Photo Credit: Isadora Vasconcelos
It is everyone’s favorite time of the year: patchwork lineups during international windows! With some of their best players playing for country the remainder of Sporting Kansas City and D.C. United will look to do their best for club in Kansas City on Friday night (8pm EST UniMas).
United will look to replicate the success of their last visit to Children’s Mercy Park in 2014 where the club pulled a off a 3-0 drubbing. In general D.C. has done quite well against Sporting in their recent encounters going undefeated in four consecutive matches. In their only match last season the club’s drew 1-1 at RFK Stadium.
David Bingham makes a fingertip save against Dom Dwyer in the first half to keep the match tied.
The one goal that Sporting was able to score in that match is important because it was the first goal that they have scored against D.C. in over two years. In previous matches D.C. has made it an effort to employ a high defensive line against Dom Dwyer and the Sporting attack. Although he was able to score in last week’s 3-1 loss to Real Salt Lake Sporting have struggled when Dwyer is closely pressured.
But this time will be a bit different for United. Without Steve Birnbaum, who is away on United States Men’s National Team duty, United will pair Kofi Opare with incumbent Bobby Boswell at center-back. Opare shown in a smattering of appearances during his United tenure to be more than capable defending stronger, taller strikers. However, against quicker strikers like Dwyer his performances have not always been the best.
In addition to Birnbaum, United will also be without forward Alvaro Saborio who is away with Costa Rica. United coach Ben Olsen in recent weeks has used Saborio up top with Lamar Neagle to help spring open a staid D.C. attack (13 goals scored third lowest in MLS).
The results have been mixed with United creating opportunities but struggling to capitalize on their chances. With Fabian Espindola back in the starting eleven and facing a Sporting defense prone to mental mistakes D.C. is hoping their luck will turn around on Friday night.
United is not the only club suffering from a case of the “international call-up” bug. Sporting will be without defender Matt Besler and midfielders Soni Mustivar and Graham Zusi. Of the three the biggest loss is Zusi who finally seems to be back in form after an injury-plagued 2015 campaign. Mustivar has also held his own as a center-midfielder and shown that he can push the Sporting attack when necessary.
Without Mustivar and Zusi, Sporting coach Peter Vermes will likely use Brad Davis as a center midfielder and have Roger Espinoza out wide. Davis in his time with the Houston Dynamo did operate from the center mid position and showed a knack for delivering balls into space for Will Bruin. But Davis does not have the legs that he once did and against a quick and dynamic D.C. midfield he may not be able to play a full 90 minutes.
The key for Sporting in this match will be getting Jimmy Medranda the ball early and often. The Colombian was effective against RSL in leading the counter-attack and relieving some of the pressure off of Dwyer and Benny Feilhaber. The D.C. defense has had trouble in organizing on counter-attacks this season. If Medranda can find either of his targets on a quick play then United may not leave Kansas City with a point.
Football is often not a complicated sport but in this match it is even simpler: whichever club can adapt the best to their new lineup will have the greatest chance for success. With both clubs struggling to find the back of the net a draw would seem the likeliest of outcomes. But given United’s situation at center-back Sporting may have a chance to pip one in.
DC United
Sporting Kansas City
