Sporting Kansas City will kick off their 2018 postseason campaign in the Western Conference Semifinals of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. As the No. 1 seed in the West, Manager Peter Vermes' side will play the first leg on the road this Sunday and host the decisive second leg on Sunday, Nov. 11, at Children's Mercy Park. Tickets for Sporting KC's first home playoff match since 2013 are on sale now via SeatGeek.com.
In the buildup to the conference semifinals, SportingKC.com will take a position-by-position look at arguably the most balanced team in Sporting KC history. Serving as a regular season recap and a playoff preview, the series will unfold in the following order: Goalkeeper Tim Melia on Monday, defenders on Tuesday, midfielders on Wednesday and forwards on Thursday.
It’s an adage as old as time, and it pops up in every sport when the playoffs arrive.
"Defense wins championships."
Such was the case in 2000, when forward-turned-center back Peter Vermes anchored the Kansas City Wizards defense over the course of a season that culminated in an MLS Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup title.
Such was the case in 2013, when Sporting KC suffocated opponents en route to another MLS Cup with Vermes as manager.
That brings us to the here and now, where Sporting KC enter the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The 2018 campaign will almost certainly be remembered as the year Sporting KC lit up opposing backlines, racking up a slew of scoring records in the process.
But when assessing the team’s MLS Cup credentials, it would be foolish not to take stock of the team’s veteran-laden defense. And all things considered—stats, personnel and experience, to name a few—yes, Sporting KC’s back four has all the makings of a championship unit.
A battle-tested center back pairing? Check. A steady and ultra-reliable left back? Check. A buccaneering right back as arguably the best two-way player in MLS? Check.
Before diving into the sections below, consider this: Sporting KC finished the regular season with 13 shutouts, the second-most in MLS, while their 1.18 goals allowed per game were third-fewest. Not including a wobbly month of March, Sporting KC conceded 31 goals over their final 30 games. And since the start of August, the club has allowed just 10 in their last 13. Indeed, this is a Sporting KC backline that has found its form during the autumn months.
Graham Zusi is not among the three 2018 MLS Defender of the Year finalists. And while he won’t lose any sleep over that, Sporting KC fans have plenty of ammunition to suggest the 32-year-old has been erroneously overlooked for the award.
An ever-present fixture on Sporting KC’s backline, Zusi contributed to 13 clean sheets (second-most in MLS) as one of just four MLS field players to play in every minute of all 34 games this season. He ranked 11th in MLS in interceptions and placed second among defenders in recoveries.
Zusi has also cemented himself as an elite attacking fullback, topping the league in total touches and ranking sixth in successful passes in the final third. He blew away MLS defenders with 67 chances created during the regular season and finished with two goals and seven assists. Zusi has been a revelation at the right back spot since the start of 2017, and he’s a safe bet to feature prominently—defensively and offensively—during the playoffs.
Sterling center backs
Captain Matt Besler excels with the ball at his feet and in positioning, orchestrating the back line’s every movement. Ike Opara is the reigning MLS Defender of the Year, a physical force capable of corralling the quickest of opposing forwards and bagging goals on set pieces. Besler is one of the best American defenders in the sport, Opara one of the most athletic.
With this duo, Sporting KC has a center back partnership crafted for the bright lights of the playoffs. Boasting multiple Open Cup medals and an MLS Cup ring, Besler and Opara have been Vermes’ first-choice pairing over the last two seasons, during which time Sporting KC has a league-low 0.98 goals against average.
Sinovic and the Supporting Cast
The Kansas City Star’s Sam McDowell wrote in late August about why Seth Sinovic might be Sporting KC’s most unsung hero. “On paper and in the highlight reels, Sinovic has done little to stand out, with the exception of a playoff goal against New England in the 2013 postseason run,” McDowell penned. “He has just one MLS regular season goal to his name. But there is one vital statistic the former college walk-on holds in his corner. Wins.”
Three Sporting KC players have appeared in all four cup final victories this decade: Besler, Zusi and—you guessed it—Seth Sinovic. He has a knack for helping his team find success, and this year is no exception. Sporting KC was 12-3-4 (73.7 win percentage) during the regular season when Sinovic started and 6-5-4 (53.3 win percentage) when he didn’t.
This brings us to an important talking point going into Sporting KC’s playoff opener this Sunday. Sinovic will miss the game on a red card suspension, meaning someone else will have to fill the void.
Luckily Vermes has a few options. One of which is 18-year-old homegrown full back Jaylin Lindsey, who has impressed in the 10 appearances and nine starts he has made for Sporting KC this season. Alternatively, Yohan Croizet could assume left back responsibilities after performing the role well in the final half-hour of Sunday’s 2-1 win over LAFC. Vermes might also opt to push Besler to left back and slot Andreu Fontas into central defense. Fontas has plenty of big-game experience from his time in Spain, where he helped FC Barcelona win the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup before becoming a mainstay with Celta Vigo.
However Sporting KC approaches it, they will enter the Western Conference Semifinals with a savvy defense capable of getting the job done—just as they have for most of the last decade.
