Minnesota United coach Cameron Knowles believes the World Cup break provided his team with a valuable "reset" opportunity as they chase an MLS Cup Playoff spot.

The Loons have not played since a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake on May 22, with Wednesday's trip to Sporting Kansas City getting their season back up and running.

The hiatus may have come at a good time for Knowles' team, too, as they were on a four-match winless run and had dropped out of the Western Conference's automatic playoff spots.

They occupy the first wild-card place ahead of their visit to Sporting Park, but Knowles feels the opportunity to spend quality time on the training ground may now come to their advantage.

"It's been an interesting one for us, because we've never had so much time in the summer," he said of the break.

"So for guys to get that time to reset is good for us, because when we left, the games were coming thick and fast, and you didn't get all that time on the training pitch.

"So for them to have that time to have a mental and physical reset was good, and we're ready for the back half of the season." 

Sporting KC have already played their first game since the break, and they remain rooted to the bottom of the West after losing 3-2 to rivals St. Louis City SC last week.

Or Blorian and Emir Karic made their Kansas City debuts in that match, and midfielder Manu Garcia is optimistic about the impact they could make over the coming months.

"The guys that are new, that are coming from other leagues, they've already got those types of experiences. They were ready for this," Garcia said after the St. Louis game. 

"Of course, MLS is completely different to other leagues, so they need time to get used to it, but I think I've seen them doing well. Also, they are really good guys.

"They are going to connect really well with the team, and they are also very loud players. For sure, the team will only get better."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Sporting Kansas City – Dejan Joveljic

Last time out against St. Louis, Joveljic scored his 25th MLS goal with Sporting KC. 

That is 18 more than any of his team-mates since the beginning of last season, and Joveljic has tallied 43.1% of the MLS goals scored by Sporting KC players over the last two seasons (25/58, excluding own goals).

Minnesota United – Mauricio Gonzalez

Gonzalez scored his first MLS goal with a stoppage-time equaliser for the Loons in their final match prior to the World Cup break, a 1-1 draw with RSL.

That goal came after 92 minutes and 53 seconds, making it the latest scored by Minnesota this season.

MATCH PREDICTION – MINNESOTA UNITED WIN

Minnesota failed to win any of their last four matches before the World Cup hiatus (D2 L2), their longest winless run in regular-season play in the last two years.

However, the Opta supercomputer believes their slump will end on Wednesday.

The Loons have won four of their last five regular-season meetings with Sporting KC (D1) after winning only four of the team's first 19 league meetings (D4 L11). They have scored nearly as many goals in the last five meetings (13) as they managed in the first 19 (15).

In addition, Sporting KC have conceded at least one goal in all 16 matches they have played in all competitions this year, making them the only MLS team without a clean sheet. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Sporting Kansas City – 25.8%

Minnesota United – 50.8%

Draw – 23.4%