Sporting KC drops road match against Austin FC. It could have postseason implications
Sporting KC dug an early hole in Austin on Saturday night, and the club couldn’t claw its way back into the match. A 2-1 loss to Austin FC further put Sporting’s postseason hopes in a perilous spot.
It took a little while for the game to open up as Austin FC tried to figure out how to play through Sporting’s pressing system. But once Austin FC found an answer, things went downhill for Sporting fast.
Sporting allowed two early goals, both of which were likely preventable. In fact, Sporting manager Peter Vermes called them “easily avoidable.”
“Our back line has to do better in these very normal situations that we’re giving up goals on,” Vermes said. “They’re routine situations, and we have to get better right now.”
The first goal came after a wide-open header for Gyasi Zardes, but it wasn’t the header that went into the net. The initial header was straight at Sporting goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh, who couldn’t hang on and knocked the ball right back into Zardes’ path.
The former U.S. Men’s National Team forward didn’t make a second mistake and smashed it home.
It was a simple cross and a striker standing in the middle of the box. As Vermes said, it’s a routine situation to defend, which was apparently a major part of Sporting’s preparation.
“My frustration is our lack of recognition,” Vermes said. “Because it’s something that (in our) preparation we talked about. It’s a big part of their game.
“For us not to be attentive to that after our preparation for it, that’s where the disappointment is.”
Two minutes later, Sporting’s back line was left exposed after rotating to defend a play. Sporting defender Logan Ndenbe was left on an island against two Austin attackers. Ethan Finlay got the chance and scored Austin FC’s second goal of the night.
“It was poor defending on our part on both goals,” Vermes said. “I also thought we should’ve done better from a shot-stopping perspective, especially the second (goal).”
He continued: “The shot should never even happen. ... We should be able to deal with that situation and the player should never have that (amount) of time, nor should that ball get to where it got to in the way that it did.”
Dany Rosero answered for Sporting in the first half with a wide-open header, as Sporting cut the deficit to 2-1 at the 33-minute mark.
The club began the match with Alan Pulido, Johnny Russell and Gadi Kinda on the bench and brought all three players on in the second half in hopes of finding a second goal. Even so, a serious chance at an equalizer never appeared.
Sporting KC’s focus now turns to the inaugural edition of the Leagues Cup, pitting all Liga MX and Major League Soccer teams against each other in a World Cup-style tournament.
“We’re highly motivated in this Leagues cup,” Vermes said. “We want to go and do the best that we can. We want to try and win the thing.”
Sporting’s first match against FC Cincinnati is on Sunday, July 23, at 6:30 pm Central.
