KANSAS CITY, Mo. – No Kei Kamara, no problem for the Wizards.
Kansas City will be without their leading scorer this weekend against the Philadelphia Union – Kamara is with Sierra Leone for an African Cup of Nations qualifier in Egypt – but manager Peter Vermes suddenly has plenty of on-form replacements after months of searching for scorers.
“Kei is important part of the team for sure,” Vermes said, “but every guy has their role. It’s not just the 11; it’s all 25 guys on the roster. Everybody has a specific role within this team.”
While Kamara has been a revelation this season, particularly during the team’s recent hot streak, Vermes can look to newly minted starter Birahim Diop, the explosive Teal Bunbury and the now-healthy Josh Wolff to pick up some of the slack against the Union.
[inline_node:316737]Diop has started the last two games at center forward, contributing two goals and an assist, while Bunbury will likely be given a chance on the right side in Kamara’s place. Even more encouraging for the Wizards is the fact that captain Davy Arnaud seems to be finding his scoring form.
Kansas City have scored six goals in their last two games after scoring just six goals in the 10 matches prior. That newfound explosiveness has the team looking to build on its 4-1-2 league record in the last two months.
“We had a 10- or 11-game stretch there where we only scored one goal a game or less,” defender Jimmy Conrad said. “I think we were due in that capacity. Some guys are getting hungry and getting some good looks.”
Unfortunately, Kamara has been one of the players at the heart of that change, contributing a goal and three assists in the team’s last two games – both victories – and eight goals overall.
But the Wizards don’t seem overly concerned by his absence, choosing to focus on integrating the players who they hope will replace his production rather than on his absence.
For his part, Diop is suddenly playing with confidence after notching a brace and an assist against New England while Bunbury is fighting for a starting spot after coming into his own in the second half of the season and bouncing back and forth between the starting 11 and the bench.
“We have guys that can fill in for Kei,” Conrad said. “Obviously, he’s a big loss, but [Wolff] is biting to get back on the field. We have Jack [Jewsbury] and Teal as well.”
Wolff has been fighting an ankle injury and an undisclosed illness recently, but has looked sharp in training. The main thing missing from the veteran’s game at this point is game fitness, meaning he will almost certainly come off the bench if needed.
And although Kansas City would certainly prefer to play with Kamara marauding up and down the right flank, neither Vermes nor the players feel like the loss of their leading scorer is cause for too much concern.
“[Kamara] being gone puts pressure on the other guys to step up and holds them accountable,” Conrad said. “You have to perform game in and game out. That’s always a good thing.”
