Lawrence Olum appreciative of second chance with Sporting KC

Olum returned to Kansas City after one year playing in Malaysia

He has been thrust into a starting role with Soni Mustivar injured

Sporting KC plays in San Jose at 2:30 p.m. Sunday

On a late morning last fall, Lawrence Olum walked into the Sporting Kansas City training facility hoping his old home could provide a new one. His stint with a Malaysian soccer club had lasted less than a full year, and at 31 years old, he felt he still had something to offer.

If nothing else: depth.

As it turned out, that was precisely Sporting Kansas City’s offseason target.

“With someone who can play defensive midfielder and central defender, that would’ve been big last year,” coach Peter Vermes said. “That’s…