KANSAS CITY, Kan. – This was the result Sporting Kansas City needed – to secure a place in the postseason for the fourth year in a row, to continue their push into playoff form and to reward the supporters who had been waiting since mid-August for a league victory at home.
“This was very important,” midfielder Paulo Nagamura told MLSsoccer.com after Sporting got late goals from Graham Zusi and Dom Dwyer to beat the Chicago Fire 2-0 on Friday night. “Lately we had been poor, I would say, in our home record. To get a clean sheet and to get a win in front of our fans, it was a big boost of confidence.”
Sporting won both home CONCACAF Champions League matches last month, but before Friday night they hadn't won an MLS contest at Sporting Park since routing Toronto FC on Aug. 16. Then Zusi's left-footed shot found the net in the 80th minute, and the force of the winger's celebration showed just how much that meant.
“I think it was a culmination of a lot of emotions after that ball went in,” Zusi said in the postmatch news conference. “We had to give these fans what they deserved and play well, and we were dead set on doing that tonight, not only to get into the playoffs but to do that at home, where we should win every game. That's how we feel.”
And while one goal would have been enough to secure the three points, Dwyer made sure the result stuck with a stoppage-time header of Zusi's cross – atoning for a missed penalty in the 13th minute and stretching his club record to 21 league goals this season.
“This is massive,” Dwyer told reporters. “Obviously, it feels good. It's a nice feeling in here right now.”
Still, manager Peter Vermes said in the news conference, the defending MLS Cup champs still have things to do to hit full postseason form.
“I told the guys before we went out that it is important for us to take advantage of what we can control, and right now we had an opportunity to get into the playoffs now and rest ourselves going forward,” he said. “That is something we will have to do, because we have been through a very difficult time this year.”
Despite that season-long struggle with injury and international absences, though, Sporting can continue to say that they haven't missed the postseason since rebranding and moving into their new home in 2011.
“We have quite a bit of confidence in where we are right now, as we should,” Zusi said. “We have been playing well, and this one tonight is just a huge win for us. It gives us more confidence and momentum going into the playoffs, which has proven in the past to be huge. Teams that are playing well going into the playoffs typically go pretty far.”
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
