Sporting KC Eliminated from U.S. Open Cup
MLS Sporting Kansas City

Sporting KC Eliminated from U.S. Open Cup

Published on April 14, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City was eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup in the Round of 32 following a 3-0 defeat to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Weidner Field on Tuesday night.

Head coach Raphael Wicky made three changes from Saturday's loss to San Jose, handing starts to Jansen Miller, Jake Davis and newcomer Capita Capemba with Ian James, Manu Garcia and Calvin Harris all dropping out for the club's Open Cup opener.

The hosts started brightly and were the first to threaten in the third minute when Juan Tejada received the ball just inside the Sporting penalty area but dragged his powerful effort wide of the post. Five minutes later, Adrien Perez had a free header inside the area but directed it straight at John Pulskamp as the Switchbacks continued their positive start.

Colorado Springs made their solid start count in the 11th minute when Juan Tejada gave the hosts the lead, slotting beyond Pulskamp after being found inside the area by Sadam Masereka.

It got better for the Switchbacks in when Masereka got onto the scoresheet himself, capitalizing on a mix-up on the left side of the Sporting backline to slot into the corner and double his side's lead in the 31st minute.

Sporting looked to get back into the game early in the second half as first Jake Davis and then halftime substitute Taylor Calheira had opportunities, but both failed to hit the target when well positioned in front of goal. Dejan Joveljic then went close in the 66th minute when he met Ethan Bartlow's cross but could only send his header straight at Christian Herrera in the Colorado Springs goal.

Sporting was reduced to 10 men in the 78th minute when Shapi Suleymanov was shown a straight red card following a melee between the two teams after Suleymanov himself had been caught late by a rash challenge from Aidan Rocha.

Colorado Springs extended the lead in the 84th minute as the team's top scorer, Khori Bennett, made the most of another defensive miscue to bury a shot from close range and seal Sporting's elimination from the U.S. Open Cup.

Sporting remains on the road this week as the team returns to MLS regular-season action with a trip to Supporters' Shield leaders the Vancouver Whitecaps at BC place on Friday night. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. CT on Apple TV, while the game will be available on the radio on Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM.

QUOTES

Sporting Kansas City head coach Raphael Wicky

Thoughts on the match...

It's a really hard one, because we were not ready. That's the truth. We were not ready in the first half for this fight and that is hard to swallow because cup games are fight games first. And against lower division teams, you have to be ready mentally to accept the fight. I don't think it has anything to do with tactics or with anything else. It's that we didn't win duels, we didn't win second balls, we didn't win 1v1 duels. They were way more aggressive than we were. And, if you don't have those basics then it's very difficult. I don't think we need to start talking about, is the build-up shape good? Is the build-up shape bad? It's not about that. It's about being ready for these fights and we were not, unfortunately.

On the team not being ready...

Right now, after the game, I cannot give an answer to that. The fact is that they were winning almost every duel. They were playing long balls and they had the second balls. They had more fight in them. I cannot give you the answer right now. That is the fact from the first half. And then I think it was pretty late to react. We tried to react in the second half with playing different as well, because it wasn't easy but they also played football, so it should be able for us as well. But we tried to be a bit more direct and give them more of a fight, which I think we did, but not enough. The first half clearly was just not enough.

On his message to the team...

I told them exactly what I told you right now. I told them exactly those words and nothing else, nothing more.

On the team's reaction...

I mean, immediately after a game in the locker room, it's not that they respond. I gave the team a message and I think we are all on the same boat, right? I told them that we all have to ask ourselves, why were we not ready for this fight in the first half? That's a question every individual has to ask themselves. Why were they more hungry? Why did they want it more? Because I believe it was that, first and foremost, and then there is always another response. I don't want a response right now. We travel back no, and then we will sit together tomorrow and we will have to prepare for the next game, which is arriving very, very fast.

On the red card to Shapi Suleymanov...

I haven't had a chance to look at it. I have obviously seen the foul against Shapi and then obviously there's frustration, but I haven't seen the rest.

Sporting KC forward Taylor Calheira

Thoughts on the match...

Obviously it's just disappointing, the result in general -- not just the first half, but the whole game. I just think they just came out with more fire and more desire. As a USL team, they want to be in an MLS team so they came out fighting. We have just got to learn from it and take this one to the chest and know that it's just not good enough, especially for a club this big. We are just going to have to look at it and we have got a quick turnaround so take it on the chin and come out swinging next game.

On his experience as an underdog in the Open Cup...

Their dream is probably to play in MLS so when you get a chance to play against an MLS team, you play like it's the World Cup Final. I've been there and done the same. It doesn't have anything to do with talent. I think it's just desire and just wanting to prove something. We're an MLS team and we should prove that we deserve to be here.

On coming in for the second half...

Obviously we were 2-0 down in such an important cup against a USL team. The message was just we have got to want it more. They came out on the front foot, and we just had to have more desire and be better. Even still, the second half maybe was a little bit better, but at the same time it wasn't good enough. We should still be able to come back and we still gave up another goal. It definitely hurts, but we'll keep working.

2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup | Round of 32

Weidner Field | Colorado Springs, CO

Attendance: 1,902

Weather: 56 degrees and partly cloudy

Score 1 2 F

Sporting Kansas City 0 0 0

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 2 1 3

Sporting Kansas City: John Pulskamp; Justin Reynolds (Ethan Bartlow 46'), Jansen Miller, Diego Borges, Jayden Reid (Calvin Harris 46'); Jacob Bartlett (Stephen Afrifa 76'), Lasse Berg Johnsen, Jake Davis (Kwaku Agyabeng 62'); Shapi Suleymanov, Dejan Joveljic (C), Capita Capemba (Taylor Calheira 46')

Subs Not Used: Jack Kortkamp, Ian James

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: Christian Herrera; Aidan Rocha, Matt Mahoney (C), Garven Metusala, Isaiah Foster (Jonas Fjeldberg 82'); Frank Daroma (Sam Williams 63'), Brennan Creek, Adrien Perez (Khori Bennett 63'); Levonte Johnson (Yosuke Hanya 71'), Juan Tejada, Sadam Masereka (Patrick Burner 71')

Subs Not Used: Colin Shutler, Talen Maples

Scoring Summary:

COS - Juan Tejada 1 (Sadam Masereka 1) 11'

COS - Sadam Masereka 2 (Unassisted) 31'

COS - Khori Bennett 2 (Unassisted) 84'

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Capita Capemba (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 22'

SKC - Jake Davis (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 58'

SKC - Shapi Suleymanov (Red Card; Violent Conduct) 78'

COS - Aidan Rocha (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 79'

SKC - Ethan Bartlow (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 87'

STAT SKC COS

Shots 7 16

Shots on Goal 2 7

Expected Goals 0.65 1.55

Corner Kicks 1 6

Possession 49.2% 50.8%

Saves 4 2

Fouls 21 9

Referee: Corbyn May

Assistant Referee: Savage Bennett

Assistant Referee: Matthew Schwartz

Fourth Official: Bowen Taylor

Check out the Sporting Kansas City Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from April 14, 2026


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