When: Wednesday, Sept 25th, 2024, at 9:30pm

Where: BMO Stadium

How t0 Watch: Apple MLS Season Pass (Free)

It all comes down to this. Sporting Kansas City will try to salvage something from the 2024 season with a trophy on the line. The first trophy chance for the club since the 2017 US Open Cup that they won 2-1 over the New York Red Bulls at home.

In their way? Los Angeles FC. Only one of the best teams in the league since they came in as an expansion team.

The Paths to the Final

It’s possible the 2024 US Open Cup will have an asterisk on it forever. Only eight (8) MLS teams entered the competition, instead of all of them (26 would have been eligible this year). Now, in the finals, two of those clubs remain, while all the lower division sides have fallen away. The USL Championship’s Indy Eleven, made it the furthest before falling to Sporting KC in the semifinal.

Before meeting Indy, Kansas City didn’t enter until the round of 32 and it took 120 minutes to get by their third division opponent, Union Omaha. The round of 16 was significantly easier as they smoked FC Tulsa 4-0, a USL Championship side. Finally, they would play their first MLS opponent when FC Dallas came town. It required extra time and a massive weather delay, but Dallas were thwarted. In the semifinal, Sporting KC put away the aforementioned Indy team 2-0.

We got a FINAL 😍 #USOC2024 pic.twitter.com/nhgSGR6s61

— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) August 29, 2024

Also entering the fray in the Round of 32, LAFC found themselves matched up against USLC team, the Las Vegas Lights. LA easily dispatched them 3-1 before defeating another USLC team in Loudoun United 3-0 in the quarterfinal. Los Angeles would get lucky and get their third straight USLC opponent in New Mexico United, who they also dispatched 3-1.

It wasn’t until the semifinal that they met their first MLS opponent when they went on the road to face the Seattle Sounders. It was a cagey affair but ultimately LAFC prevailed 1-0 on an 83rd minute Denis Bouanga penalty kick to make the finals.

Recent Form

Sporting KC

• August 27th vs. Indy Eleven (US Open) – 2-0 Win
• September 7th @ New York Red Bulls – 1-1 Draw
• Sept. 15th @ Seattle Sounders – 0-2 Loss
• Sept. 18th vs. Colorado Rapids – 4-1 Win
• Sept. 21st. vs. Minnesota United – 0-2 Loss

LAFC

• August 31st vs. Houston Dynamo – 0-2 Loss
• September 7th @ Houston Dynamo – 0-0 Draw
• Sept. 14th @ LA Galaxy – 2-4 Loss
• Sept 18th vs. Austin FC – 1-1 Draw
• Sept 21st @ FC Dallas – 1-3 Loss

Los Angeles haven’t won since their last US Open game against Seattle. Before that, it was August 21st against the Colorado Rapids. Sporting KC have won three times since that Rapids game. Are Kansas City catching LA at the right time?

One thing working against KC is their road form. They have just two wins on the road all season (three if you count that Union Omaha game). The other two are July 13th against the San Jose Earthquakes and way back on March 30th against Toronto FC.

LAFC have also had trouble in finals lately, as they’ve lost the Leagues Cup and MLS Cup in the last year (both to the Columbus Crew, who KC know all too well how good they are). They also lost the final of the last CONCACAF Champions League last year. Then again, they’ve made a lot of finals and KC are in their first in seven years.

What Lineup Should KC Play?

Over two months ago, I laid out a plan for the rest of the season, but it’s wild how much has changed since then. Nemanja Radoja has been hurt and hasn’t played at all. Kayden Pierre was sold to Genk, opening a spot for Khiry Shelton at right back. And Zorhan Bassong has emerged as a defensive midfielder in a double pivot. Also, Sporting KC have entirely moved away from their vaunted 4-3-3 into a 4-2-3-1 that looks like it’s here to stay.

There has been almost no consistency in lineups from week to week, so it’s hard to know who starts. Also, do SKC look to have the best guys available for PKs, or start the best guys? Almost nothing is clear going into the game. CB pairings are all over the place. William Agada has gone cold, but the team still has massively higher expected goals (xG) when he plays versus when he doesn’t, so he has to be on the field.

Also, what tactics do KC want to play? I think they may be better off trying to give LAFC the ball more (since they seemingly don’t want it) and playing a bit more on the counter with Agada and Stephen Afrifa running at the defense. If that’s the case, it’s hard to start Pulido since he can’t run particularly well (though maybe that was undisclosed knee pain). Erik Thommy is definitely the guy with pace who can play that number 10 role. This is a wild guess that I have minimal confidence in!

Bench: Pulskamp, Pulido, Salloi, Walter, Bassong, Leibold, Fontas

How Will it Go Down?

LAFC have to be the favorites on Wednesday. They are at home, where they are 9-2-4 in MLS play this year. They are loaded with superstars like Bouanga, Olivier Giroud and the recently re-signed Carlos Vela. Mateusz Bogusz has been a revelation, and they have an experienced back line and goalkeeper in Hugo Lloris. They should win.

But you just never know in soccer. Anyone can win on any given day. Johnny Russell has stunningly never lifted a trophy for Sporting KC (or elsewhere) and the team could rally around him. If they can get a game to PKs, SKC are historically great in shootouts. They have Tim Melia, though it’s less clear who would make a PK for them.

Johnny Russell: "I think this is my 19th season, I think I've been in 4 or 5 finals, lost all of them. That's a good omen… You have to take these opportunities… We have an opportunity to write our own names in the history of this club." #SportingKC #USOC2024

— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) August 28, 2024

All I know is, we’ll all be watching late on Wednesday.