Silver lining for goal-starved Sporting KC? They’ve played some lockdown defense so far

Five minutes into Sporting KC’s 2023 Major League Soccer season, its backline looked less than stellar. ‘

A minute later, the Portland Timbers got one past goalkeeper John Pulskamp in a fashion that no defender would want to see on replay.

Through the remaining 84 minutes on that soggy night in Portland — and the 180 that have followed — Sporting KC has not conceded a goal.

Unfortunately, with Sporting KC (0-1-2) also still seeking its first MLS goal in three games to start the year, that’s not the scoreless streak that’s dominated the discussion, it’s the scoreless streak that keeps Sporting afloat.

So what’s the deal? How has Sporting KC, whose defense was incredibly leaky in 2022, patched the hole?

Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes would point to a couple of factors — “shape” and “compactness” — that have led to better organization in his team’s backline.

“There’s concepts that go with your position, there’s concepts that go with your line, and then there’s concepts that go with the team depending on who you’re playing against,” Vermes said. “Each one of those things has to be valued.”

Attending to those responsibilities has limited the number of shots reaching Pulskamp in goal. Through his 264 minutes played this season, the Sporting KC keeper has had to make just nine saves on 10 on-target shots.

The value of the chances Sporting KC’s allowed is also extremely low. Through 270 total minutes thus far this year, Sporting has allowed just 2.57 xG against in three games — the sixth-lowest mark in the league.

When it comes to the concepts he values defensively, Vermes attributes Sporting’s stingy defensive play to consistency in their application.

“If you do them all the time … it’s kind of like when people ask the question, ‘Are you doing that when no one’s looking?’” Vermes said. “That’s what it is here. If you are consistently doing what your role is individually, in the line, and in the team, then all of a sudden your organization solves most of your defensive issues.”

Andreu Fontás discussed some of those principles earlier this week, noting how the midfield and defense have worked well together. That’s made Sporting a difficult foe to break down.

“We also try to step up the line a lot and make those gaps in between lines the shortest as possible,” Fontas said. “And I think they are doing an excellent job of covering those in-between balls. We are doing a great job as a team.”

Sporting KC still won’t have forward and captain Johnny Russell available against Dallas on Saturday. Vermes said Thursday that he didn’t think Alan Pulido would make the matchday roster, either.

That means the solution to Sporting KC’s scoring drought isn’t going to be adding a new player in the mix. Until the current group of attackers can start creating better opportunities and putting some chances away, the club’s backline must continue to play near-perfect soccer.

And FC Dallas boasts one of the most dangerous front threes in MLS. Attackers Jesus Ferreira, Paul Arriola and Alan Velasco combined for 34 goals and 20 assists last season.

To earn a positive result Saturday, Vermes said Sporting must “be attentive to the intentions of the opponent when they have the ball.”

That can be distilled to continued concentration.

“I maintain the same thing,” he said. “If you’re acting in concert with each other regarding the concepts, and you’re focused on what you’re supposed to do when your team doesn’t have the ball, a majority of the solutions are there.

“And that’s why concentration is incredibly important.”