Ten Sporting KC predictions that will 100 percent come true in 2020 (maybe, probably)
The 25th season of MLS is almost upon us, and Sporting Kansas City fans have waited an extra-long time for this one.
After stumbling to an 11th-placed finish in the Western Conference in 2019, Sporting KC missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010 ... and then fans of the club had to endure a 146-day offseason. That’s 63 days longer than last year’s offseason.
Making preseason predictions is almost always a fool’s errand, but we’re giving it a go anyway.
1. This team will return to the playoffs.
Sporting Kansas City isn’t included in most MLS Cup conversations, and rightly so. But Peter Vermes’ men have been creeping up the Vegas odds in recent weeks, opening near the bottom alongside the likes of Vancouver and Nashville and now sitting around the middle of the pack. This isn’t saying Kansas City will be in contention for the MLS Cup, but they have the ability to claim as high as the fifth seed in the West.
2. Alan Pulido won’t finish the season as the club’s top goal scorer.
Pulido will certainly bang in the goals in 2020, but he wasn’t brought here just to score. Acting more as a false 9, Pulido’s movement and link-up play will open up lanes for Kansas City’s wingers to run into.
Which means …
3. Johnny Russell will finish the season as top goal scorer.
Benefiting from the link-up play and space that Pulido can provide, the Flying Scotsman will finish as Sporting’s top scorer this season. Felipe Gutierrez may give him a run for his money due to being the primary penalty-shot taker, but watching Russell dribble with the ball is like watching Harry Houdini perform a magic trick. Defenders just can’t stop him once he cuts inside.
4. Roberto Puncec will emerge as the starting center back beside Besler.
There will be a fierce battle for the starting spot at center back beside Besler this season, but if one thing is necessary, it’s consistency. Winston Reid may emerge as the top contender later in the season once he gains fitness following his ACL injury, but Puncec just fits the MLS mold. He’s a huge but agile defender with good strength — and those are qualities that translate well in MLS.
5. Salloi will still take time to find his form.
After winning the club’s golden boot in 2018, Salloi endured a painful 2019 in which he scored just one goal, and that came in the second-to-last week. The Hungarian is still relatively young at 23, but fighting for starting spots along with Russell, Gerso Fernades and Khiry Shelton means playing time may be a bit more limited for him this season.
6. The sellout streak returns.
Kansas City’s sellout streak of 125 MLS games ended last season, and while that number may have been stretched a little as it wound to a close, a poor run of games was the final nail in the coffin. We’re not pandering to the crowd when we say that KC is known for its soccer fans, and if the club manages to get back into playoff contention, the stands will be filled once again.
7. This is Graham Zusi’s last full season as a starter.
Graham Zusi may go by the nickname of Zeus, but unfortunately, he isn’t eternal like Zeus himself. Zusi turns 34 this year, and while he still offers good service going forward, teams often target his righthand side due to his decreasing speed getting into position. Zusi’s contract runs through 2021, but this may be the final season he holds a starting spot before Sporting brings in a replacement or promotes Jaylin Lindsey.
8. A homegrown player will emerge this year.
Kansas City has seen several homegrown players take flight: Lindsey, Salloi, Erik Palmer-Brown, Gianluca Busio ...
It’s time for another to step up. We got glimpses of Felipe Hernandez at the end of last season, and if a couple of injuries or fatigue come into play, Hernandez may see his minutes increase. Hometown kid Tyler Freeman may also be introduced to the first team in 2020. There’s nothing like seeing young players compete for the hometown side, and Sporting’s current captain is one of them.
9. Another deep U.S. Open Cup run is around the corner.
Count ‘em up: 2012, 2015, 2017 …
It’s been too many years since Sporting KC’s last U.S. Open Cup run. With no Champions League to worry about this year and great depth across the board, it’s time for Sporting to bring another Lamar Hunt trophy to KC.
10. Sporting KC will face a barrage of interest in Felipe Gutierrez.
When you have a player of Gutierrez’s quality on your hands, it’s hard to fend off interest from other clubs. Gutierrez’s contract runs through 2021, if you include his option, but with his current contract in its final two years, clubs will begin swarming now. There’s already been reported interest from Ecuadorian club Universitaria de Quito, and more overtures are sure to follow.
This doesn’t mean Gutierrez will leave, especially due to the fact he will be 31 when his current contract runs out, but it’s something Sporting KC will have to deal with.
This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 11:58 AM with the headline "Ten Sporting KC predictions that will 100 percent come true in 2020 (maybe, probably)."