What needs to happen for Sporting KC to make MLS playoffs after win over Real Salt Lake
In desperate need of a win, Sporting KC got the job done on the road, winning 3-2 against Real Salt Lake.
Sporting KC’s playoff hopes remain alive after a win that came down to the final moments.
“This is a team (RSL) that’s very stingy at giving goals away,” Sporting manager Peter Vermes said. “We got another three points to keep us alive at the moment.”
Saturday’s match marked only the third time since 2013 that Sporting defeated RSL on the road. It was also just Sporting’s third road win of 2023.
And it featured plenty of drama.
Sporting received a massive break just two minutes into the game. RSL defender Justen Glad was dispossessed by Erik Thommy; Glad then dragged him down just outside the penalty area, but he received a red card (after a VAR review) because Glad was the last man between Thommy and the goal.
“Thank God for VAR because I was surprised that it wasn’t called during the regular play,” Vermes said after the game.
Thommy took the resulting free-kick and scored for a 1-0 lead. Sporting got a second goal thanks to Johnny Russell, who finished off a Logan Ndenbe cross for a 2-0 halftime advantage.
Despite facing a 10-man RSL side, Sporting wasn’t able to ride things out easily.
Far from it.
RSL threatened Sporting KC a few times before Ndenbe eventually won a penalty kick. Alan Pulido, who was recently nominated for MLS Comeback Player of the Year, stepped up to take it.
While his first shot was saved, Pulido smashed the rebound into the net for a 3-0 lead — and his 14th goal of the 2023 season.
It should’ve been smooth sailing from there, but two RSL goals, including a goal-of-the-season candidate from Brayan Vera, made things nervy through the end of the match.
“Our guys, they battled to the end,” Vermes said. “They did what they had to do, and they had to fight through it. And we did.”
Indeed, Sporting found a way to hang on and ensure they enter Decision Day — the closing day of the regular season — with an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth. Sporting will try to do so against Minnesota United.
“It’s gonna be a war between both teams,” Vermes said. “So we have to get prepared, because I’m surprised at the change that they made as a club.”
That change: Minnesota United fired Adrian Heath, the only head coach in the club’s history, on Friday.
“He built a very good team,” Vermes continued, “And that is a very good team. It’s gonna be an absolute battle of a game for us.”
To make the playoffs, here’s what Sporting KC will need:
A win — Sporting KC must win its match next week
A draw OR loss from any of: the San Jose Earthquakes, FC Dallas or the Portland Timbers.
Sporting’s match on October 21 against Minnesota United will kick off at 8 p.m central, in a simultaneous kickoff with the rest of the Western Conference matchups.
This story was originally published October 7, 2023 at 11:27 PM.