For a team that’s faced so much adversity, injury problems and setbacks this season, it’s almost fitting Sporting Kansas City may be without two of their best players for Saturday’s must-win Decision Day clash at home against Minnesota United FC (9 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
“I think it’s going to be a game-day decision, is what it will be,” SKC manager and sporting director Peter Vermes said Thursday of striking duo Johnny Russell and Alan Pulido. “Both guys are struggling a little bit with a knock here or there."
With 20 of the club's 45 goals on the season coming from Pulido (14g/3a) and Russell (6g/3a), Kansas City have understandably been heavily reliant on both players over the course of the year.
That’s especially the case with Pulido, the club-record signing who's enjoying a breakout season after missing all of 2022 with a knee injury, almost single-handedly helping Sporting get back on track after going winless their first 10 matches of the season (0W-7L-3D). The team have gone 11W-7L-5D since then, good for 10th place in the Western Conference, and need a win – plus at least one of Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes or FC Dallas dropping points on Saturday – to earn a Wild Card berth with the ninth-and-final postseason spot.
“We have a responsibility, a job in front of us and everybody has to participate,” Vermes said of how he’s dealing with his roster uncertainty. “If they’re in, great. If they can be limited, great. If they can’t be, then great, we keep moving on. We got other guys that are gonna have to step up.”
Pukki leads the way for Minnesota
Minnesota have dealt with their fare share of adversity as well this season, most recently parting ways with longtime head coach Adrian Heath earlier this month with the club mired in a seven-game winless streak (0W-4L-3D).
Interim manager Sean McCauley took over and guided the Loons to a 5-2 rout of the LA Galaxy in Matchday 37 that injected life into their slim playoff hopes.
“We need to keep that momentum going, and that’s the responsibility of us as a staff,” McCauley said ahead of Decision Day – where they need the same results as Kansas City (and potentially a little goal differential help) to make the postseason. “Keep that confidence and that momentum going.”
Forward Teemu Pukki certainly has momentum in his favor, exploding for four goals against the Galaxy to reach 10g/1a in just 13 league appearances since his mid-summer arrival.
“He’s helped us in the last few games, scoring goals,” Loons playmaker Emanuel Reynoso said of Finland’s all-time leading scorer. “… Hopefully he can score on Saturday.”
Even with Minnesota hitting Children’s Mercy Park on a high note, Vermes believes Sporting have endured enough this season to get the job done in front of their fans.
“We’ve been doing it week after week. Maybe more so than a lot of other teams because we’ve been trying to climb back into it,” Vermes said. “… We’ve been fighting for a long time.”
