Sporting Kansas City play host to Charlotte FC on Wednesday evening looking for the win that will see them remain on the coattails of the top nine in the Western Conference table.
At a time when the home side sit in 13th place in that division, Charlotte FC occupy ninth position in the Eastern Conference table.
The home side had seemed to be back on an upward trajectory after a disappointing start to the campaign, but after putting together a four-match unbeaten streak, they have since lost their last two matches.
Meanwhile, with eight wins and nine defeats from 18 MLS fixtures, Charlotte FC have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the United States.
How the bookies see it: Impossible to separate?
The bookmakers are struggling to separate these teams ahead of this upcoming fixture, Sporting Kansas City being priced at 7/5 by BoyleSports.
Meanwhile, Charlotte are 11/8 to come out on top, it essentially being deemed to be a pick'em contest.
The draw is priced considerably higher at 13/5, betting odds that may be worth gambling on if you are similarly indecisive over this match.
Head to head: The inaugural meeting
These two teams have never squared off in an MLS fixture since Charlotte joined the MLS in 2022.
Charlotte are the only former or existing MLS side that Sporting Kansas City have never faced.
From Charlotte's perspective, Sporting Kansas City are one of just two teams – the other being FC Dallas – who they have never faced.
Players to watch: Sporting Kansas star to impress again?
With 10 goals from just 17 matches in this season's MLS, Dejan Joveljic is the obvious player to watch in this encounter.
While he may have failed to add to his four-game scoring streak against FC Dallas last time out, he provided one of the assists for the goals in a 4-2 defeat.
Meanwhile, Charlotte's goals have largely been shared around four players, who either have five or six strikes to their name.
They are Patrick Agyemang, Liel Abada, Pep Biel and Wilfried Zaha, the latter former Crystal Palace star ending a four-game run without a goal by netting versus Philadelphia Union in the previous game.
Agyemang had scored four times in as many games, but that form led to selection for the United States' friendlies and Gold Cup participation.
Predicted lineups: Two changes for home side?
There will be at least one change to the Sporting Kansas City XI with Khiry Shelton serving a one-match ban for being dismissed for two yellow cards versus FC Dallas.
Andrew Brody appears in line to be recalled at right-back, while Daniel Salloi could return on the left flank.
With Agyemang at the Gold Cup with the USA, Idan Toklomati is expected to remain down the centre of the Charlotte FC attack.
Liel Abada is an option to return in the final third ahead of Kerwin Vargas.
Sporting Kansas City: Pulskamp; Brody, Miller, Fernandez, Ndenbe; Bartlett, Davis; Suleymanov, Garcia, Salloi; Joveljic
Charlotte FC: Bingham; Marshall-Rutty, Malanda, Privett, Doumbia; Westwood, Broncio; Abada, Biel, Zaha; Toklomati
Anything else catch the eye?
Sporting Kansas City have won just one of their last six games. Meanwhile, Charlotte have suffered defeat in four of their last six.
Despite sitting down in 13th place in the table, Sporting Kansas City boast the joint-sixth best attack in the Western Conference.
However, they also have the second-worst defensive record when Charlotte have the joint-sixth best offensive return in the Eastern Conference.
That said, Charlotte have lost seven of their 10 away MLS fixtures in 2025.
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