Galaxy-Sporting Kansas City Preview

Sporting Kansas City wasted a chance to clinch a playoff berth earlier this week by losing to the team with the worst record in the Western Conference.

Now, they need to beat the reigning MLS Cup champions to qualify.

Kansas City enters Decision Day looking to snap out of their scoring funk Sunday night against the Los Angeles Galaxy, who are aiming to gain a postseason bye.

Kansas City (13-11-9) is 2-7-2 in its last 11 games, a stretch that's put it in a tenuous spot in the postseason race. Sporting is tied with Seattle and one point ahead of San Jose and the cutoff heading into the regular-season finale.

Sporting had an opportunity to claim one of the two remaining berths in the West on Wednesday, but it fell 2-0 at home to Colorado - Kansas City's first home loss to the Rapids since September 2002.

"I know that you're not always going to win every game, but I also know that you have to come out with a certain approach and intent. And we didn't do that," coach Peter Vermes said. "We weren't right in that environment, and it's hard to understand why because to me these are the easy games to play.

"You know when something's on the line that it's time to go, and we didn't have that."

That will need to change Sunday since failing to beat the Galaxy (14-10-9) could put Kansas City out of the postseason for the first time since 2010.

"It's a final," Vermes said. "We're in the playoffs: we're playing a play-in game to get in the playoffs. That's what we're doing. We just happen to be playing it at home. It's that simple; there's nothing else to read into it."

Scoring has become a major problem for SKC, who have two goals in their last five games (1-3-1) and none in the past two.

Dom Dwyer, the team leader with 11 goals, has just two in his last seven games. The forward hasn't scored in two career matchups with Los Angeles, mustering just one shot on target.

Benny Feilhaber is also having a tough time getting on the score sheet as his bid for league MVP honors fades. The midfield playmaker has no goals or assists in four games, and he's been held to two of each over the last 10.

Feilhaber assisted on a goal by Krisztian Nemeth in the last meeting with the Galaxy on April 18, but Kansas City gave up a goal to Omar Gonzalez late in stoppage time to fall 2-1.

Sporting is 2-3-1 in its last six matchups with Los Angeles, but it's unbeaten in six at home (3-0-3).

The Galaxy have already clinched a playoff spot but need a victory to assure themselves of the second seed in the conference and a bye to the West semifinals.

Earning that spot may require solving their recent defensive issues. The Galaxy have surrendered 12 goals in the past four games and are 1-3-2 in their last six.

The defense was dreadful last Sunday, giving up five second-half goals in a 5-2 defeat to Portland.

"Some guys are making mistakes. Without me making an advertisement or printing posters some guys individually have made some bad mistakes that cost us goals," coach Bruce Arena told the team's official website. "Everything can be better."

Robbie Keane, however, is doing his part. The reigning MLS MVP has four goals and one assist in the last three games after tallying twice against the Timbers. His 19 goals on the season match his total from last year and have come in six fewer games.

Giovani Dos Santos hasn't been nearly as productive, scoring once in six games after finding the net twice in his first three games since joining Los Angeles from Spain's Villarreal.