Is Sporting KC winger Graham Zusi returning to form?

On Friday night, as rain briefly overwhelmed its home park, Sporting Kansas City notched its ninth home victory of the season and halted a five-match winless streak. It represented a significant three points for a club fighting for Western Conference playoff positioning, of course, but there was a secondary storyline that Sporting KC hopes was an omen:

The most dangerous moments of the season from Graham Zusi.

While a two-goal Sporting KC victory equaled the fourth straight match Zusi failed to record a point — either a goal or an assist — he had three shots (two on goal) and set up a pair of prime scoring chances for teammates Dom Dwyer and Chance Myers.

He was active. He was creative. In other words, he was the Graham Zusi who has earned four straight MLS All-Star appearances.

“I thought he looked very good in the game. I really do,” coach Peter Vermes said. “He was dangerous. His timing was good. He looked good in the game.”

It’s been an uncustomarily quiet MLS season for Zusi, who is on track for his lowest goals and assists totals since 2010, his second professional season.

After he missed most of training camp while recovering from a foot injury, Zusi has missed games this season with three additional injuries — a hamstring strain, a concussion and a calf strain. Vermes said Zusi has been playing “not even close to 90 percent,” but the winger shrugged off that excuse Tuesday.

“You just have to be out there and do what you can,” Zusi said. “I’m not the only one dealing with a couple of nagging injuries. I’m not doing anything every other guy wouldn’t do. After the first game, I don’t think anyone is ever 100 percent.”

Nevertheless, Vermes pointed to Friday as a sign Zusi is “closer to feeling 100 percent in regards to physical capacity.”

Zusi offered another reason for his activity against the second-place team in the West — defense. Sporting KC, which has had only one shutout in its past 11 matches, fell only 10 minutes shy of posting a clean sheet — a fact that allowed the forwards to concentrate on the offensive end of the field.

“I think the whole team was very active going forward, and we had the energy to go forward because of our defense,” Zusi said. “All the energy ... expended was on the attacking side rather than the defending side because we won the ball back so quickly.

“That’s the most energy we’ve had going forward this year.”

As for the omen?

“If we continue to play defense like that, we’ll be a lot more dangerous on the attacking end. And to be honest, that’s how it’s always been for us. It all starts with our defensive pressure.”

This story was originally published September 22, 2015 at 4:58 PM with the headline "Is Sporting KC winger Graham Zusi returning to form?."