The newest episode of The Sporting Kansas City Show Podcast debuted Tuesday on Sports Radio 810 WHB, packing a special springtime punch as an ensemble cast of hosts recapped last weekend’s emphatic home-opening win over the Houston Dynamo and caught up with homegrown midfielder Gianluca Busio.
Nate Bukaty, Jacob Peterson, Carter Augustine and Aly Trost kicked off the show by rehashing the 4-0 dismantling of Houston that saw Alan Pulido, Roger Espinoza, Gadi Kinda and Khiry Shelton find the back of the net. Pulido and Kinda bagged MLS Team of the Week accolades for sparkling performances in their Children’s Mercy Park debuts.
The episode was further highlighted by an excellent interview with Busio, whom the hosts believe has already shown clear signs of improvement in 2020 after enjoying a breakout campaign in 2019. Last year, Busio became the youngest MLS player to score in consecutive matches. This year, the 17-year-old has demonstrated even more maturity as a meaningful midfield contributor who is willing and capable of dictating terms in the center of the park.
“My first year, I just wanted to get on the field,” Busio said. “Play to keep the ball so that nobody yells at me. The second year, you maybe want to get a goal or two. This year in preseason, I felt like it was getting easier for me. The game was getting slower and I started seeing things more. I felt like I could control the game more, and when I was growing up playing in the Academy and in North Carolina, that’s kind of how I always played. That’s what I was used to.
“The first two years as a professional, you just have to get used to things. This year the game is coming easier for me. Now that I have the two years behind me, I can really make a difference. It’s one thing to be in the game; it’s another thing to actually impact the game. That’s really what I want to do this year, and I have the confidence in myself that I can do that.”
Listen to the full podcast below.
