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
Welcome to Major League Soccer, Johnny Russell.
The 28-year-old Scot enjoyed an unforgettable coming-out party on April 20, bagging a sensational hat-trick as Sporting KC smoked Vancouver Whitecaps FC by a 6-0 scoreline at Children’s Mercy Park.
Sporting KC’s record-setting performance became even more dominant when Vancouver were reduced to nine men just before halftime, but make no mistake: even before Efrain Juarez and Yordy Reyna saw straight red cards for violent conduct, Manager Peter Vermes’ men had built a 3-0 lead within a half-hour and were well on their way to a lopsided win.
Russell’s hat-trick stole the headlines Friday night, and fairly so, as it was just the eighth Kansas City hat-trick in MLS regular season history. He did the deed in just 48 minutes, making his treble the earliest ever by a Sporting KC player.
While Russell thrived in the lead role, it was a comprehensive team effort that yielded such an eye-opening result. Sporting KC’s 6-0 triumph tied club records for largest margin of victory and most goals scored in a competitive match. The last time Kansas City hit six goals in an MLS match was June 20, 1999.
The Whitecaps, meanwhile, suffered their worst defeat of all-time as Vermes’ side amassed 34 shot attempts and 14 shots on target — both club records in the regular season and the most by any MLS team this year. Vancouver mustered just five shots of their own and tested goalkeeper Tim Melia only once — albeit forcing him to make a brilliant save to deny Reyna in the early stages.
