Sporting Kansas City’s 2018 campaign delivered thrills from beginning to end, packing entertainment, emotion and drama on a weekly basis as Manager Peter Vermes’ side ascended to the top of the Western Conference table and brought the MLS Cup Playoffs back to Children’s Mercy Park.
In a year chalk full of stunning goals, wild wins and momentous developments off the pitch, assembling the top 12 moments of 2018 was no easy task. There simply hasn’t been a dull moment over the last 12 months, which is why this season will be fondly remembered well into the future.
Nevertheless, SportingKC.com has taken its best shot at counting down the dozen moments of 2018 that stood out above the rest. The countdown will run from Dec. 20-31, beginning with No. 12 on Dec. 20 and culminating with the No. 1 moment of 2018 on New Year’s Eve.
The Countdown: #12: Winning in Atlanta |#11: Signing Kalen Ricketson |#10: The comeback vs. Houston |#9: The opening of Pinnacle |#8: Melia silences Zlatan |#7: Fireworks in Vancouver |#6: Johnny Russell's hat-trick | #5: Clinching a home playoff game in Dallas | #4: Extending Peter Vermes' contract
Down a man? Didn’t matter. Sporting KC weren’t about to let first place slip away on Decision Day.
Following a controversial Seth Sinovic red card, Sporting KC entered the final half-hour of their regular season finale in a 1-1 deadlock with LAFC at sun-drenched Children’s Mercy Park. The winner would lock up first place in the Western Conference and a bye to the conference semifinals, while the loser would fall into the Knockout Round. In more ways than one, this game hung on a knife’s edge.
With their backs against the wall, short-handed Sporting KC delivered in the 72nd minute. Homegrown forward Daniel Salloi came up clutch with a cool left-footed strike in front of the Cauldron, igniting euphoric celebrations inside the stadium. The goal ultimately sealed Sporting KC’s 2-1 victory and a No. 1 seed in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs, giving the club its sixth first-place conference finish ever.
The manner in which Sporting KC secured this cathartic win was a testament to the team’s character, especially after Sinovic was sent off. After all, this was just the second MLS home game ever in which Sporting KC scored a goal while playing down a man due to a red card.
Salloi’s timely tally also proved historic on a number of levels. At the forefront, it was Sporting KC’s 72nd goal of the season in all competitions, breaking the long-held club record of 71 set during the inaugural 1996 campaign. Salloi also tied a single-season team record with his sixth game-winning goal in MLS play and became the first player in club history to score a game-winner in three straight league matches.
Roger Espinoza had fired Sporting KC ahead with a stunning goal in the 37th minute—his career-high third of the MLS season—but Carlos Vela buried a penalty kick to draw LAFC level in the 62nd. It set up a nervy final half-hour as the hosts reclaimed a one-goal advantage before defending resolutely until the full-time whistle blew.
“I think it says that we’re a pretty good team,” Vermes said of his team’s performance after the match. “It says that we’re consistent about our business. It says that we can do it in a lot of different ways. Going down a man like we did, being able to not only defend at that point but also get a game winner says a lot about the group. The final piece is, this game tonight was – as I said to the guys – this was not a league match, but a final. We played it like a final, which was great. We left everything out on the field, and we were victorious.”
