Timbers Historic Comeback on Matchday Eight Has Haunted Sporting KC
Each team should take stock of what Sporting KC accomplished in 2023
Starting the 2024 season with a result in five of six matches, Sporting KC hosted the Portland Timbers on April 7th. The standalone, national TV matchup presented the home side with a chance to go joint-top of the Western Conference.
First in the conference was a near-guarantee after leading 3-0 at halftime of the match at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting KC could have easily made it 4-0 at the hour mark when Eryk Tommy won a penalty.
Striker Willy Agada approached the spot with a stuttered run-up then hit his shot wide-left. Three minutes later the Timbers capitalized on what Agada could not, an Evander PK sending Goalkeeper Tim Melia the opposite direction.
Eliminating the clean sheet was one thing, scoring a second goal just moments after the first put Peter Vermes and Sporting KC on the ropes. Then, the most unlikely of scorers, Eric Miller, who had never scored in 185 career MLS games, leveled the match in the 81st minute.
The post-match feelings of each team differed significantly after each team earned a point in the 3-3 draw. It was the first time in club MLS history that the Timbers came from three goals down to earn a result.
Since the draw on April 7th, SKC has been winless in MLS play: 0-5-1. The numbers say it’s no fluke, inferior xG in each contest and giving up 14 goals through the six-game skid.
“The two goals we gave up, they’re atrocious in my opinion. I’m the head coach so I have to take responsibility for it. But the organization is always put together on set pieces. It’s simple situation. For us to give up that goal the way we did is amateur at best”, said SKC Head Coach Peter Vermes after a 2-1 defeat to Houston on May 11th.
Sporting KC will look to end the winless run this Saturday at Providence Park against the Timbers squad who started it. An attacking trio of Dániel Sallói, Alan Pulido and Johnny Russell can still present headaches for the Timbers backline.
Portland fans should still be fearful of Sporting KC come Saturday night. Kansas City started last season ice-cold scoring a total of three goals in the first 10 games of the season accounting for the second-worst start in club history: 0-7-3 (the worst was in 1999 when the KC Wizards opened their season 0-9-1). Bottom of MLS, a road win in Seattle last May propelled them to go 5-1-2 over their next eight fixtures and ultimately finish 10-10-14. Reaching the postseason, Sporting KC would inch past San Jose in the wildcard, then topple one-seed St. Louis City to reign supreme in the region.
What SKC did last season shouldn’t just be a sign of optimism for the current Sporting KC side but also the Portland Timbers. Each team is off to a slow start this season but with 60% of the season left, talented players on each roster and a playoff format that allows nine teams per conference, late-season pushes can be rewarded. It’s all about getting one of the nine playoff spots. Saturday’s game at 7:30 will be very significant to getting one of those nine spots.