Wasatch Soccer Sentinel

Ahead of Real Salt Lake's early afternoon matchup against Sporting Kansas City, we reached out to the SKC experts at KC Soccer Journal for some insight on their side. Thad Bell, the site's managing editor, spoke with us.

Sporting KC has had a rough go of it over the last four or five years. Will 2026 be different? Is there anything giving you optimism?

Part of the reason for optimism is that everything is different. New coach, new president of soccer operations, and most of the roster is new this year or came in last year. New players are trickling in and are ion the process of getting integrated. D-mid, centerback and a winger have all joined and will hopefully make their impact prior to the World Cup break, They have already signed another defender that will be arriving in the summer window. Don't let me forget, a new primary owner who has promised a bigger investment in the future.

What threat does SKC provide that RSL won't have accounted for?

I doubt there is anyone RSL doesn't know about, but let me introduce Lasse Berg Johnsen. He is a Norwegian defensive midfielder that was with Malmo in Sweden. He scored in his first match and it looks like he will give SKC a solid base in the midfield that has been missing for a few years.

What will it take for this matchup to be a true rivalry again?

Both teams will need to be relatively good at the same time and both teams need a player that will give a little extra in every 50-50 ball. A modern Beckerman vs Espinoza situation. A preseason closed-door brawl would supercharge the rivalry again. Without that, big, tight playoff matches are the most likely way.

By the way, thanks for that allocation money for Agada.