With Sporting KC returning to CONCACAF Champions League play tonight, I caught up with Goal.com Editor Jon Arnold to preview the match. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday with live coverage available on Fox Sports 1 and Univision Deportes Network.
Jonathon Feyerherm: What can fans expect to see from Saprissa?
Jon Arnold: They are no stranger to success as they've won the CONCACAF Champions Cup three times. In the Champions League, they are always a consistent fixture. It's a team that is just always there. It's not the game you sometimes expect when there's an unfavored opponent going on the road where they're just going to sit back, never attack, never counter, and bunker. I think you are going to see a team that is talented and believes that they can match-up with Sporting Kansas City. I think there are some performances from Costa Rican teams and other Central American teams in the last couple of Champions League tournaments that showed that these teams can go toe-to-toe with MLS clubs when the situation is right.
JF: Where do you see Sporting KC being able to create chances against Saprissa?
JA: The biggest thing and question they haven't resolved is the fact that they sold Kendall Waston to Vancouver and also had Yeltsin Tejeda, a defensve midfielder who had an amazing World Cup with Costa Rica, was sold to France. They have a question mark in the middle of the side and they also have David Guzman who is injured. He's a presence in midfield but will not play in this match. Down the center of the park, there will be some opportunities there. Keilor Soto is a veteran presence, who will for them hopefully fill that role in the center. He can play out wide but he's going to have to play in a defensive midfield role.
JF: How important is this match for both sides in determining who advances to the knockout stage?
JA: It's a massively important match for Sporting KC. Saprissa currently sits atop the group and really controls their own destiny with the exception of this game. If Sporting KC can get three points in this game and three points against Real Esteli, then they don't have the same pressure heading to Costa Rica for the final group stage match. If Sporting KC aren't able to get all three points, then I think Saprissa as their manager said is holding all the cards with the final match at home. I think it's a crucial match and one that will probably decide the group.
JF: What are you expecting to see from this match?
JA: I think the first segment to be really entertaining. I think that both teams are going to be up for this match, especially at Sporting Park with such a great atmosphere with fans who care about every competition Sporting KC is in. I think the atmosphere will be fitting for what this competition could be. I think you'll see both teams fueled by that. Both teams are well aware that an early goal would really serve them well. It's cliche to say but if there is an early goal, with the magnitude of this match, of course it would completely change the complexion. I think it's going to be a great game at the start and depending on how things go either team might be liable to slow things down in the second half.
