Match Preview: Sporting Travel to Colorado Springs for the USOC Round of 32

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is back! And such a fun thing. It bridges the gap between professional divisions, and matches tend towards a madness owed to the chaotic nature of knockout football. As Sporting Kansas City travels to the front range of the Rocky Mountains to face the Colorado Springs Switchbacks for Tuesday’s Round of 32 clash, we’re breaking down what we can about what might be Kansas City’s best shot at Glory in 2026.  

Taking on a motivated USL Championship side is never easy. Doing so amid a floundering season and a brutal travel schedule is going to be a real test for a Sporting side that is already performing poorly on the field early in the 2026 campaign. 

Kansas City currently sits at the bottom of the Western Conference table with a dismal four points from seven fixtures and a minus-ten goal differential. Meanwhile, the 2024 USL Championship title-winning Switchbacks are finding their rhythm under newly promoted head coach Alan McCann. They enter this game with the advantages of elevation, an artificial grass field, and rest. 

The Breakdown 

Sporting’s 1-5-1 start in MLS play isn’t bad luck or a temporary statistical variance. While there have been moments of quality, during the run of play in most matches thus far, they’ve looked beatable and have been plagued with defensive fragility. 

Wicky arrived from BSC Young Boys with a reputation for dynamic, front-foot football. His system relies on aggressive pressing, fluid positional interchanges, and sustained possession in the opponent’s half. Thus far this season, Sporting has been trying to execute this system with a roster filled with new and sometimes inexperienced players.  

Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes highlighted this dilemma. Forced to field the second-youngest starting lineup in club history, Wicky handed a first start to 21-year-old center-back Diego Borges and a debut to 24-year-old forward Capita Capemba. Young center-back Ian James also stepped in to cover. 

The squad flashed brief moments of attacking quality but continued their tendency to collapse the moment they are forced to defend in transition. Pushing numbers forward in the attack has consistently left an exhausted backline exposed. 

The Physical Toll  

The team’s tactical struggles are heavily reflected in their plummeting Defensive and Aerial Duel Success Rates. Tracking data indicates a defensive duel success rate hovering near a highly vulnerable 52.8%, with an aerial duel success rate dipping below 47%. 

In the system Sporting is trying to play, center-backs and defensive midfielders must consistently win isolated, one-on-one duels in wide channels while the fullbacks push high. Once the initial counter-press is bypassed, an already exhausted defensive unit is forced into desperate recovery sprints. 

Weidner Field is 6,035 feet above sea level. If Sporting Kansas City is already losing the majority of their duels near sea level, the altitude could certainly amplify that and pose a big problem. 

The Colorado Springs Threat 

Following a turbulent 2025 campaign and the dismissal of head coach James Chambers, the Switchbacks are solidifying under Alan McCann. Currently sitting at 1-2-2 in league play, McCann’s squad embraces the chaotic nature of the USLC, prioritizing high turnovers in the midfield and vertical progression over simple possession. 

Colorado Springs excels in progressive carries and direct vertical play, with dynamic talents like Sporting Kansas City draftee Sadam Masereka. 

The Matchup Blueprint and Attrition 

After expending massive energy against San Jose on Saturday, Sporting will play this Tuesday night match in Colorado Springs, then immediately hop a flight to face the Vancouver Whitecaps on Friday night. Transitioning from natural grass to Weidner Field’s corkonut infill, and then to Vancouver’s notoriously harsh artificial turf, will be tough. It’s entirely possible that anyone deemed vital for the Vancouver fixture will likely be kept off of the Open Cup roster, meaning lots of minutes for fringe players and Academy graduates. 

Friction Points 

The Switchbacks will likely run out in an aggressive 4-4-2, using forwards Khori Bennett and Kyle Vassell to cut off wide passing lanes and force the ball into the middle. 

This plays directly to the strength of the Switchbacks’ midfield: Speedy Williams (not just a descriptor, that’s his name!) and Frank Daroma. Every turnover in the middle of the action will bypass the Kansas City midfield entirely, leaving young center-backs exposed to dangerous footraces. Kansas City will need to consistently absorb contact and keep the ball wide on the wings, hoping to exploit the space behind the Colorado Springs fullbacks. 

The X-Factors 

Knockout round football is prone to chaos and individual moments of outsize importance. Keep an eye out for these things that could be game changers. 

Defensive Communication: Roster questions abound going into this match. If the selected defensive lineup (and keeper selection) lack cohesion (an ongoing problem), the Switchbacks’ physical forwards will exploit the chaos. Set pieces especially could be dangerous.  

The 60th-Minute Altitude Wall: Visiting teams routinely hit a wall around the hour mark when playing at altitude. If the game is tied, watch for McCann to introduce fresh, pacey wingers. If SKC starts to fatigue and Colorado Springs gets the ball in the attacking third, aimless long clearances under pressure will only invite sustained waves of attacks. 

The Game-State Shift: Sporting KC’s ability to chase a game leaves much to be desired. An early Switchbacks goal allows Colorado Springs to drop into a more compact shape and park the bus, forcing Kansas City to open up while leaving themselves vulnerable to the counter. 

The Verdict 

Sporting Kansas City will probably field a heavily rotated, inexperienced lineup struggling with defensive frailties, executing a high-energy system at altitude on synthetic turf. The Switchbacks’ transition-based midfield could very well exploit the heavy legs and forced errors of a fatigued MLS side that has one eye on a flight to Vancouver. The physical toll may simply be too immense for the visitors to overcome. 

I’m feeling a 2-1 loss for Sporting, perhaps after extra time.