Sporting Kansas City 0–1 San Diego FC: Player ratings and tactical analysis from a difficult night at Sporting Park

Sporting Kansas City 0–1 San Diego FC: Player ratings and tactical analysis from a difficult night at Sporting Park

Sporting Kansas City drop their second game in three weeks, but the deeper numbers reveal where the real problems lie.

Sporting Kansas City fell 1–0 to San Diego FC on Saturday in MLS Week 3. The Wizards have taken just one point from their opening nine, an undeniably poor start to the 2026 season.

However, it isn’t all doom and gloom just yet. Sporting KC are just three points off the top nine and the final playoff place in the Western Conference. There is a long-term calendar factor looming over the season. Just 11 matches remain until the 2026 FIFA World Cup break, which will dramatically pause the league schedule. 

Head coach Raphael Wicky will be able to use those weeks to further entrench his ideas into the squad. The break will also give Sporting KC sporting director David Lee time to continue reshaping the roster. We already know center-back Or Blorian will arrive in the summer, and the club clearly needs reinforcements in multiple areas of the pitch.

With that said, how did Sporting’s individual players perform on Saturday night against San Diego? Let’s dig into the numbers behind Fotmob’s ratings for each Sporting KC player and what they tell us about the performance.

Goalkeeper

John Pulskamp — 7.5

John Pulskamp was one of Sporting KC’s few bright spots on the night. Without his performance between the posts, the match could have gotten out of hand early on.

Pulskamp finished the match with four saves, including two outstanding diving stops that prevented San Diego from adding to their lead. His reflexes were particularly sharp in the second half as Sporting’s defense struggled to handle San Diego’s movement in wide areas.

The underlying numbers support the eye test, as Sporting’s goalkeeper prevented the scoreline from reflecting the balance of chances.

Defenders

Right-Back

Jansen Miller — 7.1

Jansen Miller made his first start of the 2026 season due to injuries to Ian James and Justin Reynolds, and the full-back handled the opportunity well.

Miller completed 82 percent of his passes and successfully played six passes into the final third, which is a solid contribution considering Sporting’s overall lack of attacking rhythm. Defensively, his biggest moment came when he made a last-man tackle that prevented a potential San Diego goal. 

For a player stepping into the lineup unexpectedly, Miller provided stability. If injuries continue to affect the squad, this performance suggests he can be trusted to contribute meaningful minutes. It should be noted Miller moved into a center-back position as Sporting chased the game in the final 10 minutes. 

Center-back

Wyatt Meyer — 6.7

Wyatt Meyer has clear issues with his ability to read dangerous moments. San Diego’s winning goal from Anders Dreyer came after Meyer allowed the winger too much space once he drifted inside from the flank. That hesitation allowed Dreyer the time needed to score a low-percentage goal.

To Meyer’s credit, he was extremely busy defensively throughout the match. He recorded 12 defensive contributions, which included two tackles, six clearances, and three interceptions. 

The reality is that Sporting’s defensive line is under constant pressure because of midfield issues. When a back line is repeatedly forced to absorb waves of attacks, center-backs inevitably rack up defensive numbers. Meyer’s activity level shows effort, but the positional mistakes remain a concern.

Center-back

Ethan Bartlow — 7.2

Ethan Bartlow delivered another strong performance in the center of defense and was arguably Sporting’s most reliable defender on the night. Bartlow recorded 10 defensive contributions, including seven clearances, and finished with 66 touches, the most of any Sporting KC player. That number highlights how frequently the ball was coming from Sporting’s defense and right back at them. 

His composure under pressure allowed Sporting to at least maintain some structure while San Diego controlled large portions of the match. Given the volume of defensive work required each week, Bartlow has quietly become one of the most important players in the squad after two starts.

Left-back

Jayden Reid — 7.1

Jayden Reid has arguably been Sporting KC’s most consistent defender this season, and his performance against San Diego reinforced that impression. The 24-year-old showed flashes of attacking intent despite Sporting’s limited offensive opportunities. 

Reid finished the match with 51 touches and completed two successful dribbles while also winning 80 percent of his duels against San Diego players. 

However, his attacking delivery remains inconsistent. Reid attempted five crosses and failed to connect on any of them, which reflects the broader issue of attacking players getting on the end of passes.

Midfield

Defensive midfield

Jacob Bartlett — 6.2

Jacob Bartlett’s performance highlighted one of Sporting KC’s biggest problems. The defensive midfielder recorded just 28 touches, the second-fewest of any Sporting KC starter. For a player tasked with linking defense and attack through the midfield, that number is extremely concerning and suggests Sporting struggled to progress the ball through the middle of the pitch.

More troubling were his defensive metrics. According to Fotmob, Bartlett finished the match without a single tackle or block and recorded just one interception. Those numbers represent a major issue for Sporting because the defensive midfielder is supposed to shield the back line and disrupt opposition attacks. 

At the moment, Bartlett looks like the weak link in Sporting’s starting XI, and the midfield lacks balance because of it. Getting Lasse Berg Johnsen into the lineup should fix these issues.

Central midfield

Manu Garcia — 6.8

Manu Garcia continues to show flashes of creative quality, but the players around him limit his effectiveness. Garcia finished the match with 59 touches and a 71% pass success rate while also playing 11 passes into the final third. 

He created one big chance, which came from a beautifully weighted outside-of-the-foot pass that sent Taylor Calheira through on goal before the opportunity was squandered.

Garcia’s role currently asks him to both create chances and help stabilize midfield defensively. Without a reliable ball-winning partner beside him, he is often forced to operate deeper in the pitch and farther away from the attacking areas where he is most dangerous. 

Simply put, Garcia cannot be both the creator and the defensive anchor at the same time, and Sporting’s midfield balance is suffering as a result.

Central midfield

Jake Davis — 6.5

Jake Davis delivered a performance that was steady but largely unspectacular. He won both of his aerial duels and half of his ground duels while also completing six passes into the final third.

Davis also connected on half of his crossing attempts, which is a respectable rate considering Sporting’s struggles to generate consistent attacking momentum. While Davis didn’t dominate the midfield battle, he at least provided a level of reliability in possession that was missing elsewhere.

Attack

Right wing

Shapi — 6.1

Shapi received the lowest Fotmob rating among Sporting KC starters, and the numbers largely justify that assessment. There were moments where he looked off the pace physically. One sequence in the second half stood out when he attempted a sliding tackle, failed to win the ball, and then labored to his feet as San Diego transitioned toward the Kansas City goal.

Shapi finished the match with 33 touches and completed all 20 of his passes, but most of those were short passes that had little impact on Sporting’s attacking progression. He was also dispossessed on his only dribble attempt and had a shot blocked during the match.

The larger issue is productivity. Shapi often appears active and involved, but his actions rarely translate into meaningful attacking output. Until that changes, his place in the starting lineup will continue to face scrutiny.

Left Wing

Calvin Harris — 6.2

Calvin Harris was unable to replicate the dynamic attacking display he showed against the Columbus Crew in Week 2. Much of that was due to the tactical reality of the match. 

San Diego repeatedly attacked down Sporting’s left side, frequently feeding the ball to Dreyer. That forced Harris to spend large portions of the match tracking back defensively rather than pushing forward into attacking spaces.

The numbers reflect his limited involvement in the offensive phase, as Harris recorded just 21 touches, the fewest of any Sporting starter. When a winger touches the ball infrequently, it becomes extremely difficult to stretch defenses or create meaningful attacking moments.

Striker

Dejan Joveljic — 6.2

Dejan Joveljic scored two brilliant goals against the Columbus Crew in MLS Week 2, but Saturday’s match showed how dependent strikers are on service.

If Sporting KC cannot get the Serbian hitman the ball in dangerous areas, he simply cannot score. Joveljic finished the match with 28 touches and managed just one shot throughout the entire night.

Like Harris and Shapi, he spent significant time defending rather than operating inside the penalty area. That is a major problem for Sporting’s offense because a striker expected to score 15 to 18 goals in an MLS season must consistently receive service in scoring positions. 

If Joveljic continues to see only one or two opportunities per match, reaching that scoring target becomes highly unlikely.

Substitutes

Stephen Afrifa — 6.5

Stephen Afrifa provided a noticeable spark off the bench and injected energy into Sporting’s attack during the closing stages of the match. Late in the game he nearly rescued a point, but his effort was denied by San Diego goalkeeper Duran Ferree, who preserved the 1–0 scoreline. 

Kwaku Angyabeng — 6.3

Kwaku Angyabeng may have only played 11 minutes, but his brief cameo was extremely encouraging. During that short stretch he recorded 15 touches, completed 83% of his passes, played one pass into the final third, and made one interception. For a 19-year-old midfielder, those numbers suggest composure and confidence on the ball.

More importantly, he immediately showed a willingness to get involved in the buildup phase of play. In such a short amount of time, Angyabeng arguably demonstrated more midfield presence than Sporting received from Bartlett during the match. 

Taylor Calheira — 6.0

Taylor Calheira’s brief appearance will unfortunately be remembered for one missed opportunity. The 23-year-old striker was played through on goal by a beautifully weighted side-footed pass from Garcia. 

It was exactly the type of creative moment Sporting desperately needed to get back into the match. However, Calheira’s finish was tame and easily saved.

Shane Donovan — No Rating

There was at least one positive moment for Sporting fans on Saturday night. Shane Donovan made his Sporting KC debut after being promoted from SKC II for the match. The young winger saw limited action but looked promising on the big MLS stage.

Donovan finished with two touches and two completed passes, but the significance lies more in the opportunity than the numbers. With Sporting’s roster still evolving—and rumors suggesting the club may have finally signed another winger—Donovan’s promotion could represent the beginning of a longer stay with the first team.