50/50 Ball USOC: #SportingKC – Rapids
Photo by Kory Briton for Sporting KC and Upper 90 Photography
Sporting came into this match probably more relaxed then they did against Orlando City, but that was because they were going up against another MLS squad in the Colorado Rapids. I'm not saying that they came into this match too relaxed because by the way they played it was obvious that they are after that cup and want to continue playing the way that they have while Colorado on the other hand is possibly a different story. I'm sure the Rapids didn't want to go out the way that they did, but I'm sure that Sporting had no problem sending them out with a 2-0 victory and advancing onto the quarter finals of the US Open Cup.
SPORTING KC
- Put on the field what would most likely be their normal starting line up with the exceptions of the players that were missing on international duty. More specifically the on the defensive side of the ball. Sporting started their normal GK in Jimmy Nielsen and all four of their normal starting defenders. With those five players on the field for defense for Sporting any team is going to have a hard time as most teams that Sporting has played with those five players in the line up just can't seem to fully break them.
-There are obviously a few things that Sporting could of worked on, but I would like to think that it is because they were using players that have not seen a lot of playing time and really for the most part I don't think that anybody could of asked for a better match from Sporting.
RAPIDS
- Fought and fought as hard as they could just to try and send this game into extra time, but like I mentioned before just couldn't seem to break through Sporting's defensive line as Collin really stepped up his game from the previous match and did a lot of shutting down.
- I am almost thinking that the Rapids could of won this game, but I just have this feeling that they really didn't care. They played like they did and if they happened to win then great, but if they lost then they didn't care because it wasn't a regular MLS match up. I hope for the Rapid's sake that is what is what happened otherwise they are going to be in for a long rest of the season if they continue to play like they did. Yes they had their chances but they were not finishing any of them.
McBeth