SKC face Dynamo, aiming to build on strong opener

Sporting Kansas City missed the MLS playoffs in 2019 after making the postseason the previous eight seasons. The inability to finish scoring chances was a huge problem. They were sixth in MLS in shots in 2019 but just tied for 16th in goals. Finding players who could finish was the biggest need to address this offseason.

So far, so good.

Forward Alan Pulido, who led Mexican Liga MX in scoring for C.D. Guadalajara in 2019, scored on a beautiful header in traffic 17 minutes into his MLS career in SKC's season-opening 3-1 win at Vancouver last Saturday. He was assisted by fellow newcomer Roberto Puncec.

Vancouver evened the match with a goal 11 minutes later, but Gadi Kinda, on loan from Israeli Premier League side Beitar Jerusalem, responded with a game-winning goal from the corner of the box that earned MLS Goal of the Week nomination.

"For those guys to make an impact immediately helps them individually," said Sporting manager Peter Vermes, who also serves as the club's GM. "They want to show their quality right off the bat -- their value as players and what they can bring to the club.

"It couldn't have gotten any better from a general manager's perspective."

SKC got the clinching goal from Erik Hurtado in second-half stoppage time.

Houston, coming off a 1-1 draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy in its opener, also missed the playoffs in 2019. The Dynamo are trying to transition from a side that waits on counterattacks to a side that presses.

"It's not easy to change the mentality of a team," Houston coach Tab Ramos said. "Inevitably when you're pressing, you make mistakes. And when you make mistakes, you have to run 60 or 70 yards, and it can be in a panic. But we know those moments are going to come."

Ramos knows his club will have its hands full against SKC.

"It's a team that's very good in transition, and they cash in on those moments of attack," he said. "Peter Vermes has that energetic way of coaching, and his teams reflect that. They reflect that style of not giving up on anything."

--Field Level Media