Sometime over the next few weeks, Sporting Kansas City is nearly certain to clinch an eighth consecutive playoff spot, extending a franchise record. But its chances of success in the postseason — a sore subject over the past four years —rides on the results until then.
The team didn’t help its cause Sunday.
Sporting KC settled for a 1-1 draw with visiting Real Salt Lake at Children’s Mercy Park, skipping an opportunity to move into a first-place tie in the Western Conference as the schedule opens to the final month.
Sporting KC (15-8-7) remained in second place in the West — the top two teams receive a bye in the first round, and Sporting KC has yet to advance past the opening round since 2013 — but it has just a two-point advantage on Los Angeles FC.