Another Road Trip

Later tonight I'll be joining plenty of other Sporting KC fans on a charter bus to Chicago for tomorrow's game against the Chicago Fire. Three hundred are converging on Chicago for the game. Tomorrow should be another interesting test for KC taking on Chicago, who went down to Dallas last week and pulled out a draw. The Fire switched between a 3-5-2 and a 4-4-2 during the game last week. Talk this week has centered around which formation the Fire will play. History last year has shown that teams don't do too well when playing a 3-5-2 against the Wizards. So I would think the Fire would be looking to go with the four man back line.

As for KC, they'll be without two players this week due to international absences with Shavar Thomas with Jamaica and Kei Kamara with Sierra Leone. Kamara is the bigger loss with Thomas not looking like a starter right now. The roster stays a bit thinner as Michael Harrington is still questionable and word was lately that he was not going to be traveling to Chicago, which means Luke Sassano looks set to make his second start for KC. Craig Rocastle isn't listed on the injured list after leaving early last week. But it'll be interesting to see if Rocastle or Stephane Auvray gets the start this weekend. Here's my thought on the lineup.

Bravo - Bunbury - Sapong
Arnaud - Auvray - Stojcev
Espinoza - Besler - Julio Cesar - Sassano
Nielsen

Number to Remember - 3 - KC had one win and one draw all time in Chicago up until the 2008 season. Since than KC has gone unbeaten in Chicago, winning twice. After a poor historical start, KC is starting to get some results there. Can they continue this weekend?

Key Match Up - Teal Bunbury vs Jalil Anibaba - Last year's first round pick vs a favorite for KC's first pick until Chicago grabbed him. Anibaba will provide a physical battle for Bunbury and will be an interesting match up to watch.

PREDICTION - It's going to be tough to get another win on the road, but Chicago didn't look great last week against Dallas. They did look good enough to beat KC though. A better possession game by the Wizards is desperately needed if KC wants to win this game. I want another win but this one seems to have draw written on it.

KC - 1 (Bravo)
Chicago - 1 (Oduro)