Sporting Kansas City head to Seattle with a little more belief than they had a few weeks ago. After beating the Houston Dynamo 2-0 for their first clean sheet of the 2026 season, Sporting KC have now won two of their last three league games as they prepare for a difficult visit to the Seattle Sounders.
That result mattered because Sporting Kansas City are still bottom of the Western Conference with 21 points and only eight games left to play. They sit 14 points behind the ninth-place spot, so the margin for error remains small even with the recent uptick in results. But for a team that has spent much of the year chasing consistency, two wins in three league matches is at least a sign that things are not standing still.
Wicky sees signs of progress
Raphael Wicky said he hopes the recent results give the group confidence. After the Houston win, he pointed to the chance Sporting Kansas City had to make it 3-0 and close the game out more comfortably, but he also liked the overall performance.
“We didn’t, and 2-0 is always a tough result. I’m very pleased with what I saw, and I hope this gives the team confidence,” Wicky said. He also noted that, since the World Cup break, Sporting KC have been competitive with most teams apart from a couple of matches.
That matters because Sporting KC have often looked close to turning performances into points without fully doing it. Wicky’s message suggests the team believes the gap is not as wide as the league table says, even if the standings still leave them with a steep climb.
Seattle’s recent form has changed the tone
The Seattle Sounders come into the matchup with a different kind of momentum. A few weeks ago, they went 13 MLS games without a victory, but that run ended and they have since moved into the playoff places. They followed a win over Real Salt Lake with a 3-1 victory over Minnesota United, which helped steady their season.
Seattle’s attack has also drawn attention, with Albert Rusnak’s season and multi-season assist totals highlighted as part of that recent form. Brian Schmetzer has stressed that the structure is fine, but the players rotating into different positions must understand the rules and responsibilities of those roles. He said the team still needs to be exciting and entertain the fans, but also finish games better when they have a lead.
That is a useful reminder for Seattle as well. Even with the improvement, they still have to turn recent progress into points if they want to keep climbing. For Sporting Kansas City, the task is even more urgent because they need results quickly just to stay within reach of the teams above them.
A matchup with different stakes
These teams played to a 1-1 draw in Kansas City on May 2, so there is recent history here as well. Sporting KC will hope the cleaner defensive performance against Houston carries over, especially with Dejan Joveljic already having shown he can influence games after recording a goal and an assist in an away match against LA Galaxy on March 14.
For Sporting Kansas City, the bigger question is whether the recent lift can lead to something more lasting. For Seattle, the goal is to keep the good run going and hold onto a playoff position. With eight games left for Sporting KC, and Seattle now back in the mix, this meeting offers another clear look at where both clubs stand in the Western Conference.
