What a week for Sporting Kansas City, and what a week for two of its defensive stalwarts.
After winning the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday in Philadelphia, the team traveled cross-country and knocked off the Portland Timbers on Saturday at Providence Park to solidify its playoff position.
The wildly successful road trip saw 19 different players feature on either Wednesday, Saturday or both. And aside from heroic goal scorer Krisztian Nemeth, perhaps no one shined brighter than goalkeeper Tim Melia and defender Matt Besler.
Melia and Besler earned Team of the Week selections today on MLSsoccer.com and Bleacher Report, and given their body of work over the previous two games, it's easy to see why.
Melia made seven saves through 120 minutes on Wednesday, then stopped two penalty kicks in the decisive shootout to help clinch Sporting KC’s third Open Cup championship in team history. Besler was equally effective, holding Philadelphia’s dynamic attack in check before burying his penalty kick during the shootout.
Despite a 3,000-mile flight to Portland and just two day’s rest, the duo showed no sign of weakening at Providence Park. Melia’s six saves fell one short of an MLS career-high he set in the Rose City less than a month ago. Besler, meanwhile, led all players with nine clearances as Sporting KC notched their third shutout against Portland this year.
Melia and Besler weren't the only ones to receive Team of the Week recognition. SI.com's Best XI of Week 31 included homegrown center back Kevin Ellis and rookie outside back Saad Abdul-Salaam, who both featured in the pair of wins last week.
“For us to have a midweek game like that and play that many minutes and have an emotional roller coaster, then come into a place like this and get the result, it’s incredible for the guys to know they can do that,” Melia said after Saturday’s victory.
Added Besler, “I’m just glad we got through it. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy and a couple guys were on pretty heavy legs there, but we grinded it out and what a goal by Krisztian [Nemeth]. Unbelievable.”
While most of the team will use the forthcoming international break to rest, Besler and Graham Zusi will join the U.S. Men’s National Team for the CONCACAF Cup against Mexico on Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Sporting KC returns to MLS action Friday, Oct. 16, against the San Jose Earthquakes, who leapfrogged Portland into sixth place with a draw this weekend.
