Starting the 2023 season winless in the first 10 matches, Sporting Kansas City earned a much-needed win in Seattle in May. A 2-1 win away from home gave Sporting the boost they needed. Prior to the Leagues Cup intermission, Sporting went on a 6-5-4 run after the winless streak. After the Leagues Cup, Sporting Kansas City lost just 4 games in all competitions, winning the rest. Kansas City’s record after the Leagues Cup, 9-0-4. “We had to be near perfect towards the end of the year, and we did it,” Captain Johnny Russell said during media day prior to the season. “The first steps were taken in that Seattle game.”
An upward trend after the 2024 Leagues Cup break, similar to 2023. Winning the first game after the break against Orlando City at home. “I hope so, you know,” said Johnny Russell on his thoughts of a turning point similar to last season. “We’ve started off on the right foot, we’ve got back-to-back wins, one in the league and one in the [U.S. Open] Cup. The signs are looking positive.”
The Scottish captain, on the last year of his 4-year extension with the club, is looking for a piece of hardware before possibly departing the team, the U.S. Open Cup. After 3 big games in the Cup, Sporting will now travel to face LAFC for the title, the 5th in club history. A big piece of Sporting’s back line has been Khiry Shelton. With Shelton starting, the club is 5-1-2, making a huge impact for the team. ‘Ky’ has taken much criticism from fans on X saying most recently “Get Khiry Shelton out of this club!!!!!” and “Khiry Shelton sucks at soccer”. Peter Vermes said that “He’s been on, I think his concentration at the position he’s been on,” Khriy is able to play at multiple different positions, but Vermes likes him at right back. Shelton has been at right back for most of the season, after his first appearance in April, post a preseason injury.
Another highly valued part of the club has been Jake Davis. After transitioning back to his original position at midfield during the season, he has found his spot and is contributing to the team in ways of putting points on the board. Jake Davis has scored 3 goals this season, with an additional 4 assists. Jake has scored all 3 of his goals in the top 70% of the goal. “I just wanted to get the ball in goal, that’s what they always tell me in training.” Davis said after scoring his goal in the 3-0 win over Orlando. Recently, Peter Vermes has put Zorhan Bassong in the midfield, opposite to Jake, and he seems to like it. The chemistry of 2 young players changing up positions in the course of the season has been a change fans have liked to watch.
Sporting Kansas City continues to trend up as the season winds down. SKC will play 3 matches in 6 days, all in MLS play, facing the Sounders of Seattle, Colorado, and the Loons of Minnesota United. A two-week stretch of weekend and weekday matches continuing through September, closing out the regular season and moving into the playoffs.
