Nashville SC takes tough defense into matchup against Sporting Kansas City

Nashville SC (4-5-6, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Sporting Kansas City (8-5-2, third in the Western Conference)

Kansas City, Kansas; Sunday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Nashville SC faces Sporting Kansas City on a defensive hot streak after conceding just nine goals over the last 10 games.

Sporting Kansas City is 4-4-1 in home games. Johnny Russell leads the eighth-ranked scoring team in the league with five goals. Sporting Kansas City has scored 28 goals.

Nashville SC is 1-4-3 in road games. Nashville SC is 3-2-0 in games decided by one goal.

The matchup Sunday is the first meeting this season between the two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: Alan Pulido has four goals and two assists for Sporting Kansas City. Russell has five goals and one assist over the past 10 games for Sporting Kansas City.

Dax McCarty has one goal and three assists for Nashville SC this year. Daniel Rios has two goals over the last 10 games for Nashville SC.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sporting Kansas City: 4-4-2, averaging 1.4 goals, 0.8 assists, 3.5 shots on goal and 7.4 corner kicks per game while allowing 1.6 goals per game.

Nashville SC: 3-2-5, averaging 0.9 goals, 0.8 assists, 3.4 shots on goal and 4.1 corner kicks per game while allowing 0.9 goals per game.

NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY: Sporting Kansas City: Matt Besler (injured), Felipe Gutierrez (injured), Luis Martins (injured).

Nashville SC: Dominique Badji (injured), David Accam (injured), Anibal Godoy (injured), Jimmy Medranda (injured), Daniel Rios (injured), Ken Tribbett (injured).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by , and data from ,.