Sporting KC, FC Dallas on Upset Alert in MLS This Weekend

If not for a red card for C.J. Sapong against FC Dallas last weekend, I might have gotten that upset right. After all, Sporting Kansas City had a 2-0 lead at the time of the ejection.

But like the saying goes, "If 'ifs' and 'buts' were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas."

Only two teams are on Upset Alert for me this week. Let's see if you agree.

Upset Alert No. 1: Philadelphia Union vs. FC Dallas

Schellas Hyndman may still have one of the teams to beat in the Western Conference, but when FC Dallas travels to PPL Park this weekend to take on John Hackworth's Philadelphia Union, Dallas needs to be careful.

FC Dallas may have started well, but it has no wins in its last three matches. Philadelphia has two straight wins and is unbeaten in its last three. Those two wins were by identical 3-0 score lines.

Dallas also needs to watch its back line. Its goal differential is a +9 at home but a -4 on the road.

Upset Alert No. 2: Sporting KC vs. Columbus

Sporting KC may have played better last week, but its run of results is still pretty bad lately. The two-time defending Eastern Conference regular-season champions have two wins in their last nine matches in league play. Across all competitions, it's only three wins in the last 11.

Most of the time when I pick a team to put on Upset Alert, its opponent has been playing well (relatively speaking). In this case, however, Columbus is struggling. I suppose that's to be expected, considering it is without Eddie Gaven and Glauber for the rest of the season after both tore their left ACLs.

This is a big game for Sporting KC. The team is six points behind Montreal in the chase for first in the East, but Montreal has two games in hand. Sporting KC can't afford to keep dropping points at home if it wants to make it three straight conference titles.

Thoughts? Think I'm loony? Say so down in the comments.

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