Sporting KC head into season opener without Johnny Russell
Sporting Kansas City forward Johnny Russell (7) during the second half of an MLS soccer game against Atlanta United, Sunday, February 27, 2022, in Atlanta. Atlanta United won 3-1. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)
PORTLAND, Oregon — Sporting KC will be the top scorer in Monday’s season-opener game against the Portland Timbers.
Forward Johnny Russell is out with a hamstring injury.
Head coach Peter Vermes said Russell injured a hamstring in the final minutes of the team’s last preseason game and could be out for a few weeks.
“It’s incredibly unfortunate,” Vermes said. “If there’s one thing I’m not going to do, it’s not going to try and turn certain injuries that we’re having right now into long-term, really long-term problems. It’s best for him to be outside.”
Vermes expects the likes of Cam Duke, Khiry Shelton and Marinos Tzionis to rise in Russell’s absence. Russell has scored 48 goals in five seasons with Sporting, including eight in 2022.
Sporting are also without defenders Kortne Ford (Achilles), Logan Ndenbe (hamstrings) and midfielder Gadi Kinda, while striker Alan Pulido is in question after missing all of last season.
The Timbers will be without the team’s top scorer Dairon Apsrilla and their top scorer Sebastian Blanco from 2022 due to knee injuries, while Ivacic (hand) and left-back Claudio Bravo (thigh) are both questionable.
Veteran defender Graham Zusi and forward Will Agada both said the side looked good in training and they are looking forward to starting a new season after a strong end to last season.
“A lot of guys come with a chip on their shoulder and that’s great to see,” said Zusi.
“So actually very exciting. It’s been a long time since we haven’t seen our fans and now we’re so excited to come back and then we can start playing our games. So we’re really looking forward to this season,” Agada said.
The Nigerian forward provided a spark mid-season when he donned the double blue jersey as he scored eight goals in just 12 games. Agada said he doesn’t feel any extra pressure, he just wants to continue his winning streak through 2023.
“Coming back now, that’s really important.”
“With my heart, with my strength, with all my skills that I have and then of course to make the fans happy. I wouldn’t call it pressure. Like I said, it’s – just like – just being straight and I’m hoping to keep working hard like last season and helping the team as much as I can.”
Zusi enters his 14th year of professional football each year in Kansas City. He said he always had tingles in his stomach before every game.
“There’s always that kind of nervous energy in a match, not just in the first match of the year, but in every single one. You know I feel good about the game when I go in without feeling that way. I think once that excitement and butterfly feeling has gone, maybe it’s time to stop, but that’s certainly not the truth at this point.”
SKC meets Portland at 9 p.m. Monday.