As long as we’re not talking about U.S. Open Cup finals, the Sounders pretty much have Sporting Kansas City’s number. (Even then, Seattle was awfully good on that 2012 summer night at Sporting Park, where a couple of controversial calls had a lot to say about the close outcome that fell in SKC’s favor.)
The Sounders victory last night outside Kansas City was their fourth in a row over Peter Vermes’ team in league play. It came when Djimi Traoré found a goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time, supplying a 1-0 victory for the visitors and a real buzz kill for the Eastern Conference co-leaders, who were hoping to build some momentum off that big 4-0 weekend win.
But the Sounders fans aren’t talking about dominance over a team from the Midwest today. Rather, they are rightly excited about a club that is unbeaten in four (2-0-2), having come a long way from that dire point a month ago, when Sigi Schmid’s team was in last-place, the league’s final, remaining winless club.
What’s more, only one of the last four was at home. Schmid’s team just collected seven of a possible nine points in games at Colorado, at Philadelphia and (the toughest of the lot) at Kansas City.
Remember, SKC rested half its starting back line over the weekend (right back Chance Myers and U.S. international center back Matt Besler) to provide the best chance in this one.
It may have been of the “less-lovely” variety, but no one in the state of Washington should care. Seattle is still playing without its best lineup, and yet still winning on the road. Held up against where the team was just one month ago – not just last in the league, but bumming over the CONCACAF Champions League crash-out – everyone around the Sound has reason to feel very good about things right now.
Highlights from Wednesday:
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