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Sporting KC: 2020 Preview – Can Peter Vermes bounceback?

By Matt Coles

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 3: Krisztian Nemeth #9 of Sporting Kansas City celebrates his first half goal during Los Angeles FC's MLS match against Sporting Kansas City at the Banc of California Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 2-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 3: Krisztian Nemeth #9 of Sporting Kansas City celebrates his first half goal during Los Angeles FC's MLS match against Sporting Kansas City at the Banc of California Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 2-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 3: Krisztian Nemeth #9 of Sporting Kansas City celebrates his first half goal during Los Angeles FC’s MLS match against Sporting Kansas City at the Banc of California Stadium on March 3, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 2-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images) /

With less than a month to go until the start of the 2020 MLS campaign, we are taking a look at how each team has evolved since last year and their chances this term. This time,Sporting KC.

Following on from topping the Western Conference in 2018, last season was a huge disappointment for Sporting Kansas City, who finished the term in 11th spot in the West and 21st overall, with just three teams worse than them throughout the regular season.

In the space of a year, Sporting KC saw their final points tally worsen by 24 points, one of the biggest differentials from season-to-season in MLS history. Come the end of the regular season, they finished 11th, ten points off the red line, having been out of post-season contention three weeks previous.

Related Story. Sporting KC: Best-rated starting XI of 2019. light

It was also a poor year for the club in the domestic cup competition, as they failed to get past the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup, losing 4-1 to eventually runners-up Minnesota United. SKC started their 2019 campaign in the CONCACAF Champions League and they did make it through to the last four of the competition, further than any other MLS side in the tournament, but were pumped by Monterrey, who scored ten goals over two legs.

Here is how things are shaping for Sporting KC ahead of the 2020 season.

CINCINNATI, OH – APRIL 07: Johnny Russell #7 of Sporting Kansas City is seen during the game against the FC Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium on April 7, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – APRIL 07: Johnny Russell #7 of Sporting Kansas City is seen during the game against the FC Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium on April 7, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Best Performers

Only two members of Sporting KC’s best XI last year could boast an average WhoScored rating of at least 7/10 after their performances during the regular season.

Scotsman Johnny Russell was the club’s best player, thanks to a 7.18/10 rating. He scored nine times and assisted nine more in his second season in the league.

The other member of the seven-plus club was top-scorer Felipe Gutierrrez. The Chilean midfielder scored twelve times across the course of the campaign, along with assisting three others.

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