Real Salt Lake Vs Sporting KC: 3 things we learned – SKC youngsters shine
By Nathan Dunn
2. Analyzing SKC Youngsters
There were two Sporting KC Academy products on display Wednesday morning: Gianluca Busio and Felipe Hernandez.
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With several European clubs rumored to be eyeing Busio, his performance didn’t quite live up to his expectations. On the other hand, Hernandez impressed as a 58th-minute substitute replacing veteran Roger Espinoza.
Busio, who made his first start this season, didn’t have the impact he would have hoped for. Defensively, he was pretty good in closing down defenders, but offensively, everything was a little off, especially when he did find himself in dangerous spaces. Rarely was he able to take advantage. Perhaps with all the rumors swirling around about the 18-year-old, along with the lack of playing time, Busio simply needs to not overthink things and play more regularly.
On a different note, Hernandez came in and made a solid impact. He scored13 goals in 92 appearances with Sporting KC II and had a very productive outing as Peter Vermes’ first substitute. He brought great energy and was a key part of bringing SKC back into control of the match as they protected their lead. In just his third ever first-team appearance, he certainly seems to have warranted more opportunities in the future.
There were questions surrounding SKCs’s lack of depth in midfield, but Hernandez’s performance certainly showed positive signs that there might be more depth than first thought.