Sporting KC v Houston – The Relegation Bowl (Except We Don’t Have Relegation)

An Obligatory Preamble 

After a long slog through 33 games of the 2025 season, we now arrive at the final 90 minutes. Sporting Kansas City will host the Houston Dynamo in a match that, frankly, lacks the excitement and playoff stakes Sporting fans had grown accustomed to in years past. Usually when Houston comes to town, things are buzzing. This year, both clubs have been officially eliminated from the postseason, turning this final contest at Children’s Mercy Park into something different: a look toward the future. 

For the players on the field, the reality is that this is a final audition before the curtain falls on one of the poorest seasons in recent memory. With a new front office, led by President of Soccer Operations David Lee, watching from the stands, every minute is a chance to make a case for a spot-on next year’s roster. For the fans, it’s an opportunity to close the book on a difficult chapter and hopefully catch a glimpse of what the next era might have in store.

How We Got Here (A Post-Mortem) 

The story of the 2025 season was one of defensive lapses and liabilities that could almost be described as comical if it weren’t such a constant. A team that was built with significant attacking firepower was consistently undermined by an inability to keep the ball out of its own net. The final numbers are clear: 20 losses (at least), a league-worst 70 goals conceded, and a goal differential of -24. They leaked, on average, a goal every 42 minutes, worse than one goal per half.

The early-season departure of manager Peter Vermes after 15 years marked the official end of an era, confirming that a significant rebuild was on the horizon. Under interim coach Kerry Zavagnin, the team has been navigating the final stretch of the season, playing for whatever pride may remain along with fighting for their own individual futures as the club prepares for an entirely necessary offseason overhaul.

An Imbalanced Roster 

The preseason forecast for this team was depressingly accurate. With the departure of veteran goalkeeper Tim Melia, the underlying numbers for his replacement, John Pulskamp, were a big cause for concern, though how much of this is truly his fault is up for debate. That said, his “Goals Prevented” metric this season sits at a league worst –8.5, meaning an average goalkeeper would have been expected to concede nearly nine fewer goals based on the quality of shots faced.

This vulnerability at the back was further compounded by the club’s roster. The front office invested heavily in the attack, bringing in Designated Players like striker Dejan Joveljić and creative midfielder Manu García. The general feeling was for a team that would be “fun to watch,” with “many goals scored in both directions.” With 46 goals for and 70 against, that prediction has been borne out, but without any of the positive results. Instead, the 2025 season was the result of an imbalanced player pool, a high-powered offense paired with a defense that was not equipped to compete at a high level. Correcting this and finding a system that works for the personnel they have will be the primary task for the front office.

What’s Actually at Stake: Not the Spoon 

While playoff hopes are long gone, there was one possible outcome left to let yourself become emotionally invested in. Well, that is until results went another way last weekend. Sporting KC are currently tied with the LA Galaxy for the last spot in the Western Conference with 27 points. And they are only slightly clear of DC United at the bottom of the East with 25 points, and Atlanta United with 27 points.

However, Sporting KC cannot finish dead last. LA Galaxy could pass them, as could one of Atlanta or DC, but not both. The schedule makers saw fit to put DC United against Atlanta, so there is no combination of points both teams can pick up that would push them both passed Kansas City. Atlanta is behind KC currently on the wins tiebreaker, so they need points and DC need to win.

At worst, SKC will finish next to last.

The 4-3-3 in Transition 

For more than a decade, Sporting KC’s identity has been synonymous with Peter Vermes’ high-press, possession-oriented 4-3-3 formation. This season, however, the system struggled without the right personnel to execute it. What it requires is two dominant center backs and a cohesive midfield unit, both of which are areas where the current roster has shown it is sorely lacking.

Kerry Zavagnin, Vermes’ longtime assistant, has shown a willingness to experiment with fluid formations and personnel, but largely maintained something close to the familiar “4-3-3 Attacking” shape. While the commitment to a clear tactical identity is understandable, the challenge for the next permanent manager will be to either find the players to properly execute this system or throw it all out and find a way to implement new tactics to the new roster’s strengths, whatever those may be.

With the front office evaluating every position and few players considered locks for coming back, the performances of the players will carry extra weight. Three players come to mind for this one. 

The Audition: Jacob Bartlett

The 20-year-old homegrown midfielder has been a fixture in the team this year, gaining invaluable experience with 29 appearances and 22 starts. No one would dispute his energy and work rate, but his team-leading eight yellow cards show a player still learning the nuances of his position at this level. With a full season of first-team soccer under his belt, this final match is a chance for him to show the new brass that he’s an important piece for the club’s future going forward. 

The Veteran: Khiry Shelton

At 32, Khiry Shelton has been a constant veteran presence for the club, showing his versatility by filling in at right back for much of the season out of necessity. As a forward by trade, his redeployment highlights the roster imbalances that plagued the team. With a significant salary and a club option for 2026, his performance on the night will be another critical data point to evaluate for the new front office as they make difficult (or easy) decisions about the club’s core and veteran presence moving forward.

The Creative Engine: Manu García

Signed as a Designated Player to be the team’s primary creator, the Spanish midfielder has mostly delivered on that promise, leading the team with seven assists (nine if you count secondary assists, like MLS) and 43 chances created. His $2.3 million salary is significant, and the challenge for the club moving forward is how to build a balanced roster around his creative talents. While his playmaking has been a bright spot, the team’s overall struggles highlight something important: a creative engine is only as effective as the chassis it’s built into. His presence raises important questions about resource allocation and the need for a more versatile and pragmatic approach to roster construction.

Head-to-Head History 

It’s worth remembering that matches between Sporting KC and the Houston Dynamo once decided conference championships. The two clubs met in three consecutive postseasons from 2011 to 2013, trading dramatic victories. Houston ended SKC’s season in 2011, but Kansas City got its revenge in 2012 and again in 2013 on the way to winning the MLS Cup. This match won’t have the same stakes, but the history serves as a reminder of the standard this club wants to return to.

This match presents at least one interesting question. Under coach Ben Olsen, Houston plays as possession-based team that likes to control the tempo of the game. However, they have struggled to turn that possession into goals, especially after parting with several key offensive players in the offseason. Sporting, on the other hand, has been defensively vulnerable all year. Let’s see if SKC’s press can remain disciplined enough to disrupt Houston’s rhythm without leaving the backline totally exposed. It will be one last test of cohesion for a team playing for pride and future consideration.

Reasons to Keep Watching Past the 70th Minute 

For the dedicated fans sticking it out to the final whistle, here are a few things to keep an eye on. 

The Center-Back Audition. This is the perfect opportunity for a look at potential future pairings. Watch to see if 23-year-old Jansen Miller, who for some time this season played more minutes than any other 2025 SuperDraft pick, gets a full 90-minute run alongside 24-year-old Robert Voloder. With the veteran options struggling this season, this could be a valuable test for 2026.

A Test of Professionalism. In a game with no stakes, character can be revealed. Frustration from a long season can easily boil over. Watch how the players conduct themselves. Players like Jacob Bartlett (8 yellows), Jake Davis (7 yellows), and Zorhan Bassong (7 yellows) have played on the edge and/or with desperation all season. Their discipline in a meaningless game will speak for itself.

An Ode to Dejan Joveljić. Take a moment to appreciate the relentless effort of Dejan Joveljić. Signed to score goals, he has done just that, accounting for 18 of the team’s 46 goals—nearly 40% of the total offense. On a team with the league’s worst defense, he has been a consistent and professional goalscorer, putting in a thankless shift week after week. His performance this season has been perhaps the lone bright spot in a difficult year.

A Final Prediction 

Sporting has not recorded a clean sheet in 19 straight games, and conceding has been the story of their season. Houston, playing on the road with little to fight for, will likely capitalize on a defensive lapse. Joveljić, ever the professional, is a good bet to find the net for Sporting, ensuring the home fans have something to cheer for one last time.

A 1-1 draw seems like a fitting end. It’s a result that requires a plausible amount of effort from two teams ready to turn the page and begin purging their rosters as they enter their offseasons. 

Once the final whistle blows, the season is over. Let the rebuild begin.