Low Sporting Kansas City are unpopular against Colorado Rapids before the MLS match of matchweek 32 on Wednesday evening at Children’s Mercy Park.

The Wizards can no longer finish in the top seven of the Western Conference to secure a playoff spot and are underdogs against the third-place team in the section.

Game Preview

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Unless the stars align and the teams ahead of them are eliminated in the final rounds of the season, Kansas City is unlikely to play a role in the playoffs after the regular season.

Peter VermesThe team has 28 points from 29 games, putting them 16 points behind seventh-placed Houston, which holds the last guaranteed spot, and 11 points behind ninth-place Minnesota.

With a top-seven finish out of reach, the Wizards will need to go on a run in their final five games to earn an underdog chance at eighth or ninth place and a wildcard spot.

For Kansas City, the results in the away games were a disaster: The team, ranked 12th in the Western Conference, lost 10 of its 15 away games.

However, the fact that they picked up ten of the last twelve possible points in front of their fans should give fans optimism for Wednesday’s game against a team that is unlikely to fall out of the coveted places in their league.

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Colorado has rebounded from a disappointing season last year, when it finished 14th in its section and 28th overall, missing out on a postseason championship. The team stormed to third place in the Western Division and sixth overall before facing Kansas City in Week 32.

While Chris ArmasAlthough ‘s team can still fall out of the guaranteed top spots, the Pids have a seven-point lead over the Portland Timbers, who are in eighth place, with six games remaining.

Rapids have won three games in a row, including a recent victory over Portland, and are looking to get back into postseason contention, although their away results in the final rounds of the regular season could make for some exciting moments for neutral spectators.

Although Colorado beat Dallas 3-2 in their most recent road game, this was the team’s second road win in seven away games, and remarkably, they only lost five times during that span.

Pids have relied on their results on home soil to defend their playoff position and Armas’ team should secure a place in the top seven if they maintain the ongoing streak of nine games unbeaten (seven wins) in front of their fans despite the difficulties on the road.

Sporting Kansas City Major League Soccer Form:

Sporting Kansas City form (all competitions):

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Team News

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Joaquin Fernandez And Nemanja Radoja could be out due to groin problems, along with the thigh injury Logan Ndenbe on the sidelines.

Jacob Davis could return to Kansas City’s midfield after serving a one-match suspension in the recent 2-0 loss to Seattle Sounders after being sent off for two yellow cards against New York Red Bulls.

Darren Yapi is out for Colorado after being sent off in the 97th minute for violent conduct against Portland, but the striker was not expected to start in Kansas.

Armas may also have to do without the injured pair Kevin Cabral (elbow) and Sam Vines (thigh) in gameweek 32.

After 14 goals this season Rafael Navarro will support itself to increase this balance, especially if Djordje Mihailovic (10 goals, nine assists) continues his sustained form, adding more goals after assists against Dallas and Portland.

Possible starting lineup for Sporting Kansas City:
Melia; Shelton, Valencia, Voloder, Leibold; Davis, bass song; Russell, Thommy, Salloi; Pulido

Possible Colorado Rapids starting lineup:
Steffen; Rosenberry, Abubakar, Maxso, Travis; Bassett, Ronan; Harris, Mihailovic, Lewis; Navarro

We think: Sporting Kansas City 2-2 Colorado Rapids

Despite their current position, Kansas are a threat to any opponent due to their recent home form and attacking strength.

Regardless, recent performances from Mihailovic and Navarro in Colorado’s attacking third should prevent the away team from suffering a sixth away loss in eight games in a high-scoring draw at Kansas.

Click here to see a data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this match.

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