Loons and Sporting Kansas City stage Saturday showdown on ESPN at Allianz Field

In the battle for the final playoff spots in MLS' Western Conference, Minnesota United has taken care of business against the teams nearest to it in the standings. In their past 15 games, the Loons haven't lost against any of the teams outside the top four in the West.

Against the top four, though, it's a different story. In five games against Seattle, Colorado, and the LA Galaxy, they've managed only three points — and not to demean their landmark first-ever win against the Sounders, but injuries and absences left Seattle extremely shorthanded that day.

Saturday's game against Sporting Kansas City, currently in second place in the West, is a measuring stick for the Loons.

"I always use that club as a model for us because it's a similar size club," said coach Adrian Heath. "I've got great respect for Peter [Vermes, SKC head coach] and his staff and what they've done there. It's not going to be easy."

Both Heath and midfielder Wil Trapp used similar words and phrases to describe Sporting KC: Organized. Diligent. Hardworking. Well-drilled.

But lest you think of SKC as a group of faceless Vermes-led automatons, Trapp and Heath both also raved about the team's front three of striker Alan Pulido, and wingers Daniel Salloi and Johnny Russell.

"They're a team that can hurt you in multiple ways," said Trapp. "It's going to be a difficult game for us."

Pulido, Salloi and Russell have combined for 23 goals this season, one more than all of the Loons put together have managed.

The matchup comes at the end of a frustrating week for Minnesota. The Loons had chance after chance against the Galaxy last Saturday but came away with a 1-0 loss. Then Tuesday, United went to San Jose and drew 1-1, in a game in which it played for 70 minutes with a man advantage after an early Quakes red card.

"It feels like a loss, it really does," said Trapp.

In the second half, the Loons could get only one shot on target — a tame effort from long distance by center back Bakaye Dibassy.

While Heath said his team's finishing wasn't good enough, he also noted that the team didn't do enough to use the width of the field in the second half, choosing too often to play into the teeth of a packed-in defense.

"I actually thought we played well first half when they went down a man," he said. "We played more horizontal, we tried to switch the point of attack and spread them out a little bit. I thought the second half we were too vertical and really didn't make the man advantage pay enough."

The Loons felt like they should have taken three points against San Jose, and at least one against LA. Instead, they ended up with only one point, total. And now they're down to a fifth-place tie in the West, seven points behind fourth-place Colorado.

On the injury front, it's a case of one in and one out for Minnesota. Left back Chase Gasper, who missed Tuesday's game because of the league's health and safety protocols, will be available. Midfielder Jan Gregus is questionable, though, after spraining his ankle during the draw with the Earthquakes. Wingers Franco Fragapane, Robin Lod and Niko Hansen are all still listed on the team's official injury report as out, and midfielder Jacori Hayes is questionable.

Even with so many injuries, the game against Sporting Kansas City is a chance for Minnesota to prove something. "We're live on telly," said Heath, referring to the national broadcast on ESPN. "Let's go and show everyone what we're about."