(Kansas City, KS, June 16, 2015) – The fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is set for this week, with 16 matches on Tuesday and Wednesday. The tournament’s emphasis on regional match ups has produced several exciting fixtures, including the first ever I-70 Derby between Sporting KC of MLS and Saint Louis FC of the USL.
Their Tournament So Far:
This is the first Open Cup match of 2015 for Sporting KC, who were tournament champions in 2004 and 2012. Saint Louis FC got here with two +90 minute victories over the Des Moines Menace and Minnesota United FC.
The Cardiac Chupacabras scored in the 97th minute to beat the Menace 2-1 in extra time. A week later, Saint Louis FC won in penalties 3-1 after a 1-1 score in 120 minutes of play.
Depth and Injuries Concerns:
Sporting KC was off this past weekend in MLS. They have not played a match since June 6th, a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders. Peter Vermes did not dress several key players for that match, most significantly Seth Sinovic (concussion) and Paulo Nagamura (back strain). It is unclear who of the injured players will be available for the Open Cup match.
While Sporting KC has historically emphasized this tournament, the side does have a match this Sunday at Real Salt Lake. Sporting also had stars Graham Zusi and Matt Besler named to the provisional USMNT Gold Cup Roster. Vermes may only have these two for another two weeks and could elect to save them for league games to get ahead in the table before losing them to the Gold Cup.
On the other side, Saint Louis FC appears to be recovering. Early season injuries to Brandon Barklage and Jamiel Hardware were setbacks for the team’s midfield play. Only in the last few games did the two return to the lineup. Both started this past Saturday, both playing over an hour of the match. Leading scorer Bryan Gaul will not be available due to a red card in the match against Minnesota.
Dale Schilly mentioned this weekend that there were several injuries that influenced the lineup decisions. He did not mention names. With only two days rest, this could be the biggest test of Saint Louis FC’s fitness and depth this year.
Rivalry And History:
The title of I-70 Derby has taken off on social media. It is a play on the I-70 Rivalry, which refers to the MLB rivalry between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals. The two met in the 1985 Word Series. The Royals took the series in seven games off of the controversial call by umpire Don Denkinger, ruling Jorge Orta safe at 1st base.
In professional soccer, the rivarly between the two cities goes back to 1968. It is fitting that Sporting KC’s logo pays homage to the club existing right at a state border between Kansas and Missouri. While Sporting Park is on the Kansas side of the boarder, a good portion of the city and the fan base are just on the Missouri side of the border. While just barely an out-of-state derby, it’s still a butting rivalry in the U.S. Soccer scene.
Outlook:
Traditionally, Sporting Park is a Blue Hell for visitors, yet historically MLS supporters haven’t shown up for Open Cup matches the same way they do for league games. Empty seats and a good contingency of traveling supporters could help them.
This is still going to be an uphill battle for Saint Louis FC. Off for two days rest with some possible injuries, the squad might be a bit hobbled and short of breath going into the match. Regardless of the lineup Sporting KC puts out there, this team has good depth. Not having to face a Besler, Zusi, or Benny Feilhaber will be a lucky and welcomed break. If a reserve squad is dressed, this could be an even match up. Sporting KC would still be slight favorites.
An exciting and dramatic match (regardless of the outcome) will kick off this rivalry. Regular meetings between these teams could spark both fan bases and the cities to engage in this rivarly as much as they do for the baseball equivalent. This could be the making of a wonderful derby in the future for MLS and U.S. Soccer.
