With Sporting short-handed, KC may be prime for upset
The summer grind of international tournaments and injury attrition did the Union a favor Sunday against New England, and the club duly obliged by taking home the full three points in decisive fashion.
The opportunity is perhaps not as blatant Thursday night in Kansas City, but with a Sporting KC side diminished ahead of the Gold Cup break, the path to a result is less obstructed than usual in one of MLS’s most daunting environments.
Sporting KC will be without several key pieces when the Union (67-4, 22 points) visit Thursday night (8:30, TCN), an uncommon chance to scavenge a result against the stingiest team in MLS.
In any state, Kansas City (8-4-7, 31 points) won’t be an easy opponent. Peter Vermes’ squad has allowed a scant 13 goals in 19 games this season, and they’re tied with FC Dallas atop the Western Conference. SKC has conceded four fewer goals than Chicago for the lowest total in the league. They’ve permitted just four total goals in nine home matches, posting a 6-0-3 record at Children’s Mercy Park.
“Peter Vermes has assembled a very strong defensive group with a lot of depth,” Curtin said Wednesday. “They lead the league in goals against, and it’s no coincidence that that puts them at the top of their conference. So big test, a tough place to go in Kansas City, a great stadium and a great atmosphere.”
But the Sporting KC side that will take the field Thursday isn’t the full strength outfit. Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer and Matt Besler are away with the U.S. national team alongside the Union’s Alejandro Bedoya. (It was announced Wednesday that Chris Pontius will join them for the Gold Cup as an injury replacement for winger Kenny Saief, but Pontius will be available Thursday for the Union.)
Dwyer’s direct replacement, Gerso Fernandes, sustained a significant shoulder injury in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Portland which could rule him out for up to a month, while Roger Espinoza is suspended on yellow-card accumulation.
That deprives SKC of five starters as opposed to just two for the Union, also without Jamaican Andre Blake, with John McCarthy stepping in to start. But a window of opportunity doesn’t mean Curtin is taking SKC easily.
“The way Kansas City plays will be the same,” Curtin said. “They have a true system they believe in. They’re a highly competitive team that fights for everything. They have still a ton of experienced guys, they have guys that have been through MLS games and MLS seasons, so it’ll be a difficult task. We’ll never take them lightly.”
The Union are relatively healthy, with Jack Elliott passing an injury scan for a knee knock that forced him to exit Sunday’s game. He should be ready to go, while Fabian Herbers is in the mix after logging time with Bethlehem Steel on the weekend following a month out with an adductor strain. Warren Creavalle’s hamstring strain, though, is unlikely to progress quickly enough to factor in Thursday. Regardless, the Union have chance to claw further up the a standings. A result could see them hop the Red Bulls, who play New England late Wednesday night, into seventh in the East. The Union trail sixth-placed Columbus by six points, and Thursday marks one of three games in hand on the Crew.
“The Eastern Conference is very tight right now,” Curtin said. “It’s a year where the East has beaten up on the West a little bit, so the point totals are very high. There’s no margin for error. Every game that you’re going to get now is a challenge. Kansas City is a team that is very deep. Yes, they’re going to be missing a few key players, but so are we, so the challenge is going to be there.”