Of all the times to have to take some time off.
Sporting Kansas City haven't given up a goal in their last four matches, they're coming off back-to-back wins for the first time this season, and now they have to wait to play again until an away date with the New York Red Bulls on April 17.
“It's something you can't do much about,” said goalkeeper and captain Jimmy Nielsen, who earned his latest clean sheet in Friday's dramatic 1-0 home victory over D.C. United. “If I could choose, I'd rather have a game on Saturday instead of Wednesday in New York. But it's not going to be any excuse, no matter the result.”
Defender Matt Besler took a similarly measured approach to the break, saying Sporting were doing all they could not to lose momentum.
“We're in rhythm for sure, but it's not that long of a break,” Besler told MLSsoccer.com after Tuesday morning's training session. “Since we have the game on Wednesday, and we travel to New York, we're going to leave on Monday. So it's only two or three extra days. It's not bad. It gives us a few extra days out here on the training ground. Overall, I think it's probably a good thing.”
What's of more concern is the following weekend, when Sporting have to make a transcontinental swing to take on the Los Angeles Galaxy on April 20.
“We're going to have a hell of a travel, playing Saturday in LA,” Nielsen said. “But it is what it is, and we've got to deal with it.”
Last June, in a similar situation, Sporting followed a strong performance in a road draw to Seattle with a coast-to-coast trip their worst defeat of the year: a 4-0 away shelling by the Philadelphia Union three days later.
“We have talked a lot about not letting that happen again,” Nielsen said. “We don't want a repeat of that game with Philadelphia.”
