · Over 3.5: 52%
Statistical model based on expected goals (xG), results and match statistics from the last two seasons. For information only. How our model works →
Why the model leans towards Sporting Kansas City
- Power ratings: Sporting Kansas City -0.82 goals per game (30th of 30 in Major League Soccer), Austin -0.59 (29th).
- Sporting Kansas City's attack (1.26 goals per game) meets Austin's defence (1.81 conceded per game).
- Austin's attack (1.22) meets Sporting Kansas City's defence (2.08).
- Home advantage in this competition: home sides score about 25% more goals.
- Put together, the model expects 1.65 – 1.45 goals: Sporting Kansas City 42%, draw 25%, Austin 33%.
Absences
Sporting Kansas City
- OutO. Blorian · Chest Injury
- OutDiego Borges · Groin Injury
- OutM. Mosquera · Hamstring Injury
- OutJ. Reynolds · Muscle Injury
- DoubtfulL. Johnsen · Hamstring Injury
- DoubtfulS. Reid · Hamstring Injury
- DoubtfulO. Wolff · Muscle Injury
Austin
- OutJ. Bell · Abdominal strain
- OutZ. Kolmanic · Thigh Injury
Injury and suspension list from our data provider, updated every 6 hours. It can change before kick-off.
Chance to score
Sporting Kansas City
- André Luiz7 goals in 9 games53%
- D. Joveljić8 goals in 20 games38%
- T. Calheira4 goals in 22 games18%
Austin
- M. Uzuni11 goals in 26 games35%
- C. Ramirez9 goals in 29 games26%
- B. Vázquez3 goals in 23 games12%
Model estimate: each player’s season goals per minute compared with his team’s, applied to the model’s expected goals for this match and his usual minutes. Players listed as out are left out.
Trends
- 7 of Sporting Kansas City’s last 8 matches had over 2.5 goals.
- Both teams scored in 7 of Austin’s last 8 matches.
- Austin have lost their last 3 matches.
- Both teams scored in 6 of Sporting Kansas City’s last 8 matches.
Season stats
| · | Sporting Kansas City | Austin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| · | All | Home | All | Away |
| Won-drawn-lost | 6-4-20 | 3-4-8 | 7-10-13 | 3-4-8 |
| Goals scored per game | 1.20 | 1.47 | 1.27 | 1.13 |
| Goals conceded per game | 2.50 | 2.13 | 1.87 | 2.33 |
| xG per game | 1.03 | 1.14 | 0.99 | 0.89 |
| xG against per game | 2.05 | 1.84 | 2.07 | 2.64 |
| Scored in | 67% | 80% | 80% | 67% |
| Clean sheets | 3% | 0% | 17% | 7% |
| Failed to score | 33% | 20% | 20% | 33% |
| Both teams scored | 63% | 80% | 70% | 67% |
| Over 1.5 goals | 97% | 93% | 87% | 87% |
| Over 2.5 goals | 80% | 73% | 70% | 87% |
| Over 3.5 goals | 50% | 53% | 37% | 47% |
| Shots per game | 9.6 | 10.2 | 10.5 | 8.8 |
| Shots on target per game | 4.1 | 5.4 | 4.0 | 3.0 |
| Shots on target | 43% | 53% | 38% | 34% |
| Possession | 43% | 42% | 48% | 41% |
| Passes per game | 404.7 | 394.6 | 426.1 | 380.9 |
| Pass accuracy | – | – | 85% | – |
| Corners per game | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.4 |
| Corners against per game | 5.8 | 5.1 | 6.0 | 6.9 |
| Cards per game | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| Fouls per game | 13.6 | 12.1 | 11.1 | 11.2 |
League matches this season (Major League Soccer). Per-game averages; % = share of matches.
When goals come
Sporting Kansas City
- 0-153 / 13
- 16-309 / 9
- 31-459 / 15
- 46-604 / 8
- 61-759 / 15
- 76-90+4 / 13
Usual formation: 4-4-2
Austin
- 0-156 / 4
- 16-306 / 7
- 31-454 / 5
- 46-604 / 8
- 61-754 / 9
- 76-90+16 / 21
Usual formation: 4-4-2
Goals scored (green) and conceded (orange) by 15-minute period, league matches this season.
Major League Soccer table
| # | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Vancouver Whitecaps | 30 | +32 | 55 |
| 2 |  St. Louis City | 30 | +15 | 51 |
| 3 |  FC Dallas | 30 | +8 | 51 |
| 4 |  San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | +10 | 48 |
| 5 |  Houston Dynamo | 30 | +2 | 47 |
| 6 |  Los Angeles FC | 31 | +15 | 46 |
| 7 |  Seattle Sounders | 30 | +2 | 42 |
| 8 |  Los Angeles Galaxy | 31 | -9 | 40 |
| 9 |  Colorado Rapids | 30 | 0 | 39 |
| 10 |  Real Salt Lake | 30 | -3 | 36 |
| 11 |  Portland Timbers | 30 | -5 | 34 |
| 12 |  San Diego | 30 | -3 | 34 |
| 13 |  Minnesota United FC | 30 | -8 | 34 |
| 14 |  Austin | 30 | -18 | 31 |
| 15 |  Sporting Kansas City | 30 | -39 | 22 |
Next matches
Sporting Kansas City
- Thu 29 OctMinnesota United FC – Sporting Kansas CityMajor League Soccer
- Sat 31 OctSporting Kansas City – FC DallasMajor League Soccer
- Sun 8 NovSan Diego – Sporting Kansas CityMajor League Soccer
Austin
- Thu 29 OctAustin – Real Salt LakeMajor League Soccer
- Sun 1 NovLos Angeles Galaxy – AustinMajor League Soccer
- Sun 8 NovAustin – Portland TimbersMajor League Soccer
Head-to-head: last 10 meetings
Sporting Kansas City 4 wins · 0 draws · Austin 6 wins
- 17/05/2026Austin1-2Sporting Kansas CityMajor League Soccer
- 14/02/2026Sporting Kansas City2-0AustinFriendlies Clubs
- 07/09/2025Sporting Kansas City1-2AustinMajor League Soccer
- 23/02/2025Austin1-0Sporting Kansas CityMajor League Soccer
- 30/06/2024Sporting Kansas City2-0AustinMajor League Soccer
- 19/05/2024Austin3-2Sporting Kansas CityMajor League Soccer
- 16/07/2023Austin2-1Sporting Kansas CityMajor League Soccer
- 11/06/2023Sporting Kansas City4-1AustinMajor League Soccer
- 14/08/2022Austin4-3Sporting Kansas CityMajor League Soccer
- 31/07/2022Sporting Kansas City0-2AustinMajor League Soccer
Austin arrive in Kansas City with the pressure squarely on their shoulders. Three consecutive defeats have pushed them deeper into the Western Conference table, and a side that has won only seven of its 30 league games cannot afford another slip.
Context and stakes
Austin sit 14th of 15 with 31 points and a goal difference of -18. Only Sporting Kansas City sit below them, on 22 points and a goal difference of -39. This is a meeting between the two weakest sides in the conference, and a win would offer real breathing room in a season that has lacked consistency.
Form
Austin’s campaign has been defined by draws and defeats: seven wins, ten draws and thirteen losses. Their goals tend to arrive late, with 16 of their 38 coming between the 76th and 90th minutes, yet they have also conceded heavily in that window. Over their last five, they have scored six and conceded twelve.
Sporting have struggled at home, winning three, drawing four and losing eight of their 15 league games there. Their last five have yielded seven goals and twelve conceded.
Head-to-head
The recent history is tight. Austin won 2-1 at home to Sporting in September 2025, lost 2-1 at Sporting in May, and claimed a 1-0 win in February 2025. Sporting did win a friendly 2-0 in February 2026.
Team news
Sporting are missing a sizeable group. O. Blorian (chest), Diego Borges (groin), M. Mosquera (hamstring) and J. Reynolds (muscle) are all out, while L. Johnsen (hamstring) and O. Wolff (muscle) are doubtful. Austin face a fitness concern of their own, with Z. Kolmanic (thigh) also a doubt.
Our prediction
PreviaXI’s model favours Sporting Kansas City, largely because they have been the more potent side at home and should create the better chances in front of their own supporters. Austin have shown they can score late, but their defensive record away from home makes them vulnerable to a team pressing for a result. Expect a tight, physical contest in which Sporting’s edge at home proves decisive.
Sporting Kansas City 2-1 Austin
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