As Sporting KC fell 2-1 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Tuesday night and were subsequently eliminated from the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, Swope Park Rangers fans will have noticed four familiar faces darting around Children’s Mercy Park.
Amer Didic and Ualefi both returned to CCL action having made their Sporting KC debuts in August, while Tyler Pasher and Kris Tyrpak each earned their first minutes for the club in yesterday’s rain-soaked showdown.
Didic, Ualefi and Pasher – the three youngest players in the Sporting lineup – each played the full 90 minutes, while Tyrpak was tasked with providing an offensive spark after entering the game at halftime in place of Cameron Porter.
“Unfortunately we didn't get the result we were looking for but it felt great to make my debut,” Tyrpak said. “I've been working towards this moment for the entire year and to have it pay off means it was all worth it.”
With the home side trailing Vancouver by a goal at the interval, Tyrpak’s arrival off the bench caused the Whitecaps defense several problems – the 24-year-old almost scored himself just seconds into the second period – before Diego Rubio found the equalizer in the 55th minute.
“I think I brought a good work rate that helped open up Vancouver's defense,” Tyrpak added. “It allowed us to find some success going forward.”
Former Canadian Youth National team winger Pasher started at left back and produced a solid defensive display while supporting the attack when the time was right.
“It was amazing,” Pasher said of the experience. “Putting on that shirt and having the opportunity to represent such an amazing club was a true honor.”
“From the first minute to the 90th minute, I felt calm and comfortable with the guys I was on the pitch with,” Pasher added. “We had a good rhythm which really helped me to settle into my game. I'm happy with my game, but there’s always room for improvement.”
Vancouver’s Alphonso Davies scored the game-winner in second-half stoppage time as the game finished in heartbreak. Despite the difficult result that ended any hopes of Champions League glory in 2017, Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes was quick to praise his two debutants.
“Some guys had really good performances,” Vermes said. “I thought Pasher was really good at left back. I thought when Tyrpak came on, he gave us a little bit of an injection. He created a couple nice chances and maybe we could have finished one of them off.”
Tyrpak always had his eyes firmly set on gaining an opportunity with Sporting KC when the USL season began with the Rangers, and after a string of impressive performances – culminating in a USL Goal of the Week contender against Tulsa on Saturday – he got his chance.
“At the beginning of the season it was my goal to be incorporated into the first team at some point during the year – whether Open Cup or CCL,” Tyrpak said. “I wanted to play well enough with the Rangers to be recognized as a player who could potentially help the first team in these tournaments.”
Pasher, Tyrpak, Didic and Ualefi have all been key contributors in the Rangers’ inaugural season, and both Pasher and Tyrpak feel the experience of playing consistently in the USL helped prepare them when they eventually did make the step up.
“The Swope Park Rangers have an amazing coaching staff, who have all really helped me develop my skills this season,” Pasher said. “The team is managed very professionally, and because of that I was able to have a taste of what it would be like to play at the MLS level.”
“My time with the Rangers has helped give me the minutes and consistency to allow me to grow as a player technically and tactically and gain more playing experience,” Tyrpak added.
