SKC’s fourth straight defeat exposes same problems USL Championship Switchbacks win U.S. Open Cup clash

Everything that could go wrong did go wrong for Sporting Kansas City on Tuesday night. The Wizards fell 3-0 to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32, marking a fourth straight loss in all competitions. Across those four matches, Sporting Kansas City has now conceded 13 goals while scoring just three, numbers that underline a team spiraling in both directions of the pitch.

A strong lineup with no control

This wasn’t just a 3-0 defeat. Sporting Kansas City was played off the field by the Switchbacks. What makes it more concerning for head coach Raphael Wicky is that he selected a relatively strong starting XI, featuring Dejan Joveljic and new signing Capita.

Even with Joveljic, Capita, and midfielder Lasse Berg Johnsen on the field, Sporting Kansas City never looked in control. Colorado Springs attacked in waves, varying their approach with long balls from the back and sharp passing combinations through midfield.

However they chose to build, the result was the same. The Switchbacks cut through Sporting Kansas City with ease. It is one thing to see MLS teams expose these issues, but watching a USL Championship side do it so comfortably raises far bigger concerns.

The underlying problems remain unchanged. There is still a lack of fight in midfield, a lack of sustained attacking pressure, and no real defensive backbone to stabilize performances when things start to unravel. These aren’t new issues. They are recurring themes that continue to define Sporting Kansas City’s season.

The numbers tell a damning story

The numbers only reinforce what was obvious on the field. Sporting Kansas City finished with 49% possession, but that statistic is misleading. Watching the match—or even just the highlights—it rarely felt like they had meaningful control of the ball. Instead, it was wave after wave of pressure from Colorado Springs.

The Switchbacks, a second-tier team in the American soccer pyramid, outshot Sporting Kansas City 16-7, putting seven of those efforts on target. Sporting Kansas City managed just two shots on goal.

Sloppiness and lack of intent in possession

Sloppiness continues to plague this team, and it is not improving. If anything, it is getting worse. Passes are going astray with increasing frequency, players are overcommitting in possession, and defensive positioning remains disorganized. Opponents are finding space too easily and getting goal side far too often, turning routine situations into dangerous moments.

Sporting Kansas City completed 286 accurate passes, but only 94 of those came in the Colorado Springs Switchbacks’ half. That tells the story. Too many safe passes, too much hesitation, and not enough intent to move forward. In contrast, the Switchbacks completed 303 accurate passes, with 171 coming in Sporting Kansas City’s half. One team played with purpose and aggression. The other played cautiously and went nowhere.

Masereka sums it all up

Perhaps the most frustrating element of the night was watching Sadam Masereka dominate the match with a goal and an assist. Masereka, for those fans that aren’t aware of it, was selected by Sporting Kansas City in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft but was never offered a contract.

On this evidence, that decision looks even worse, especially with Taylor Calheira failing to make an impact once more.

On a night where Sporting Kansas City lacked quality, energy, and cutting edge, the player they let go provided all three for the opposition.

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