Rebuilding Sporting KC was last foe before opposing head coach’s ouster: details
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Sporting KC sits last in the MLS Western Conference with a 3-8-2 record.
- Sporting KC got back-to-back wins over LA Galaxy and Austin FC.
- Austin FC fired head coach Nico Estevez and sporting director Rodolfo Borrell two days.
Sporting Kansas City fans have had it bad. But other Major League Soccer teams have arguably had it worse.
Yes, even after two straight wins Sporting KC sits at the bottom of the MLS Western Conference standings with a 3-8-2 record. But the organization has asked for patience in its rebuild effort and new direction from ownership and management.
They’ve had some ugly losses during the first half of the season, to be sure — including a 6-0 setback on the road against fourth-place Portland. But Sporting KC is also showing signs of life, as evidenced by back-to-back wins over the L.A. Galaxy and and Austin FC.
Kansas City’s win against Austin was Sporting’s first road win ever over the Texas club. Austin began MLS play as an expansion team in 2021.
And on Monday, two days after Sporting’s win in the Lone Star State, Austin announced the firing of its head coach, Nico Estévez, and sporting director Rodolfo Borrell. Estévez had been with the team since October 2024, Borrell since June 2023.
Assistant coach and Sporting KC Hall of Famer Davy Arnaud is Austin FC’s interim head coach.
The firing is the fifth head coaching change in MLS this season.
Austin is in 12th place this season with 14 points in 14 matches. Last season, the team made the MLS Cup playoffs and the U.S. Open Cup final.
A few tactical changes and players getting healthy enough to start have boosted Sporting’s recent run. Players kept the faith during the rough start to the season, believing in the principles laid out by first-year KC head coach Raphaël Wicky.
They know they need to play better, and they have for the past two games. In fact, they’ve played well enough for a loss to Sporting KC to be the final straw before a coach is fired.
Sporting KC has one final match before the World Cup break, playing host to the sixth-place New York Red Bulls on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Sporting Park.
