Sporting Kansas City made a statement of intent in the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Round of 16, brushing aside Mexican outfit Deportivo Toluca FC to reach the quarterfinal stage for the second time ever. But don’t expect Manager Peter Vermes’ side to bask in the limelight of such an achievement.
After all, Sporting face a wildly quick turnaround with Sunday’s narrow loss at LAFC followed by Wednesday’s first leg of the Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals, which will take place 3,000 miles southeast of Los Angeles in an isthmus nation that connects North and South America.
Sporting fans, meet Club Atletico Independiente de la Chorrera, our Cinderella opponent in the next round of North America’s most prestigious club competition.