Sporting Kansas City sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table after eight games, but they are far from hitting rock bottom or giving up hope. At this point, they’re just trying to keep their heads above water.
Kansas City’s last six days have been characterized by the lowest of lows, dropping a 1-0 game in Seattle on a stoppage time goal, and much-needed highs, dominating New England 5-0 to advance to the U.S. Open Cup third round. Following what amounted to a roller coaster of a week, Sporting (1-6-1) is simply looking to continue moving in the right direction Saturday night in Colorado against the Rapids (4-3-5).
Despite practically running the Revolution off the field on Wednesday, Kansas City is still well aware of the fact that they haven’t won in league play since opening day, a fact that has left manager Peter Vermes’ team hungry for points to salvage something from their season-opening road trip.
“I wouldn’t say it’s desperation,” defender Matt Besler said, “but we want it really badly. We realize how important it is right now. It would be nice to get a few wins here in these last two games on the road before we open up at home.”
It would also be nice to get a few breaks along the way.
Perhaps more than any other team in Major League Soccer, Sporting has dealt with an disproportionate amount of adversity in 2011, and, predictably, the results have reflected that.
Because their stadium wasn’t slated to be completed until June, the club embarked on a 10-game road trip to start the season. Along the way, they’ve been on the receiving end of three red cards, an epic comeback in Vancouver, a serious injury to their Designated Player and five-straight league losses.
It won’t get any easier this weekend as Vermes is forced to field a lineup without four players and at least two starters as Roger Espinoza, Kei Kamara, Stephane Auvray and Shavar Thomas have already left to join up with their respective national teams. Ultimately, you really can’t blame Sporting from feeling like it’s their turn to catch a break.
“I feel like we deserve it,” striker Teal Bunbury said. “We’ve been playing well in most of our games, but the results aren’t showing that. That’s what it comes down to. In this beautiful game, you’ve got to get goals and you have to not get scored on.”
The formula itself is simple, but it’s been the execution that has been spotty this season for Kansas City.
Sporting played 92 near-flawless minutes against the Sounders before a missed marking assignment on a corner kick left Jeff Parke wide open to nod home the winning goal.
And despite the consequences of that momentary lapse, the overall effort was still encouraging for a side that had been worn out 4-1 by the Galaxy just a week earlier. Instead of pressing high up the field and giving their opponents the opportunity to exploit wide-open spaces, Kansas City dropped its line of pressure, defended as a group and attempted to punish Seattle on the break once they got the ball.
It’s a strategy Vermes will likely go to again to counter a Colorado side that will be eager to break up a difficult stretch of its own with a victory at home.
“We’ll take our chances with the kind of speed we have up front,” Vermes said. “The more other teams have to come and put themselves out that means there is more space behind them to play into with speed.”
The more Kansas City can minimize chances for the other side, the more they can be in the position to be on the receiving end of a few lucky breaks rather than their opponents.
Still, even without those breaks going their way so far, the conviction is still there. Sporting may not be where they wanted to be at this time a few months ago, but three points in Colorado this weekend or Toronto the next could very well change that.
“I really think they believe in each other,” Vermes said. “It’s just that we have to get through a rough time.”