Not for the first time this season, Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes recognized that his team needed a spark from off the bench.
And not for the first time this season, forward Diego Rubio delivered that spark emphatically.
The Chilean entered Sunday night’s contest in the 60th minute with his team trailing 1-0 to Real Salt Lake. A mere 38 seconds later, Rubio was celebrating a superb equalizer that ultimately propelled Sporting KC to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals at Rio Tinto Stadium.
The result leaves Sporting KC and RSL on level terms going into this Sunday’s decisive second leg at Children’s Mercy Park—the first MLS playoff match at the stadium since Vermes’ side ousted RSL on penalties in the epic 2013 MLS Cup.