Kerry Zavagnin was stuffed with reward for his facet’s spirit and dedication following their “magical” win over St. Louis Metropolis SC final weekend, as they put together to tackle an in-form Portland Timbers in MLS.
Following the departure of long-time head coach Peter Vermes – who had been on the membership since 2009 – Sporting KC broke a club-record 13-match winless streak with a 2-0 victory over St. Louis, delighting a house crowd at Youngsters’s Mercy Park with their first win in 199 days.
The win lifted Zavagnin’s facet to 14th place within the Western Convention standings, simply two factors above basement membership LA Galaxy.
Dejan Joveljic scored a late second-half brace, with objectives within the 71st and 88th minute, guiding Sporting KC their first win of the season.
“The spirit of the fellows – they weren’t going to present in. It’s the primary time shortly that I heard at half-time, strolling out of the locker room and saying we’re not shedding tonight,” Zavagnin mentioned.
“And credit score to all the fellows with their dedication to get ahead and their dedication to get within the field and never simply within the field, however to complete the alternatives.”
Reflecting on a whirlwind week after getting into the position on the finish of March, Zavagnin mentioned it had been emotionally taxing.
“I feel the complete week – for all of us, not simply me, for all of us – has been an emotional one.
“I’ve needed to compartmentalise quite a lot of my feelings and emotions as a result of I knew what I wanted to do and what we wanted to do to get the end result tonight.
“To have the ability to do that towards a rival; in my first time teaching; with the dedication that the gamers gave; and the confetti on the sector that we’ve been lacking for a short time. It’s a magical evening.”
Portland, in the meantime, are in fifth place within the Western Convention standings, joined by FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids on 11 factors.
After a tempered begin to the season, the Timbers burst into an excellent vein of kind with two commanding wins in March: 3-0 away to Colorado and 3-1 at house to the Houston Dynamo.
However their run stalled as a hard-fought affair towards fourth-placed Austin FC led to a goalless draw final Saturday.
It nonetheless marks the Timbers’ second-best begin to a season in membership historical past with 11 factors by way of their first seven matches, in addition to their second clear sheet of the marketing campaign.
Confidence + Perception + Momentum #SportingKC pic.twitter.com/tf1pU9PJwg
— Sporting Kansas Metropolis (@SportingKC) April 11, 2025
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sporting KC – Manu Garcia
Sporting KC common an MLS-high 186.7 passes within the attacking third per match this season, with Manu Garcia taking part in a pivotal position in midfield.
The Spaniard leads MLS with 31.8 passes within the ultimate third per 90 minutes (amongst gamers who’ve performed a minimal of 350 minutes). He recorded his second help of the season on Saturday, and might be one the Timbers should attempt to maintain underneath lock and key.
Portland Timbers – James Pantemis
In opposition to Austin, the Portland defence allowed solely a single shot on the right track, which James Pantemis saved comfortably. Largely attributable to Pantemis’ spectacular performances, the Timbers have saved clear sheets in every of their final two away matches: a 3-0 win at Colorado and their scoreless draw at Austin.
Portland has saved three immediately clear sheets simply as soon as since becoming a member of MLS in 2011, doing so between August and September 2021.
MATCH PREDICTION – PORTLAND WIN
In what is bound to be a good contest, the guests emerge as slight favourites. They’re unbeaten in 4 straight matches (W2 D2), together with their stalemate towards Austin.
The Timbers allowed 4 objectives of their season-opening defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps however have conceded simply 4 objectives within the six matches since.
Sporting KC, although, have cause to be optimistic. They’ve misplaced solely certainly one of their final 10 house matches towards Portland in all competitions (W4 D5), together with going unbeaten within the final 5 (W2 D3).
The hosts have additionally scored 11 objectives of their final three house matches towards the Timbers, suggesting that Sunday’s conflict ought to nonetheless have loads in it for either side.
Kicking it with the crew in Kansas Metropolis pic.twitter.com/NvVJsO3qHn
— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) April 12, 2025
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Sporting KC – 32.1%
Portland Timbers – 42.5%
Draw – 25.4%
