Sporting Kansas City's younger players heard the talk – that this was a throwaway match, that they were only on the pitch to give the regulars some much-needed rest ahead of the US Open Cup final match at midweek.
It stung – but it also motivated them.
“We are all pros, and we're all here for a reason,” midfielder Mikey Lopez told reporters after Sporting's 1-1 comeback draw against the Seattle Sounders on Sunday afternoon. “I don't think this was a throwaway game for us. I thought we thought we could come in and win this game, and we came close to winning it.”
Manager Peter Vermes, who started without nine of his usual lineup regulars against a Seattle side on a four-match unbeaten streak, credited Sunday's squad for a clutch performance against one of the league's perennial powers. Vermes also thought the starting group – which featured three Homegrowns and six players under 22-years-old – gave Sporting a club-wide lift after a lackluster 1-0 midweek loss at Houston.
“A lot of times when players are given an opportunity, they don’t take advantage of it,” Vermes said in his postmatch news conference. “And I thought the guys tonight did that. I’m happy for each individual player and I’m happy for the team, because we needed a point at a minimum.”
With midseason acquisition Jordi Quintilla making his first start of the year – and showing well in an attacking midfield role – Vermes has now started every player on his current roster at least once this season.
“At some point I’ve got to make a decision to give some guys some rest,” said Vermes, whose club will aim for its second Open Cup title in four years on Wednesday night at PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvana. “On the precipice of the Open Cup, it just seemed like there were some guys who needed it. And some guys are banged up, to be frank. I’ve always said to the guys to trust in me all the time. I’ve got to trust in them as well.”
Sporting got their equalizer from first-choice center forward Dom Dwyer, who came on as a 74th-minute sub and finished off rookie left back Amadou Dia's cross five minutes after that. But after the match, Dwyer gave credit to the starters for keeping Sporting in a position to take an important point in a tight Western Conference race.
“This is very good for us,” Dwyer said. “It shows that we can put out any side and get a result, and now Peter has some hard decisions to make on Wednesday.”
And perhaps not just on Wednesday. Sporting's younger players hope Sunday's performance made their case to play significant roles down the stretch and into the postseason.
“All of us thought that it was an opportunity for us to prove ourselves,” Lopez said. “We think we did that. We have a deep bench, deep roster. That's good. Injuries happen, and people can come and step in and nothing really changes. It was good for us.”
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
