How did beleaguered Sporting KC manage two wins in one week? Here’s what to know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Sporting KC beat the LA Galaxy and Austin FC in consecutive matches.
- Coach Raphael Wicky switched to a traditional 4-4-2 to create a more aggressive shape.
- Manu Garcia and substitute Stepen Afrifa scored late to secure a 2-1 win at Q2 Stadium.
Sporting Kansas City has been mired near the bottom of Major League Soccer for some time now, but the club just strung together its best week of competition in years under new head coach Raphael Wicky.
Back-to-back wins over the L.A. Galaxy and Austin FC have given the beleaguered MLS team its first real spark of hope this season — and in a good, long while — with one match remaining before the league breaks for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Sporting KC (3-2-8) plays host to the New York Red Bulls on Saturday (7:30 p.m.) at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Until then, here are some key takeaways from SKC’s sizzling performance over the past week or so:
• Sporting KC beat Austin FC 2-1 at Q2 Stadium on Saturday night, securing the club’s first back-to-back MLS wins since 2023 and improving to 3-2-8 on the season.
• Forward Manu Garcia leveled the match in the 79th minute with a strong volley, and substitute Stepen Afrifa scored the go-ahead goal moments later for his first goal of the season against Austin.
• Sporting KC dominated the run of play in Austin, outshooting the host team 21 to 7 with nine shots on goal. Saturday also marked the first time this season the club scored after the 15th minute of a match.
• The turnaround started Wednesday, May 13, when Sporting KC beat the L.A. Galaxy 3-1 at Sporting Park, with Capita Capemba and Calvin Harris each scoring their first goals for the club alongside Dejan Joveljic’s sixth of the season.
• Club legend and assistant coach Roger Espinoza delivered a pre-game speech invoking the 2011 team’s turnaround after a slow start, a message players said helped flip the team’s mindset after a 6-0 loss at Portland.
• Coach Raphael Wicky switched to a traditional 4-4-2 formation that allowed for a more aggressive shape, telling players he wanted them to step forward and not step backward from the opening whistle.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.