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SBI MLS Team of the Month: Sporting Kansas City

SKC (ISIphotos.com)

Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com

As it turns out, Sporting Kansas City just needed a little home cooking to turn its season around.

It's no surprise that Sporting KC's recent turnaround has coincided with the opening of Livestrong Sporting Park. The club went 3-0-3 in June (2-0-1 at home), buoyed by a much-improved defense that conceded just twice during that stretch, to earn SBI MLS Team of the Month honors.

Its most impressive victory, however, came on the road, with its 4-1 dismantling of Western Conference power FC Dallas. Despite losing Ryan Smith (personal issue) for the season and Davy Arnaud to sports hernia surgery, the club is surging and is unbeaten in its last seven matches. Although the attack has been inconsistent, with the SKC being held to scoreless draws on three occasions during the month, the team added 12 points to its total after a dismal start to the season.

Sporting KC edged out the Columbus Crew, which went 3-1-1 and beat the likes of Real Salt Lake and Colorado while moving into third place in the Eastern Conference, and the Seattle Sounders, which feasted on some of the league's struggling teams and went 3-0-2.

Which was your MLS Team of the Month? Do you see Sporting KC maintaining its good form?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Sounders had a great month but I agree with giving it to kc because there month represented a complete turnaround. Sounders was more expected

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  2. talented and skill dont also translate to success on the field. Smiths skill on the ball and his first touch were probably the best in the MLS, there is a lot more to the game however.

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  3. I disagree. The sounders had a very good month, but their wins came over worse competition than KC’s wins. That said, were splitting hairs at this point both teams deserve recognition.

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  4. I don’t know. I think the Sounders had a better month. Three straight wins … undefeated in the last six … second place … four points behind LA heading into their game against them on July 4. Seattle was really good in June.

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  5. Improved defense because the new guys are finally gelling. Still not sold on Vermes’ tactics. i think they need to pick up a couple midfielders in the transfer window.

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  6. Arnaud is probably going to be replaced by Espinoza moving to MF or Julio Cesar, who filled in for him last week. Bravo wore the captain’s armband.

    Smith has only played 3 games this year, he has already been replaced by Graham Zusi.

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  7. home games with a pumped up crowd really do make the difference.. KC fans: any idea of who is replacing Aarnud and Smith in your lineup?

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  8. Not much has come out, I suspect it was him missing his daughter. I wouldn’t expect him to return to the team but that’s all just my speculation

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  9. Everything I’ve seen published says the same thing, Smith gone for the season, back in England dealing with personal issues. Doubt he’ll be back next year.

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  10. I see KC keeping up this form, only 5 road games left for the rest of the season, and one of those is tomorrow night. End of July through the start of September they will not have to leave KC.

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  11. Anyone know what the deal with Ryan Smith is? I’m an SKC fan but haven’t been able to follow them as closely as I’d like.

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