A day before Sporting Kansas City departed for its preseason training camp, captain Matt Besler outlined the club’s desire to secure a home playoff match in 2018. A year earlier, it was coach Peter Vermes, blaming the absence of recent playoff success on a failure to earn home postseason matches. Another year earlier, it was co-owner Robb Heineman illustrating a similar message.
Alas, after a five-year wait, the MLS playoffs are returning to Children’s Mercy Park.
And Sporting KC has positioned itself for a lengthy run there.
Sporting KC upended FC Dallas with a convincing 3-0 victory on the road Sunday, stealing first place in the Western Conference in the penultimate match of the season.