So KC finished up their 10 game road trip by going 1-6-3 after their 0-0 draw in Toronto last weekend. Now with it over let's take a look at the other two extended road trips that teams have gone on before the opening of their own soccer specific stadiums. LA in 2003 and Chicago in 2006 went on extended road trips before the opening the Home Depot Center and Toyota Park opened respectively.
LA went on an 8 game road trip to open the 2003 season. LA started the season with 3 straight draws against Columbus, Dallas, and New York. Lost in San Jose and New England, then drew with Dallas in their 6th game of the road trip. That was the last point of their road trip as they lost the final two to KC and Colorado to finish their road trip. A 0-4-4 record, and only 4 points, so if you think KC's record is bad, it could be worse. For LA to make the playoffs in 2003 it involved them having the second best home record in the league, going 9-3-3 at the Home Depot Center after it opened. The Galaxy finished the season 9-12-9, getting into the playoffs ahead of Dallas who was extremely poor that season. The Galaxy lost to the Earthquakes in the Western Conference semifinals. KC is likely going to need a similar record at this point to make the playoffs.
Chicago did fare much better than LA on their opening road trip before opening Toyota Park. The Fire actually went on a 6 game unbeaten run on the road after losing their opener to Dallas. They tied LA and Columbus before defeating New England. The tied KC and New York before beating Houston. They ended their road trip with loses at Chivas and Salt Lake. 2-3-4 on their road trip getting 10 points, which is what many KC fans were hoping for on the team's 10 game road trip. The Fire finished in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference in 2006 with a 13-11-8 record. The Fire lost to the Revolution on penalty kicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals that year.
KC went 1-6-3, finish with 6 points on their road trip. While currently KC is in last place in the East, they have 17 home games to try to make up points. There are 51 points available at home, KC is likely going to need at least 40 of those points, while still stealing another few points on the road to make the playoffs. Certainly possible, but it's going to take a lot of wins, starting Thursday against the Fire.
That is what I've been telling my other soccer friends and family. That Sporting has gotten to the point where they need to start winning, not just getting ties, because they won't be good enough. The way I see it now a tie at home might as well be a lose.
ReplyDeleteI believe Columbus also had a fairly lengthy road trip to start the 1999 season when their stadium first opened.
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