Sporting Kansas City may not be a club steeped in tradition, but the Midwestern team's somewhat tepid past seems to be all but an afterthought to the confident group that will invade RFK Stadium on Saturday night. For a sense of just how ambitious Peter Vermes' squad is heading into 2012, just listen to their captain.
"We want to be in the MLS Cup final," 34-year-old Danish goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen recently told the Kansas City Star. "And we want to win."
Sporting's confidence manifests itself in their aggressive style of play. Operating with three forwards who apply loads of pressure, Kansas City wastes little time in taking the game deep into the opposing end. Keenly aware of this habit, D.C. United's defenders know they must be on point right from the opening whistle.
"You have to match it," said veteran Robbie Russell of KC's early intensity. "Considering that we are playing them at home we want them to be worried about our pressure. We want to be the aggressors and show them that they are not going to have an easy day."
On Saturday, Russell and his defensive mates will match-up against one of Major League Soccer's most athletic front lines. Sporting tallied an Eastern Conference-high 50 goals in 2011 thanks to a rare combination of size and speed up front. The trio of C.J. Sapong, Teal Bunbury and Kei Kamara provide KC with a physical presence unmatched in MLS and with newcomer Bobby Convey providing service, Saturday figures to be a difficult opening litmus test for United's unproven defense.
"The front three up top are real athletic, that is known around the league," said United's Brandon McDonald. "[It's] going to be a battle up front and we are going to have to take it on. But I think we are preparing ourselves really well for it."
While D.C. may be well prepared heading into Saturday, the Black-and-Red will also need to be well organized. Keeping tabs on Sporting's forwards is difficult enough, but Kansas City's midfielders delight in making the type of late runs that can burn a disorganized back line. Against such a layered attack, untimely turnovers will surely spell doom for United, so expect to see an extra emphasis on possession from D.C.'s midfield.
"They do have guys that can punish us if we are not sharp," noted Perry Kitchen. "If we can get possession not only in the back and middle third but in the final third where they are pinned back, that's definitely key."
Featuring two of the Eastern Conference's highest scoring teams from a year ago, Saturday's match could turn into a shootout. Though it might please those in attendance, Ben Olsen is hoping to avoid such a scenario.
"I don't know if this is the team you want to get into a back-and-forth match with," United's Head Coach said during an appearance on The Capital Soccer Show. "They've got some guys who can run… in particular their top three does a good job."
Saturday's match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at RFK. Buy Tickets.
REFEREE: Mark Geiger. SAR (bench): Sean Hurd; JAR (opposite): Steven Taylor; 4th: Mark Kadlecik
MLS Career: 88 games; FC/gm: 26.5; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 16; pens: 30
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INJURY REPORT:
- D.C. UNITED -- OUT: MF Kurt Morsink (L foot neurectomy); QUESTIONABLE: DF Ethan White (R knee inflammation)
- SPORTING KANSAS CITY -- OUT: GK Eric Kronberg (lower back injury); QUESTIONABLE: MF Paulo Nagamura (L calf strain); PROBABLE: MF Graham Zusi (R quad strain); MF Julio Cesar (L knee strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (43 meetings): United 18 wins (1 shootout), 60 goals ... Sporting 16 wins (0 shootout), 67 goals ... Ties 9
AT RFK STADIUM (21 meetings): United 12 wins (0 shootout), 33 goals ... Sporting 5 wins (0 shootout), 24 goals ... Ties 4
RETURN MATCH: 8/11: Sporting Kansas City vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. CT
LAST YEAR (MLS):
8/21: KC 1, DC 0 (Kamara 19)
10/22: DC 0, KC 1 (Besler 54)
- Sporting won both meetings last season by 1-0 scorelines.
- United haven't won in Kansas City since a 1-0 victory, July 4, 2007.
- Last year's Sporting win at RFK Stadium was the first win by a road team in the series since United's 2007 win at Arrowhead Stadium.
- Coaches record: Ben Olsen vs. KC: P2 W0 L2 D0 ... Peter Vermes vs. DC: P6 W3 L2 D1
