Our Drive to the Playoffs series, presented by Shawnee Mission Kia, continues today with a #TBT to October 15, 2000, the date that Kansas City lifted its first MLS Cup.
The early years of MLS were dominated by D.C. United. From 1996-1999, the organization advanced to four MLS Cup finals - winning three of them - while also claiming two Supporters’ Shield titles and one Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The early years of MLS were not as kind to the club in Kansas City.
After advancing to the Western Conference Final in 1996 and the Western Conference Semifinal in 1997, Kansas City went a combined 20-44 in 1998 and 1999 and missed the playoffs both years. 2000 was a different story, however.
The offseason saw mutliple additions that would go on to have major impacts for the club including Peter Vermes, Kerry Zavagnin, Miklos Molnar and Nick Garcia. In less than a year, Kansas City went from a team with the second fewest points in MLS to a team that finished first in the Western Division, won the Supporters’ Shield and defeated the Chicago Fire in the MLS Cup Final.
Molnar, one of head coach Bob Gansler’s offseason additions, scored the game-winning goal in the 2000 MLS Cup Final, which took place 15 years ago today. Fast forward 15 years later and Sporting KC is looking to reverse its own script and this time Vermes -- the 2000 MLS Defender of the Year -- is pulling the strings from the sideline as opposed to the back line.
After a disappointing 2014 campaign that saw Sporting KC bow out in in the quarterfinals of the 2013/14 CONCACAF Champions League, the group stage of the 2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League and the knockout round of the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs, Vermes has his side in a position to accomplish a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 2005 when the LA Galaxy lifted both the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the MLS Cup. Sporting KC has already lifted the Open Cup this year and with a draw Friday against San Jose has the chance to secure their fifth consecutive MLS Cup Playoff berth. That would give the club the fifth longest active playoff streak, although Real Salt Lake's current streak of seven straight playoff season hangs in the balance.
Sporting Kansas City and the San Jose Earthquakes kick off Friday night at 10 p.m. CT from Avaya Stadium. The match can be seen locally on KMCI-TV's 38 the Spot, across the Midwest on SKCTV and nationally in Spanish on UniMas.
