July 13, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Sacramento Republic FC News Release
Advancing in the U.S. Open Cup has pitted Republic FC against teams they seldom face off with. The semifinal is no different, as the club’s July 27 match marks the first ever with Sporting Kansas City – a legacy MLS side that’s been one of the best all-time in the Cup, winning four titles, and is led by one of the most storied men in American soccer. Ahead of the huge match, get familiar with Sporting Kansas City, and everything that Sacramento is in for when they make their way to the West Coast.
What to Know
Sporting enters the contest with eyes on becoming just the third team ever to win five Open Cups – a feat accomplished last by 1981 winner Maccabee Los Angeles – and the most successful MLS club ever in the competition. The Midwest club has won the tournament four times tying them with Chicago Fire and Seattle Sounders FC for the most among MLS squads. They previously won the trophy in 2004, 2012, 2015, and most recently in 2017.
On the sidelines, the club is led by one of the most storied American footballers ever in Peter Vermes. Vermes is a USMNT veteran with over 60 caps to his name, and legacy member of the Major League Soccer fraternity, playing in the league’s debut season and since coaching over 500 matches.
At the start of the season, Kansas City lost two of its Designated Players to season-ending injuries – forward Alan Pulido and midfielder Gadi Kinda. The club has seen a 180-degree flip from their offensive form in 2021 as a result, netting only 18 scores in their first 20 matches. While the club’s gone through periods of struggle, they’ve also proven capable of going on fearsome tears unmatchable by any opponent, and keeping their composure in tight contests. All of their victories in league play this season have been by one score, and two of their three cup victories this year have come following a first-half deficit.
Their Strengths
Sporting has been tough to break down on defense this season. While they’ve conceded frequently this year, bloating their goals allowed tally is a single bad afternoon against Portland back in May. Subtracting that match, they are right in the middle of the pack defensively, and as of July 13 have actually made the second-fewest mistakes leading to scores of any MLS side all season long. Their backline is anchored by multiple players with overseas experience in Europe’s top competitions.
Up top, the club does…
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