When you can soak up several haymakers from “Team Chaos” and live to tell the tale, you might have the makings of a deep postseason run.
That’s what Sporting Kansas City believe in the wake of their harrowing Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Round One victory over the hard-charging San Jose Earthquakes at Children’s Mercy Park Sunday, a fun, messy barnburner with three lead changes, two injury-time goals and a penalty-kick shootout dominated in historic fashion by Sporting goalkeeper Tim Melia.
“Part of the playoffs always is kind of getting through that first game,” a relieved Sporting manager Peter Vermes said postgame, explaining how difficult Quakes coach Matias Almeyda’s high-risk, man-marking system is to prepare for.