Sporting KC search for breakthrough against Atlanta United

There has not been much for Sporting Kansas City to smile about this season. But after a solid effort at home in their most recent game, they will look to carry that performance onto the road when they visit Atlanta United on Sunday.

Kansas City (4-13-3, 15 points) is coming off a 1-1 draw against regional rival St. Louis City SC on Wednesday. Kansas City conceded the opening goal in first-half stoppage time before tying it in the 55th minute.

St. Louis entered unbeaten in nine straight MLS matches.

"It was (the coaches) that gave us the tools and ideas to express ourselves," defender Jake Davis said. "We showed that and should have taken three points. ... We should take that and know that when we go to Atlanta or we play at home, we have the capability of beating good teams or beating teams that can get results."

The draw snapped a three-game losing streak for Sporting Kansas City, which had been blanked in each of those outings, but also extended the MLS basement dwellers' winless stretch to four.

"I'm not pleased with the result, but I'm very pleased with the performance of the team," Kansas City coach Raphael Wicky said. "I feel like I've seen a lot of things I want to see from my team in terms of defending together, in terms of pressing well. We stole a lot of balls against a team who, in this league right now, is in a very good position and outplays other teams."

It's not long ago that Atlanta (5-12-3, 18 points) was below SKC at the bottom of the MLS standings. However, wins in each of the last two matches have Atlanta above Kansas City. Another win in this match could help Atlanta climb out of the bottom spot of the Eastern Conference.

The club is coming off a 2-1 victory at Minnesota United on Wednesday for its second two-game winning streak of the season. And though Atlanta has won three in a row across all competitions once this season -- MLS triumphs against Toronto FC and CF Montreal sandwiching a U.S. Open Cup victory against Charlotte FC from April 25 to May 2 -- it hasn't done so in a single season of MLS play since 2021.

"We want to show a better face from the team," midfielder Tristan Muyumba said. "No matter what happens until the end of the season, we just want to be the best version we can be until the end. ... We just want to move game by game. And we have an important game on Sunday. So yeah, let's stay focused and grounded."

Muyumba tallied for a third straight game on Wednesday. It was his fourth goal of the season, doubling his combined total from his first three MLS seasons.

--Field Level Media