Peter Vermes acknowledges it is difficult to keep Sporting Kansas City motivated ahead of a trip to Colorado Rapids as their recent performances have not been rewarded with results.
Sporting KC have lost their past two matches by a single goal, going down 3-2 to FC Dallas and 2-1 to Orlando City. But coach Vermes felt his team would have been good value for a result in either game.
Vermes recognized Sporting KC must now collect points, starting against Colorado, but found solace in the encouraging displays at least.
"It's very difficult," he said. "(Staying motivated) is not an easy thing to do. The bottom line is you've got to keep fighting for results. It's really hard when you're not playing well; then you're not playing well and not getting results and you're trying to muster up the positives you can look at.
"I don't think it's that, so that helps immensely. I think the guys know they have the quality in the team. If I'm not mistaken, we're the only team in the league who've scored in every game we've played in this year - that's a positive thing.
"But the demoralizing thing is when you give up really, really soft goals when you've worked really hard in the game and you've controlled the game. We've got to be better there."
By contrast, Robin Fraser, whose Colorado Rapids won 5-0 against San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, would rather focus on performances.
"We just try to concentrate on the performance," he said. "The score is great, it looks great, scoring goals obviously is great, but at the end of the day we try to focus on the performance.
"The plan is to come out on Sunday and execute the things offensively and defensively that we have done."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids - Andre Shinyashiki
Cole Bassett is stealing the headlines for Colorado, but Shinyashiki is also now up and running for 2020. After no goal involvements in his first seven matches of the season, the young striker has two goals and an assist in his past three.
Sporting Kansas City - Khiry Shelton
Johnny Russell has scored each of Sporting KC's past four goals, but it is time their strikers stepped up. Shelton has four goals this season but none in his past four and only one since mid-July. He must get his season back on track.
KEY OPTA FACTS
- Sporting KC beat the Rapids 3-2 at MLS is Back but could only manage a 1-1 draw in Colorado in late August. The Rapids are unbeaten in their past seven at home against Sporting KC (W4 D3), although the past three meetings have ended in draws.
- The Rapids recorded a 5-0 win over San Jose on Wednesday, matching their club-record margin of victory they set against Real Salt Lake on September 12. Colorado have won two of their past four matches by five-goal margins after not winning any of their first 812 MLS matches (regular season and playoffs) by more than four goals.
- Sporting KC's 2-1 loss to Orlando City on Wednesday was their second in a row and third in four matches. Although Vermes' side has won just one of their past seven MLS matches (D2 L4), they have scored in all 13 games this season, the longest such run to start a season in club history.
- Bassett has been directly involved in six goals (three goals, three assists) in September, tied with Gyasi Zardes and Pedro Santos (both of Columbus Crew) for most in the league this month.
- Sporting KC have attempted 15.5 shots per match this season, second only to Los Angeles FC (17.1), although they have hit the target with an MLS-low 28.9 per cent of those shots.
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