Sporting KC: Win over Sounders hopefully turning point in 2019

The 2019 season hasn’t been kind to Sporting KC, but they won their third game of the season on Sunday, thanks to a hat trick from Johnny Russell. Could this win be the start of a streak for the good guys?

Heading into this game against the Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City sat in 11th place and things were looking bleak. Injuries had really hit this team hard and they were down to five bench players with several regulars missing from the starting lineup.

Even with the injuries, SKC was desperate for a win. Yes, it’s still early in the season, but three points would go a long way with building this team’s confidence. Johnny Russell got that memo and scored all three of Sporting KC’s goals in a 3-2 victory.

The Sounders certainly made things interesting near the end, but SKC held off Seattle and won their first match since March 30th. They had gone eight weeks without a victory. Eight long weeks.

Injuries have been a big problem for sure, but Sporting looked good on Sunday and knocked off one of their biggest rivals. It was a much needed victory for a team that hadn’t had much to cheer for up to this point.

Here’s what’s trending in Sporting KC news.

Russell, Sporting KC sink Sounders for third win of the season [Robert Rusert, The Blue Testament]

"Coming into their Sunday home match v Seattle Sounders, it was simple for 11th place Sporting Kansas City. Nine straight matches without a win in all competitions for Sporting was tempered only by the seven-game winless run in MLS play, the club’s longest since May of 2016.More from KC KingdomWin $650 GUARANTEED Plus $100 Off NFL Sunday Ticket With Caesars, FanDuel and DraftKings Kansas Promos!This Plus-Money Bobby Witt Jr. Prop Bet is on Fire (Hit in 15/21 Games)!How to Bet on the Chiefs vs. Cardinals in NFL Preseason Week 2The Royals Need to Extend Bobby Witt Jr. ImmediatelyThe 3 Most Intriguing Games on the Chiefs’ Schedule"

Sporting KC hail Russell after clutch performance: “He’s a special player” [Daniel Sperry, MLSSoccer.com]

"Russell’s teammates’ admiration for what he did was obvious. When he returned to the locker room, the rest of Sporting’s squad doused him in water, leaving a giant pool on the floor."

Johnny Russell’s hat trick allows short-handed Sporting KC to hold off Sounders [Jayda Evans, The Seattle Times]

After several days of non-stop rain, Kansas City finally had a day filled with sunshine and that made for an enjoyable afternoon for SKC fans. Children’s Mercy Park will be busy once again, as Sporting KC has a quick turnaround, hosting another game on Wednesday when the LA Galaxy come to town.

SKC sits at 3-4-5 while the Galaxy is 8-5-1 and in third place in the Western Conference Standings. Hopefully this victory over Seattle is just what Sporting KC needs to get back on track and start winning on a consistent basis again.