MINNEAPOLIS – After missing most of the first half of 2017 due to an ACL tear, Diego Rubio has taken advantage of newfound playing time with Sporting KC to become the club’s primary scoring threat over the last month.
The 24-year-old has scored four of the team’s last six goals, including the lone strike in their 1-1 draw at Minnesota on Saturday night. He now has six goals in just 13 regular season appearances this year, a solid rate for a team that needed to fill a void at striker following the July trade of Dom Dwyer to Orlando.
Head coach Peter Vermes likes what he’s seeing from the Chilean, and not just in front of goal.
“He’s been really good for us,” Vermes said on Saturday night. “He’s actually been good in link up play, and building through him. And then also he’s creating good partnerships with the guys around him in regards to combination play."
Then, almost as an afterthought, the coach added: "And he’s found himself the back of the net.”
Those partnerships were essential in Rubio’s goal against Minnesota. Holding his run until the last possible moment, Rubio received a pass from Latif Blessing just inside the area, quickly taking a touch to his left before firing a 12-yard shot past Loons ‘keeper Bobby Shuttleworth.
His solid form is a good sign for Sporting heading into the playoffs. Though the US Open Cup champs are in second in the West, SKC have had a hard time finding the back of the net this year, scoring just 38 goals, fewest of any team above the playoff line. Rubio’s emergence could waylay concerns about their attack heading into the postseason, though Vermes doesn’t want to rely too heavily on any one player for a run at MLS Cup.
“It’s more around the team concept that it is around one guy. For me, it’s a combination of people finishing off opportunities we create and [that’s] not always the center forwards,” Vermes said.
The lack of finishing hurt Sporting KC on Saturday, as the team failed to complete a number of chances against the Loons. The visitors ended the match with 20 shots, more than double Minnesota’s total.
The frustrating draw delayed SKC from clinching a playoff spot and underscored the importance of goal scorers other than just Rubio. The striker himself knows that for the team to have success going forward it won’t just be his responsibility, echoing his coach’s words.
“I always say, of course I am the striker, I need to score goals,” Rubio said. “But I always say we have 26, 27 or 28 guys and they are going to be so important every time.”
