Sporting Kansas City Faces Houston Dynamo in 2025 Season Finale
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Sporting Kansas City fans will have one last opportunity to see their team in action this weekend as they host the Houston Dynamo at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night. The match marks the conclusion of a challenging 2025 season for Sporting, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. CT and available via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and Sports Radio 810 WHB. Tickets are available at SeatGeek.com.
A Season Draws to a Close
Sporting Kansas City enters the final match of the 2025 campaign with little at stake in terms of playoff contention. The team is set to conclude its season against the Houston Dynamo on Major League Soccer’s Decision Day, facing an uphill battle to climb higher than 14th place in the Western Conference and 25th in the overall Supporters’ Shield standings. Despite the disappointing results, Sporting is guaranteed to avoid finishing in last place, as the battle for the “Wooden Spoon” will be contested between D.C. United and Atlanta United. Notably, Sporting Kansas City remains the only original MLS franchise to have never finished at the bottom of the league.
Saturday’s contest is largely a formality for both teams, as neither side can qualify for the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. Both clubs will be looking to build momentum heading into the 2026 season. Following the final whistle, David Lee, President of Soccer Operations & GM, will begin steering the club into a new era, bringing his experience from a successful tenure as Sporting Director at New York City FC.
Looking Ahead to 2026 with Houston
The match against Houston represents a chance for Sporting Kansas City to assess its progress and prepare for the challenges of 2026. Both teams have been eliminated from postseason contention in the Western Conference, making Saturday’s game a preview of the rebuilding efforts to come. Sporting will aim to complete a season sweep of the Dynamo, having already secured a 3-1 victory at Shell Energy Stadium on May 31, fueled by a brace from Dejan Joveljic and a goal from Santi Munoz.
The teams last met at Children’s Mercy Park on May 11, 2024, with Houston emerging victorious in a 2-1 contest. Despite a goal from Daniel Salloi to equalize, a late goal from Ibrahim Aliyu secured the win for the visitors. Historically, Sporting Kansas City holds the advantage in the regular-season series against Houston, with a record of 15-14-16 overall, including a 9-6-7 mark at home. The teams have been closely matched in recent years, with Sporting posting a 5-1-3 record in their last nine regular-season encounters dating back to mid-2021.
Joveljic’s Standout Season
Forward Dejan Joveljic has been a bright spot for Sporting Kansas City in 2025, and will look to cap off his impressive campaign with a strong performance against Houston. Joveljic currently ranks fourth in the Golden Boot race with 18 goals, tying Preki for the second-most goals scored in a single regular season in club history, trailing only Dom Dwyer’s 22 goals from 2014.
Having arrived after a successful stint with the LA Galaxy in 2024, Joveljic has quickly established himself as a key player for Sporting, amassing 39 MLS goals since the start of the 2024 season. This total places him behind only Lionel Messi (47) and Denis Bouanga (45) in the league’s scoring charts.
Sporting KC Celebrates Award Winners
On Friday, Oct. 10, Sporting Kansas City announced the recipients of the 2025 Sporting Club Awards, as determined by votes from players, fans, and media. Dejan Joveljic was recognized for his outstanding contributions, earning both the Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards.
The full list of award winners includes:
- Most Valuable Player: Dejan Joveljic
- Offensive Player of the Year: Dejan Joveljic
- Defensive Player of the Year: John Pulskamp
- Newcomer of the Year: Manu Garcia
- Goal of the Year: Shapi Suleymanov (June 14 vs. DAL)
- Save of the Year: John Pulskamp (May 10 at POR)
- Golden Boot: Dejan Joveljic
- Neal and Jeanne Patterson Humanitarian of the Year: Mason Toye
- Sporting KC II Most Valuable Player: Shane Donovan
- Bob Gansler Academy Player of the Year: Jacob Molinaro
- Sporting Club Network Member of the Year: Sporting Columbia
Bassong Represents Canada on International Stage
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Zorhan Bassong recently represented the Canadian National Team in a pair of friendly matches during the October FIFA international window. Bassong was an unused substitute in Canada’s 1-0 loss to Australia on Oct. 10, but earned his seventh cap with a late substitute appearance in a 0-0 draw against Colombia on Oct. 14.
Bassong has enjoyed a busy 2025 with the Canadian national team, having also participated in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, where he made two appearances and helped the team secure an impressive 6-0 victory over Honduras. He continues to be a valuable asset for head coach Jesse Marsch’s side.
