Thursday, June 2, 2011

The Importance of the Next Three Games for Sporting Kc

Since SportingBlueKc will be out of town from this coming Saturday(6/4) to mid afternoon Sunday(6/12)*, SportingBlueKc will be doing its preview(s) of the next 3 games now. SportingBlueKc's recap of all three game should be posted sometime on Monday(6/13).

* Note: I will however be in attendance for Sporting Kc's home opener on Thursday(6/9).

As suggested in the title, the next three matches for Sporting Kc should be very important, mainly due to the fact that Sporting Kc will open their brand new stadium on June 9th. And also due to the fact that it will give SKC a chance to catch up with the rest of the league in terms of games played. 

So, let's take a look at the next three matches:
  1. Toronto FC (6/4), Away
  2. Chicago Fire (6/9), Home
  3. FC Dallas (6/12), Away
I think 4-7 points could definitely be expected from these three games. In Toronto we could see either a win or tie, against Chicago in our own stadium you got to think that a win is the only option, and against FC Dallas (MLS Cup Runners Up) we could see either a loss or if SKC pull something special off, we could see a tie.

So with those three upcoming games in mind let's take a deeper look at each of them individually. 

Toronto FC (6/4)
Sporting Kc will come into this game with a lot of confidence, after gaining a well deserved point against Colorado, they will be looking for a win against a Toronto side that lost 6-2 to the Philadelphia Union at home last weekend. Toronto however will be looking to put that defeat behind them and get on to the next game, but may come out with an attacking attitude to try and hype up the home crowd against SKC.

To walk away from BMO Field with three points Sporting will have to try and control most of the possession  and use Omar Bravo to try and actually do something with it. When Bravo does create something Sporting will have to take their chances to try and get something from Toronto.

All-in-all Toronto is not a good side. Their defense has been shaky all season and without their talisman Dwayne De Rosario, it's hard to see SKC not getting the full 3 points from this game. 

Prediction: SKC 2- Toronto 1 (Smith, Bravo) , (Maicon Santos) 

Chicago Fire (6/9)
This game will be the biggest game all season (unless SKC can sneak into the playoffs), as Sporting Kc open up the doors to LSP for the first time. Think about it, the entire first first part of the season has been leading up to this game. It will be huge, not just for Kansas City but for all of MLS. 

If SKC does not win this game it will be a huge disgrace. This game will be the shot-in-the-arm to jump-start the rest of the season for SKC. It is the basis of everything SKC will do this season, and the only way it can all happen, is if we win this game against Chicago.

Facing Chicago is always tough. They're a team that likes to fight, it's ingrained into the club's players. But, with a new coach trying to restart a dismal Chicago season, and the might of LSP looming over them, Chicago will have to pull off something absolutely fantastic to walk out of LSP with a tie or a win.

Prediction: SKC 3 - Chicago 1 (Bunbury, Bravo, Arnaud), (Pappa)

FC Dallas (6/12)
SKC should be entering this match at Pizza Hut Park with a lot of confidence. However the one thing that SKC may not enter in with is fresh legs. Coming into the game SKC will be playing their 3rd game in 8 days. Due to lineup changes from those games, do not expect SKC to win this one. A tie maybe, but a loss is a more realistic possibility.

SKC struggled against Dallas both times last year, home and away. Expect the same in this match. Bunbury may hit form by the Dallas game, and I would expect him to score at least once.

Not much left to say in this one, just that SKC will have a tough game against last years MLS Cup Runners Up. I hate to stifle any excitement or momentum that may come from the two previous games, but FC Dallas is a team that I rate very highly, hence, I'm giving them the win in this one.


 Prediction: FC Dallas 2- SKC 1 (Shea, Castillo) (Bunbury)

If you guys need match day previews and post game wrap ups while I'm gone, simply head over to these sites:

Check back Monday (6/13) for post game reviews for all three of Sporting's upcoming games, Thanks guys!
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