New England Revolution vs. Sporting Kansas City: Live Game Thread

Viva Las Vegas!

I know none (or at least not many) of you are in Las Vegas right now, but I am! As such, my work this week will probably be a tad abridged. Like this opening preamble to the game thread.

Ousmane Dabo, Rajko Lekic and Pat Phelan are listed as probable for tonight's match. Dabo probably won't go - I've been hearing he'll make his 2011 debut in the Open Cup this week - but Lekic is probably fine and Didier Domi isn't listed at all. Phelan is listed for a headache, which is scary because of his past concussion problems. Hopefully it's something far less serious.

A few game notes, then?

• Saturday night’s match will be the 41st regular-season meeting between the two teams, and the first since Kansas City rebranded as Sporting Kansas City in the off-season … the teams also met once in SuperLiga, playing to a 1-1 draw in 2009
• The teams split the 2010 regular-season series, with both teams winning at home … Kansas City defeated New England in its temporary home stadium, CommunityAmerica Ballpark, on Aug. 21, and New England avenged the loss at home with a 1-0 triumph in its final home game of the season on Oct. 16
• The Revs are 1-5-1 in their last seven regular-season meetings against Kansas City … prior to that stretch, New England had won three straight games against Kansas City from Aug. 2, 2007 to April 9. 2008
• Kansas City leads the all-time, regular-season series between the two teams, 20-12-8, during which it has outscored New England, 64-50.
• There is a history of close games between the teams, with 27 matches determined by one goal or fewer … 12 games have been decided by a two-goal spread, while just one match – last year’s 4-1 KC victory – has been decided by three or more goals
• New England won six of its first 11 meetings with the KC in the all-time series, but the Revs have struggled since … the Revs are 6-15-8 in their last 29 meetings with Kansas City dating back to 2000

And don't forget, tonight will be the first time we see Benny Feilhaber, and we'll see him in a uniform featuring a sponsor's logo for the first time in team history.

Lineups, when available, after the jump.

Lineups

Revolution: Reis; Alston, Coria, Soares, Domi; McCarthy, Joseph, Feilhaber; Perovic, Lekic, Boggs

Bench: Barnes, Cochrane, Dabo, Mansally, Schilawski, Shuttleworth, Tierney

Sporting KC: Nielsen; Harrington, Espinoza, Besler, Collin; Sapong, Stojcev, Arnaud, Kamara, Diop; Bunbury

Bench: Aiyegbusi, Rocastle, Thomas, Zusi, Smith, Kronberg, Auvray