SB Nation Kansas City - New York Red Bulls Vs. Sporting KC: Match Previewhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48935/kc-fave.png2012-10-22T14:18:51-05:00http://kansascity.sbnation.com/rss/stream/32471872012-10-22T14:18:51-05:002012-10-22T14:18:51-05:00The year that was in the MLS
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<figcaption>Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>A look back at some of the regular season's highlights and surprises.</p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing">As Major League Soccer prepares for the playoff season to start, here is a quick look at some of the highlights from the league’s 17<sup>th</sup> season.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span>Chris Wondolowski</span> of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.centerlinesoccer.com/">San Jose Earthquakes</a>—who is quickly becoming one of the league’s, and America’s, rising talents—will be repeating as the league leader in goals scored (he has 27 with 1 game remaining), only this year he won’t be sharing the title as he did last year with <a href="https://www.blackandredunited.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">D.C. United</a>’s <span>Dwayne De Rosario</span>, and he has scored far more goals this year compared with last year when he scored 16.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.stumptownfooty.com/">Portland Timbers</a> proved that even lost seasons can have silver linings, as they defied the odds and managed to win the Cascadia Cup—an annual, season-long competition held between the Timbers, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sounderatheart.com/">Seattle Sounders</a> FC and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.eightysixforever.com/">Vancouver Whitecaps</a> FC—with a 1-0 victory over the Whitecaps last night. It was the Timbers’ only road win all season and only their third in the team’s two-year history, two of which have come at the hands of the Whitecaps.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">However, it is not all doom and gloom for the Whitecaps, because in one season they have gone from last place in the Western Conference and tied for the lowest point total in MLS, to being the fifth seed in their conference, proving that fortunes can change quite fast. The sting of losing again to the Timbers should be tempered by the knowledge that they will be in the running for the MLS Cup in only their second season, while Portland has yet to make the playoffs in its first two seasons.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">That being said, six of this year’s playoff teams were in last year’s playoffs, so the balance of power is not shifting that much. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lagconfidential.com/">LA Galaxy</a>, Seattle Sounders FC and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.rslsoapbox.com/">Real Salt Lake</a> are back for the West with Vancouver and San Jose joining the fray; and in the East, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thebluetestament.com/">Sporting Kansas City</a>, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dynamotheory.com/">Houston Dynamo</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.onceametro.com/">New York Red Bulls</a> return, while D.C. United and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/">Chicago Fire</a> have rebounded with strong seasons, almost doubling their win totals from 2011.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">San Jose has won this year’s Supporters’ Shield title for the most points in the league and will head into the playoffs as strong contenders to dethrone the reigning champions, the LA Galaxy, and prevent them from becoming the league’s first repeat champions since 2006-2007 when the Houston Dynamo won back-to-back titles.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Expect Sporting Kansas City--currently in the midst of a twelve-game unbeaten streak--Seattle Sounders FC and possibly D.C. United to make some noise as well.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/sporting-kansas-city/2012/10/22/3539532/2012-mls-regular-season-reviewBrian Palmer2012-10-22T09:51:26-05:002012-10-22T09:51:26-05:00Sporting KC remains atop Eastern Conference
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thebluetestament.com/">Sporting Kansas City</a> still sit atop the Eastern Conference in the MLS, despite playing to a 0-0 draw against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.onceametro.com/">New York Red Bulls</a> on Saturday night.</p>
<p>Sporting KC leads <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blackandredunited.com/">D.C. United</a> by three points for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, with just one game left to play for each team. Sporting KC will take on the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night. Philadelphia has been eliminated from the playoff hunt, as the Union are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, with just 36 points.</p>
<p>All five playoff berths in the Eastern Conference have been clinched. Sporting KC, D.C. United, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/">Chicago Fire</a>, New York Red Bulls and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dynamotheory.com/">Houston Dynamo</a> will all be playing playoff soccer. The race for seeding is tight, however, as D.C. United is in second with 57 points, while Chicago is in third with 56. New York and Houston have 54 and 53 points, respectively.</p>
<p>A full view of the <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/standings" target="_blank">MLS standings can be found at MLS' official website.</a></p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/sporting-kansas-city/2012/10/22/3538362/major-league-soccer-2012-standingsJP Starkey2012-10-21T08:49:33-05:002012-10-21T08:49:33-05:00Sporting KC, New York Red Bulls Play to 0-0 Draw
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<img alt="Chance Myers (right) and the rest of Sporting KC's defense were able to hold off a potent New York attack led by Thierry Henry (left)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rgWuODcOpONrnRvrEDe5GmHPoB4=/3x0:3996x2662/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/1736671/154481774.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Chance Myers (right) and the rest of Sporting KC's defense were able to hold off a potent New York attack led by Thierry Henry (left) | Nick Laham</figcaption>
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<p>The Red Bulls were the dominate team Saturday night, but Sporting KC's defense ultimately earned them a point in New York.</p> <p>If Sporting KC head coach <span>Peter Vermes</span>' strategy heading into Saturday night's match against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.onceametro.com/">New York Red Bulls</a> was to play for a draw, his team executed his plan to perfection.</p>
<p>New York were the aggressors all match long in a 0-0 draw at Red Bull Arena, but Sporting KC's defense, most notably a stellar performance from Sporting goalkeeper <span>Jimmy Nielsen</span>, were able to thwart New York's attack and earn Kansas City a point heading into the final game of the MLS regular season.</p>
<p>Had the result of the DC United and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.massivereport.com/">Columbus Crew</a> match went differently, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thebluetestament.com/">Sporting Kansas City</a> would be celebrating a first-place finish in the Eastern Conference after Saturday night's result.</p>
<p>Instead, Sporting KC will have to wait until they face off against the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday to see if they can finish atop the East for the second straight year.</p>
<p>DC United were able to score a late goal against the Crew to win 3-2 Saturday night and move within three points of Kansas City in the Eastern Conference table.</p>
<p>With <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/08/08/mls-reveals-new-set-standings-tiebreakers-12-season" target="_blank">MLS changing the tie-breaker rule from "goal differential" to "goals scored,"</a> United still have a chance to finish in first place in the East if Sporting Kansas City fall to Philadelphia.</p>
<p>DC United have scored 50 total goals in 2012, twelve more than Sporting Kansas City (40). Had the rules not changed in August of this year, Sporting Kansas City would have all but clinched first place with the 0-0 draw against New York. Kansas City currently have a +14 goal differential against their opposition, while DC United stand at +10.</p>
<p>Sporting Kansas City looked disjointed for much of the match against the Red Bulls Saturday night, some of which clearly had to do with the absence of midfielder <span>Roger Espinoza</span>, who suffered an ankle injury in Kansas City's last match against the Columbus Crew on October 7th.</p>
<p>With Espinoza out for at least another week or longer, Vermes opted to start <span>Graham Zusi</span> in the Sporting KC midfielder along with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110097/julio-cesar">Julio Cesar</a> and <span>Paulo Nagamura</span>. <span>Jacob Peterson</span> filled in on the wing where Zusi has become a mainstay during the latter part of the 2012 season.</p>
<p>If anyone doubted just how important Espinoza has been for Sporting KC this season, Saturday night's match should be an eye-opener.</p>
<p>Kansas City lost the battle in the midfield as New York, most notably <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110250/thierry-henry">Thierry Henry</a> and Lloyd Sam, caused Sporting KC trouble time and time again.</p>
<p>If not for a wonderful performance from Nielsen, who earned his 15th clean sheet of the 2012 season, Sporting may have headed home empty-handed.</p>
<p>Nielsen made five saves Saturday night, perhaps none of them more impressive than in the 65th minute when Nielsen was able to deflect a shot by Henry, who faked out the Sporting KC defense to free up space on the left side of the penalty area. Nielsen was able to haul in Henry's cross after Nielsen's initial save deflected back out to the New York forward.</p>
<p>It would be one of those nights for Sporting KC's captain, as he put in another Man of the Match performance, and may have also solidified his standing in regards to the "MLS Goalkeeper of the Year" award.</p>
<p>Vermes sang his goalkeeper's praises after the match:</p>
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<p>"I think he's got to be a slam dunk for Goalkeeper of the Year. He's had so many shutouts, so many great performances, been so consistent from Game 1 all the way through now to Game 33. He's just a big-time goalkeeper."</p>
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<p>For their part, the Red Bulls were able to clinch a playoff berth with the draw, a deserved outcome given their dominance for the majority of Saturday night's match.</p>
<p>Sporting Kansas City currently sit at the top of the Eastern Conference with 60 points, three points clear of DC United, and four clear of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/">Chicago Fire</a>, who fell 1-0 to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thebentmusket.com/">New England Revolution</a>.</p>
<p>Kansas City return home to Livestrong Sporting Park for the regular season finale on Wednesday, October 24th against the Philadelphia Union. That match will kick off at 7:30 CDT.</p>
<p>Sporting KC only need a draw against the Union to clinch the East, but one would have to imagine that Peter Vermes will have his team gunning for all three points to close out the regular season on a high note.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/sporting-kansas-city/2012/10/21/3532872/sporting-kc-new-york-red-bulls-recap-final-scorejustinmayhugh2012-10-15T06:46:53-05:002012-10-15T06:46:53-05:00Sporting KC's Peter Vermes faces tough decisions
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<figcaption>John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire</figcaption>
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<p>Espinoza injury adds to starting lineup questions for Peter Vermes as the playoff race heats up</p> <p>With no regular season match on the schedule until Sporting Kansas City head to New York to face off against the Red Bulls on October 20th, Kansas City will have time to rest and get healthy as they prepare for the 2012 MLS playoffs.</p>
<p>Seeing as Sporting KC midfielder <span>Roger Espinoza</span> will be out for the next few weeks with a right ankle sprain suffered at the end of a 1-1 draw against the <a href="https://www.massivereport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Columbus Crew</a> last weekend, the two-week international break couldn't have came at a better time for Sporting Kansas City.</p>
<p>The club is saying that there is a chance that Espinoza might be healthy enough to play when Sporting KC take on the <a href="https://www.onceametro.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Red Bull</a>s, but that seems like an overly optimistic viewpoint.</p>
<p>Ankle injuries are a tricky deal, and one would have to imagine that the club will not risk taking the chance of Espinoza re-injuring his ankle if he's not 100 percent ready to return to action.</p>
<p>Espinoza has been a vital cog in <a href="https://www.thebluetestament.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Sporting Kansas City's</a> success this season, and he will have to play a pivotal role for Kansas City if they are to reach the MLS Cup in 2012.</p>
<p>Simply put; there is no one on the roster that can give Sporting KC what Espinoza provides, which means head coach <span>Peter Vermes</span> has a tough decision to make in regards to Kansas City's midfield come October 20th.</p>
<p>The most obvious choice would appear to be moving <span>Graham Zusi</span> from the winger position back to his natural position in the midfield. In that scenario Zusi would team with <span>Paulo Nagamura</span> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110097/julio-cesar" class="sbn-auto-link">Julio Cesar</a> in the middle, while either <span>Jacob Peterson</span> or <span>Bobby Convey</span> would fill the winger role opposite <span>Kei Kamara</span>.</p>
<p>Convey, who has been out since August with a hamstring injury, should be ready to go by the time Sporting KC play New York, but Peterson seems the more likely candidate to start as Vermes will probably opt to ease Convey back into playing action.</p>
<p>Another option would be to keep Zusi out on the wing, and take a chance inserting a less-proven player into the midfield. Someone along the lines of Oriol Rosell, or <span>Michael Thomas</span>. Peterson and Convey have both played midfield on occasion in the past, and Vermes mentioned last week that <span>Lawrence Olum</span> has experience playing the holding midfielder role, so that option is on the table as well.</p>
<p>Another dilemma Vermes is facing is who he will pick to team up with <span>Matt Besler</span> in the center of Sporting KC's defense.</p>
<p>Olum has started at center back the last three matches, with 2012 MLS All-Star <span>Aurelien Collin</span> on the bench. It's an interesting situation, given the fact that, by all accounts, Collin has been healthy and ready to play. The center back duo of Besler and Collin has been one of the better tandems in Major League Soccer this season, which makes it all the more puzzling as to why Vermes would choose to start Olum over Collin, given the fact that Sporting KC are fighting to stay in first place in the Eastern Conference.</p>
<p>For his part, Olum has done a respectable job taking over for Collin, but it was also Olum who failed to mark up on Columbus Crew midfielder <span>Eddie Gaven</span> when Gaven scored the equalizing goal in the 1-1 draw last weekend.</p>
<p>There has been speculation that Collin has been in Vermes' dog house as of late. The rumor flying around the internet was that Collin left the country to attend a wedding and didn't inform Vermes that he was leaving.</p>
<p>Both Collin and Vermes have denied that there is anything more to the situation other than that Vermes currently sees Olum as the better option at the moment, but surely there has to be something more to this particular scenario seeing that Collin is one of the better center backs in MLS, he's healthy and ready to contribute, and yet, he is not in the Starting XI.</p>
<p>Vermes deciding to make a change at center back in favor of Olum at such a critical part of the regular season does seem a little odd with the Chicago Fire only trailing Sporting KC by three points in the Eastern Conference with two matches remaining.</p>
<p>I imagine that the Olum experiment ended in Columbus, Ohio. Expect Collin back in the starting lineup on October 20th against the Red Bulls.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/sporting-kansas-city/2012/10/15/3498322/tough-decisions-lie-ahead-for-sporting-kc-head-coachjustinmayhugh2012-10-09T07:01:23-05:002012-10-09T07:01:23-05:00Sporting KC vs. New York Red Bulls preview
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<figcaption>Mike Stobe - Getty Images for New York Red Bu</figcaption>
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<p>The New York Red Bulls will host Sporting KC in one of the final games of the MLS season.</p> <p>Only two games remain for <a href="https://www.thebluetestament.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Sporting Kansas City</a> before the MLS playoffs start, and they'll be looking to keep their top seed in the Eastern Conference.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.onceametro.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Red Bulls</a> would require a very big push to catch up to Sporting in the standings, but they're still only just above the <a href="https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Fire</a> and DC United. Sporting is currently three points ahead of Chicago and five points ahead of DC; both teams also have two games left to play. A win over the Red Bulls would essentially clinch the first overall seed in the Eastern conference, barring a big push from the Fire.</p>
<p>The teams will meet Oct. 20 in New York following an international break that will see <span>Graham Zusi</span> travel with the U.S. Men's National Team through two World Cup qualifiers.</p>
<p>More important than getting a result in the game may be staying healthy for SK, who lost <span>Roger Espinoza</span> to for the rest of October when he suffered an ankle injury against the <a href="https://www.massivereport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Columbus Crew</a> and can't afford to lose too many more players as they prepare for a playoff run.</p>
<p>Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/sporting-kansas-city/2012/10/9/3477098/new-york-red-bulls-vs-sporting-kcChris White