Connect with us

Major League Soccer

Brace for it: Sporting Kansas City still alive in MLS playoff race

Still breathing.

Published

3 weeks ago

on

Thad Bell Photography

Two goals from Alan Pulido and Erik Thommy each highlighted an overpowering performance for Sporting Kansas City in Kansas City, Kansas, Wednesday night. The result? Still breathing.

A week in front of their US Open Cup Final match at Los Angeles Football Club, Sporting Kansas City (12th in West, 28 points) hosted Colorado Rapids (3rd, 47 pts) at Children’s Mercy Park Wednesday evening. The match could be the final nail in Sporting’s 2024 MLS Playoffs qualification coffin – perhaps not numerically, but… – or it could keep them on the respirator. Near futility v Trophy. Contracts v Rings. No matter the focus, it is important not to give in, and to have momentum going into a final.

Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes leaned slightly towards tuning his first-choice lineup in Saturday’s hosting of Minnesota United FC as his lineup card kept would-be starters on the bench:

In addition, midfielder/right back Jake Davis served the second game of his two-game suspension and midfielder Nemanja Radoja remained out with a groin injury. It was the 29th different lineup in 29 MLS matches this season for Kansas City.

Left back Logan Ndenbe fed striker William Agada in a golden space – open inside the top of Colorado’s box – in the 4th minute. However, Agada, seemingly taken aback at his position, flicked an ankle at the pass to push a shot far wide right.

Alan Pulido, Sporting’s #10 on the night, took advantage of attention paid to Agada three minutes later. Running onto a failed clearance of a pass to Agada, Pulido touched back and turned to fire past the Rapids’ Zack Steffen for the early lead. The marker was his fourth goal contribution in five matches.

Pulido had another good chance at the doorstep from a Stephen Afrifa entry near the quarter-hour, then Afrifa was in space just diagonally out from the 6-yard box, but the new Canadian National Teamer could not fire off in time to avoid a block.

The mix of athleticism out wide, active running from Agada, and between the lines pop-ups from Pulido meant a number of half-chances for Kansas City. Yet, the void of creativity and impact from the rest of the midfield was as large as no James Earl Jones in the Star Wars universe.

The 39th minute brought another chance by Afrifa, nudged over the bar by Steffen. The resulting corner was met by Agada at the back post. The post shook as the Nigerian’s header thundered off, keeping the match at 1-0 for Sporting Kansas City.

The stroke of the 45th minute saw Sporting right winger Johnny Russell running and pushing the ball past Connor Ronan in Colorado’s box. The Scot crossed low across the mouth of the goal, yet Agada’s back post slide missed connecting by a whisker. Prone on the pitch after, Agada had that despondent should-have-been look as he peaked over his crossed arms. Volume. Volume. It’s got to happen sooner or later.

The shot tally for each side told the story of the first half: Sporting Kansas City 15 – Colorado Rapids 3.

Sometimes it’s not so much what you do, but what happens around you. Such it was in the 49th minute for Kansas City.  Zorhan Bassong, Afrifa, and Pulido surrounded a Colorado ball carrier to win the ball on the edge of Colorado’s box. Bassong fed Afrifa wide who fed Pulido. Despite three Rapids’ defenders taking their stabs (lame ones at that), Pulido rippled the far netting past Steffen, who may have been fondly recalling his days in Man City Sky Blue shortly thereafter.

A trio of subs came from Vermes in the 60th minute as Tim Leibold, Erik Thommy, and Daniel Salloi replaced Ndenbe, Pulido, and Russell.

Thommy made his mark in the 69th. A sweeping move across the pitch from Salloi on the right wing to a central Agada to Thommy in the inner left channel gave Thommy one to beat. Driving inward, the substitute cut right to pick out the lower right corner of Colorado’s net. 3-0 Kansas City. Joy and good times abounded once again for fans and players alike.

Remi Walter took up for Memo Rodriguez in center midfield moments after Thommy cashed in.

Nevertheless, the night was not yet won, at least cleanly. Off a corner from the left wing, Agada was beat in the air, leaving the ball to bounce in Sporting’s box as a handful of defenders were on the scene. Goalkeeper John Pulskamp committed to Michael Edwards at his six-yard box as Edwards flicked backwards to send the ball across the line. Sporting Kansas City’s lead was cut to two at the 75th minute.

What me worry?  Agada took down a ball over the top from Bassong while running centrally in the 82nd minute. The striker moved left, then played for a central Salloi after a defender mistouched. Salloi gave for Thommy running on the right. The German touched right, then left to open his hips and deposit the ball inside the far post and make full payment on a victory.

Alenis Vargas replaced Afrifa three minutes later.

The 4-1 win meant Sporting remained conscious in the 2024 MLS playoff race.

Sporting Kansas City will host Minnesota United FC Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park as they focus match by match, with one eye on the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Topics:

Recent Comments

KC Soccer Journal in your Inbox!

Be the first to know when news breaks, sign up to get all of our posts sent directly to your inbox.

Facebook

Follow us on Twitter