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PAGE 8
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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THE DAILY DEBATE
Who will replace Ike Opara on Sporting KC?
KEVIN ELLIS
With all their defensive options in the midfield, it seems that the loss of a center back should not be the end of the world for Sporting KC, which has only given up six goals in their six games.
But Ike Opara has been more than just a center back to the Sporting KC defense. After suffering an injury to his right ankle that nearly cost him his entire last season, Opara returned this year at full form. He has already scored twice, playing every minute of every game. He made several crucial tackles in the Sporting KC defensive third, and proved that he was a force to be reckoned with on Sporting KC's incredibly successful offensive set piece unit.
Replacing a player like that is no small task. Opara's impact was offensive and defensive; in the air and on the ground. After Opara ruptured his Achilles tendon during a 0-0 draw against RSL, the question immediately became "Who can take his place?"
The simple answer is, as a coaching staff, Sporting KC has to be able to trust the powerhouses in their defensive midfield — Roger Espinoza and Benny Feilhaber. Nobody can replace Opara's vertical threat, but there are options on Sporting KC's bench that would fill his void on defense.
The most dynamic of these options is 23-year-old defender Kevin Ellis. He's had just two years of experience in the United States' top flight, but has proven that he is athletic and quick. The defense would be giving up a lot of size — going from the 6-foot-2 Opara to the 5-foot-9 Ellis — but Ellis is faster and a little bit quicker.
KC will have to change its strategy in the defensive midfield, because Kevin Ellis can't lock down one side of the field the way Opara could. Espinoza will have to
"KC WILL HAVE TO CHANGE ITS STRATEGY IN THE DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD, BECAUSE KEVIN ELLIS CAN'T LOCK DOWN ONE SIDE OF THE FIELD THE WAY OPARA COULD."
accept a more defensive role, as he'll have to track back quicker and even drop to a defensive position. We saw in their last match against Salt Lake, Servando Carrasco dropped to a near center back position, so when the KC defense set up, it was essentially a five-in-the-back formation.
This will have to become a lot more prevalent when Sporting KC tries to defend against the top offensive teams in the country in the coming months, like Seattle, Vancouver and Toronto. Without Ike Opara, it will be difficult for the midfield to push up, but Kevin Ellis would fit the void well enough to allow the midfield to have some movement.
Edited by Victoria Kirk
CHANCE MYERS
Sporting Kansas City right back Chance Myers hasn't played in a live soccer game since May 23, 2014. In that Friday game against Toronto E.C. at Sporting Park, Myers, then 26 years old, tore his Achilles tendon in the first half of that game.
"IF MYERS CAN GET BACK, IT'LL GIVE VERMES PLENTY OF OPTIONS FOR CENTER BACK, BUT THE BEST OPTION LIKELY ISN'T IN KANSAS CITY YET."
getting back to joining his team. Now, with center back Ike Opara likely done for the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon, the team may need to rush him back sooner, than planned.
Since then, he's rehabbed on the pitch, off the pitch, and he's only weeks from
Of course, Myers, who is wholeheartedly a full-back, wouldn't fill the Opara role directly. But, he would give Vermes an extra body in filling that Opara role, and manager Peter Vermes is going to need the extra bodies until the transfer window opens up in June.
The team has Erik Palmer-Brown, the standout teen from Kansas City. While he's been solid in his time on the pitch with Sporting KC, he's not a guy who will play 90 minutes week in and week out. It's important to remember that he's not even 18 years old yet; he can't man an MLS starting gig. There's also Kevin Ellis, who plays best in the center, but he's only seen as a plug, and always has been.
On Monday, Vermes said current right back Jalil Anibaba, who joined the team this offseason, could be pushed inside. He played the position in Seattle, and really can be a plug at any
position on the back-line. But, that's not going to be the most optimal option, because Anibaba has been very good on the right side thus far, and best fits there.
If Myers can get back, itll give Vermes plenty of options for center back, but the best option likely isn't in Kansas City yet. Vermes said at training on Tuesday that the team will "have to" look to replace Opara elsewhere.
The best option for Vermes is to stall until the transfer window opens up this summer. But Vermes can do his best stalling with Myers healthy, as it would give Vermes three options — Anibaba, Ellis or Palmer-Brown — to rotate in at center back. That'll allow Vermes to decide if any of those three are the right guy.
Myers should be expected to return to the pitch anytime in May. He practiced with the team on the practice pitch for the first time in his rehab process on Monday, and Vermes said he "looked good". As he does more on the practice pitch, it'll give Vermes more options as to what he can do with Opara's open spot.
Edited by Victoria Kirk
ELAINE THOMPSON/ASSOCIATED PRESS
FC Kansas City players selected for U.S. team
ELAINE THOMPSON/ASSOCIATED PRESS
FC Kansas City players lift their championship trophy after beating the Seattle
Reign FC 2-1. Four FC Kansas City players were chosen for the national team.
FC' Kansas City's Heather O'Reilly, Becky Sauerbrunn, Amy Rodriguez and Lauren Holiday have been selected by United States women's national team coach Jill Ellis for the United States' Women's World Cup roster.
"I feel extremely blessed to be a part of a team as special as this one," Holiday said in the team's press release. "There is no better feeling than putting on that U.S. jersey and representing your country."
At the end of 2014, Holiday was awarded US Soccer's 2014 Female Athlete of the Year award.
The players will leave FC Kansas City for a friendly against South Korea on May 30, and stay with the national team through the month of June. If the United States advances as far as the final, the players will return to Kansas City as late as July 5. During that period of time, FC Kansas City has four matches — three away and
one at home.
All players on the United States' roster are currently National Women's Soccer League players.
— Skylar Rolstad
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