Johnny Russell interview: Can Sporting KC pull off Open Cup shock against LAFC?

Sporting Kansas City have endured a difficult 2024. The Western Conference strugglers saw any lingering hopes of a late run for the playoffs crushed on Saturday evening, a home defeat to Minnesota United officially ending their post-season ambitions.

The MLS campaign has been arduous for Peter Vermes’ men but they still have one final shot at glory when they take on LAFC in the US Open Cup final on Wednesday evening. Sporting KC needed an astonishing late-season run in 2023 to snatch a playoff place and they got off to a similarly poor run at the start of this year. Now, they hope that a disappointing season can end with the club’s first piece of silverware in seven years.

Ahead of Wednesday’s final AS USA speaks to Kansas City captain Johnny Russell and he reflects on a frustrating period for the club: “It’s down to us as players. For whatever reason, the way we’ve started the last couple of seasons has has not been good enough.”

“We know that and it’s not a good position to continue to put yourself in if you want to be successful. That’s that’s not a strategy for success. But we’re not going to give up until the very last second. We’re going to be there and we’re going to be fighting.”

Kansas City relishing underdog status

MLS is a league built on parity, with structures in place to ensure that teams remain on a fairly level playing field. And yet, the experiences of Sporting Kansas City fans over the past few years has been a far cry from the success enjoyed by LAFC supporters.

Since Sporting KC last clinched a trophy - the 2017 Open Cup - LAFC have joined the league, won MLS Cup, lifted the Supporters’ Shield twice and made it to the final of the CONCACAF Champions League on two occasions. They will be among the MLS Cup contenders again this year and are heavy favourites to lift the Open Cup on Wednesday.

“We are going to be seen as the underdogs going into the game. I don’t think many people give us a chance,” Russell admits.

“But, you know, that’s good for us,” the former Scotland international continues. “We are going to play, for me, one of the best teams in this league and they have been for a number of years now. We always have good games against each other, they’re always exciting games. Two teams who want to play the right way.”

But with a trophy on the line, will Sporting Kansas City stick to their usual style of play?

Sporting KC ready to go toe-to-toe

For many teams, and for many coaches, the prospect of facing LAFC in a one-off final would lead to a very specific game plan. They would try to sit back, soak up pressure, and deny LAFC the space needed to get reigning Golden Boot winners Denis Bouanga into the areas where he is most destructive.

And yet, you sense that KC head coach Peter Vermes will not waver from KC’s distinctive passing style on Wednesday. The veteran coach has now been in charge for an astonishing 15 years and, with a fourth Open Cup title now within reach, his team will not be deviating from the plan.

Russell says of the cup final opponents: “Of course, they’re devastating at times on the counter attack. We have to be so aware of that. But you know, we’re a team that wants to play out from the back and wants to keep the ball.”

“It’s up to us to keep the ball in the right areas and not allow them to hit us on the break. We have to get those guys back with us to defend. The best opportunity for us to win that game is to play the way that we play. So that’s what we’re going to do.”

It’s a sign of confidence, and a show of faith in a struggling team, to be willing to take the game last year’s MLS Cup finalists. But there’s no shortage of talent in this Sporting KC squad, more than enough to cause problems for an LAFC side that has wobbled in recent weeks.

DP striker Alan Pulido was back among the goals with a brace last week, as was the mercurial forward Erik Thommy. Canadian youngster Stephen Afrifa has also impressed during in his first season as an MLS regular.

And, of course, there’s Russell. The winger has 67 goals in his 229 appearances for Sporting Kansas City and has been the team’s talisman in recent years, a consistent performer through the good times and the bad. Now 34 years old, he is relishing the opportunity to end his team’s wait for a trophy.

Will the season end in glory for Sporting Kansas City?

Wednesday’s game will be the final meaningful fixture of Johnny Russell’s seventh season at Children’s Mercy Park. During that time KC have twice finished top of the Western Conference but have never made it past the conference semi-finals in the post-season. Now could well be his final chance to lift some silverware in his adopted home.

His current contract is set to expire at the end of 2024 and, although he’s eager to remain in Kansas City, the team’s front office has a difficult decision to make going forward.

Russell has been a brilliant servant to the club throughout his time in MLS but he’s not ready to reflect on his career just yet. The Scot still has one major target in his sights.

“You know, it’s been a little while now since the club has won a trophy. I would like to be able to be a part of that, a part of this team’s history, and hopefully I’ve still got another few years here.”

“Yes, there’s been some some dark moments, there’s been some hard times, but for the most part, it’s been an amazing, amazing experience. I’ve loved it,” Russell continues. “I’m always going to feel immensely proud to have played here and have been a part of this team, to have been a part of this city.”