Sporting Kansas City (No. 8 seed) host the San Jose Earthquakes (No. 9 seed) Wednesday evening in the Western Conference's single-elimination Wild Card game, just four days after both clubs clinched their place in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.
How to watch and stream
When
- Wednesday, Oct. 25 | 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT
Where
- Children's Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kansas
The winner advances to face West No. 1 seed St. Louis CITY SC in a Round One Best-of-3 series that starts Oct. 29 with Game 1. Game 2 is set for Nov. 5, then Game 3 (if necessary) arrives Nov. 11.
If the Wild Card game between Kansas City and San Jose is tied after regulation time, a penalty kick shootout will determine the winner (no extra time). Big picture, all clubs in the 18-team playoff field are building towards MLS Cup presented by Audi on Dec. 9.
- Seed: No. 8 in Western Conference
- Record: 44 points (12W-14L-8D)
Sporting KC authored one of the most dramatic turnarounds in league history to solidify their postseason place. After starting 2023 winless in their first 10 games (0W-7L-3D), they played inspired soccer the rest of way, including a 6W-3L-0D run to close the year. The final win of that stretch came in a pressure-packed Decision Day fixture against regional rival Minnesota United FC, who also needed three points to have a shot at the playoffs.
Club captain Johnny Russell played the hero in that 3-1 victory, notching a brace while Dániel Sallói grabbed two assists. Both players are part of a veteran core that includes the likes of leading goalscorer Alan Pulido, key midfielders Erik Thommy, Rémi Walter and Nemanja Radoja, and longtime goalkeeper Tim Melia. Key contributions from newer players on the backline, such as Dany Rosero and emerging homegrown Jake Davis, also helped spur the turnaround
The team is led by manager and sporting director Peter Vermes, who is the longest-tenured coach in MLS history after initially taking the reigns in 2009. Vermes survived demands for change early in the year from SKC supporters' group Kansas City Cauldron, declaring last weekend: "For the naysayers, the doubters, no problem. Keep doing it ‘cause we’ll keep fighting and clawing and making our way."
- Seed: No. 9 in Western Conference
- Record: 44 points (10W-10L-14D)
San Jose's 1-1 draw against Austin FC on Decision Day was enough to clinch the Western Conference's final Wild Card spot, but the club have not been in great form since roughly mid-June, earning only three regular-season wins in their final 17 matches (3W-5L-9D).
In head coach Luchi Gonzalez's first year with San Jose, his team has struggled to find consistent offensive production outside of an excellent season from winger Cristian Espinoza (13g/13a) and solid contributions from striker Jeremy Ebobisse (10g/4a). Helping to stabilize the team at the back has been outstanding play from Brazilian duo Rodrigues (center back) and Daniel (goalkeeper).
Despite up-and-down campaigns in attack, the likes of Cade Cowell, Matthew Hoppe and Jamiro Monteiro are also capable of taking over a game at the right moment, and veterans Jackson Yueill and Carlos Gruezo, as well as homegrown Niko Tsakiris, offer a solid base to build from in the midfield. Wednesday marks the beginning of only the club's third postseason appearance in the last 11 seasons, and their first since 2020.
