With a pivotal Decision Day clash between Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake looming, captain Matt Besler joined The Border Patrol hosts Nate Bukaty and Steven St. John this morning on Sports Radio 810 WHB.
The stakes for Sunday's regular-season finale at Rio Tinto Stadium run high, as both teams approach the 3 p.m. fixture desperate to take all three points. Sporting KC is hoping to secure a home playoff game and possibly even a knockout-round bye in the Western Conference, while anything less than a victory for eighth-place Real Salt Lake would dash their postseason hopes.
“We know what the scenarios are, but the thing that’s going to help us the most is that we go to Salt Lake and win the game,” Besler said. “That’s going to give us a chance to get second place and a (knockout-round bye) with the help of some other teams. But it will guarantee us a home playoff game, which is something that we’re shooting for.”
Besler added that while making the playoffs for a seventh straight year is a fantastic accomplishment in a league characterized by parity, Sporting KC isn't satisfied with season that has already yielded another Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy.
Sunday's contest will air live on FOX Sports Kansas City and FOX Sports Midwest as one of 11 MLS games kicking off concurrently at 3 p.m. CT. The bracket and schedule for the 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs will be confirmed shortly after the conclusion of all Decision Day matches.
Listen to Besler's full interview below.
