Down goes Chivas! Sporting KC eliminate Mexican giants from Leagues Cup

Children’s Mercy Park has been the site of some of Sporting Kansas City’s biggest games and triumphs – an MLS Cup Final in 2013, US Open Cup finals in 2012 and 2017 and vital Concacaf Champions League matches as well.

SKC longtime manager Peter Vermes, who has been there for all of it, recognized Monday’s Leagues Cup group finale against Chivas de Guadalajara as having the same significance – win or go home.

“Instead of us worrying about entertaining tonight, the most important thing was to get to win,” Vermes said.

And that’s just what Sporting did. As they've done throughout the years at Children’s Mercy Park, they won a big game, edging Chivas, 1-0, thanks to Johnny Russell’s first-half goal.

As a result, in a group that featured the MLS Supporters’ Shield leaders in FC Cincinnati and the Liga MX Apertura leaders in Chivas, Sporting survived and advanced into the tournament's Round of 32.

It was SKC’s first 1-0 win of the 2023 season, another important factor in any final and especially against Mexican opposition.

“The management of the game is so important against Mexican teams because they're incredibly smart on how to find moments to steal something from you even when you're not paying attention,” Vermes said. “Tonight our focus and concentration was very good for the 90 minutes.”

SKC were especially sharp in the opening 45 minutes, taking a deserved lead on a Russell goal in the 27th minute.

“In the first half, they absolutely dominated and we sucked,” said Chivas manager Veljko Paunović, who previously coached Chicago Fire FC. “It was terrible to watch the team like that suffering behind the ball.”

Chivas pressed for the equalizer in the second half, but SKC held firm to earn another historic result at home, another important victory over a Liga MX side for MLS on the same night the Columbus Crew thumped Club América, 4-1, at Lower.com Field.

“I think for us it's a great experience because our league continues to mature. You can see in the games that we're playing, our teams are getting good results. I don't think it's because we're lucky,” Vermes said. “I think it's because there's a high quality of players within our league as well.

"And I also think that the style of play, the way that our teams play, the athleticism in our players as well. It lends itself to good results and obviously tonight was another one of those situations.”