Sporting Kansas City have finally broken their losing streak.
After seven consecutive losses, and 10 matches overall without a win, SKC earned three points on Saturday night, beating 10-man Seattle Sounders FC, 2-1, at Children's Mercy Park.
It wasn't necessarily a pretty win, but it was a much-needed one.
"I would say it was more of a version of who we are, right?" manager Peter Vermes posited after the match. "The whole idea is always to become, or try to get close to, the best version of yourself. And I think the guys were trying that today."
Sporting turnaround 2.0?
Despite the tepid start to the season, Sporting still have everything to play for. They're seven points behind the Portland Timbers, who hold the ninth and final Western Conference playoff spot, with one game in hand. They're in a hole, but Vermes is still adamant this team is good enough to dig themselves out.
He also has history to back him up. After going winless (0W-7L-3D) in their first 10 games of 2023, SKC stormed back to lead the Western Conference in points (41), wins (12) and goals per game (1.88) from the the beginning of May through Decision Day, earning a spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
"Look, I think this is a good team. The issue last year, which was a little bit different, for the longest time, I had to be the one that tried to keep telling them that," he said. "This win should reinforce that to them, that they're good. When they want to play, they can play."
The next two weeks don't get easier, with Sporting scheduled to play the LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake and Columbus Crew.
"Hopefully this is going to give us a little bit of a burst that we need," Vermes said.
