Why Sporting KC is treating Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal match like a final

Over the years, Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes has characterized numerous tournament finals as must-win soccer matches.

Tuesday evening’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal matchup against Indy Eleven at Children’s Mercy Park is another must-win game for Sporting, final or not.

Take it from Vermes.

“I think this is a final for us,” he told reporters Monday.

The winner secures a berth in the U.S. Open Cup final and a chance to win a trophy from an important tournament in which Sporting KC has found significant success.

But it has been a while. The club’s last such trophy came in the 2017 U.S. Open Cup. Sporting had the opportunity to reach the final again in 2022 but fell short in a similar situation to the one in which they’ll find themselves Tuesday.

On the opposite side of the pitch stands a feisty USL Championship team. Indy defeated Atlanta United comfortably on the road in the quarterfinals, leading 2-0 before allowing a late consolation goal.

Vermes called Indy Eleven a dangerous team with an aggressive mindset, one that works hard all over the field and defends well.

“We’re very well aware,” Vermes said of the challenge that Indy will present. “And we’re incredibly respectful of that. We’ll be prepared for it.”

Sporting has had its share of matchups with USL teams in the tournament this season. Union Omaha, which plays in a division below Indy Eleven’s, pushed Sporting KC to extra time and the brink of a penalty-kick shootout. That would’ve happened, if not for Alan Pulido’s late heroics.

Tuesday’s scenario hearkens back to Sporting KC’s 2022 semifinal in Sacramento, when Kansas City famously fell to the Republic in PKs.

Are there any lessons to be learned from that match? Vermes said his players must finish their chances.

“We had way too many chances that we didn’t finish,” he said, “and then we put ourselves into a position where now (we were) at the mercy of penalty kicks.”

Erik Thommy, who came to Sporting in 2022, said one key difference is that this match is at home, whereas the game against Sacramento was on the road.

“(Playing) in front of our Cauldron (supporters group) gives us motivation — a push wherever in the game,” Thommy said. “It’s an advantage, for sure.”

If Sporting KC advances to this year’s U.S. Open Cup final, that match would take place at either LAFC or the Seattle Sounders. The U.S. Open Cup winner will receive $300,000 in prize money and a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League.

If LAFC advances to the championship match, the runner-up of this year’s final would gain the Champions League berth. LAFC has already qualified by placing second in the 2024 Leagues Cup.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.