Sporting Kansas City Aims to Revitalize Season Against Austin FC: Vermes Prioritizes Internal Strength in Crucial Matchup

Sporting Kansas City has faced a tough stretch, racking up defeats in 10 out of their last 11 forays. They anticipate a challenging matchup against Austin FC this Saturday.

Peter Vermes highlighted the necessity for Sporting Kansas City to capitalize on their own strengths, rather than fixating on Austin FC’s prowess, in hopes of shaking off their dismal streak. Currently, Sporting KC languishes in 13th place in the Western Conference, having lost their three most recent games and conceding four goals in each tussle.

Amid back-to-back losses, including a 4-2 downfall to LA Galaxy and a 4-0 hammering by Columbus Crew, Vermes remains optimistic, citing a solid week of preparation. He expressed confidence about their upcoming performance, stressing the importance of excelling in the game’s critical elements.

Meanwhile, Austin FC recently snapped their unimpressive run by narrowly defeating Minnesota United 1-0, climbing to eighth in the Western standings. Despite challenges like international call-ups and injuries, Coach Josh Wolff praised his squad’s resilience.

Players to keep an eye on this weekend include Sporting Kansas City’s goalkeeper John Pulskamp, who faces the challenge of halting a historical trend of the team conceding four or more goals in consecutive matches. Austin FC’s Sebastian Driussi proved to be a thorn in Sporting KC’s side, having scored in five of their last six encounters.

Sporting KC hopes for a turnaround after a downtrend, where prior to this, they faced only nine defeats in 33 games. Austin also hopes to build on their recent victory after a five-game winless stretch and a poor record in road games.

Predictions hint at a victory edge for Sporting Kansas City with a winning probability at 45.8%, but Austin FC at 27.5% and a draw at 26.8% also remain tangible outcomes.