KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Even in C.J. Sapong’s wildest dreams, he didn’t envision this.
Just a few months ago, Sapong couldn’t have dreamt he would score minutes into his professional debut. He couldn’t have imagined he would be the only player other than the captain to play a part in each of his team’s first 13 games.
Game-winning goals and leading the team? Highly unlikely.
But despite the odds, all those things have become realities for Sapong, even if they seemed unattainable in the very recent past. Needless to say, this is not exactly what he expected from his rookie season.
“Never in a million years, and then another million on top of that,” Sapong said. “Every day I see a dream turning into reality. I’m just trying to be thankful. It’s all more motivation.”
WATCH: Sapong makes SKC history
Sporting Kansas City travel to Philadelphia to face the Union on Wednesday (7:30 pm ET, watch LIVE online), and, barring a drastic shift from Vermes, Sapong will start his 10th game this season for the club.
He has five goals in all competitions (two goals and two assists in league play) and has impressed with his physical, never-say-die style of play.
Realistically, Sapong wasn’t the only one who would have had trouble predicting this kind of start to his young career a few months ago. Though he was a standout player at James Madison University, the burly yet skillful forward was an unknown commodity for the most part in the eyes of Major League Soccer decision-makers.
Turns out they weren’t paying enough attention. Fortunately for Sporting, Peter Vermes was.
And after all the second guessing in the media and around the league about a pick widely characterized as a reach in January, the SKC head coach can’t help but feel vindicated about what turned out to be a crucial decision for Kansas City, especially in the wake of Ryan Smith’s departure.
“If I recall correctly,” Vermes said, “there were a lot of people that actually hammered us for picking [Sapong], especially in the first round. It’s interesting how he’s proven since day one that he has something to offer this team and the league.”
The way Sapong has gone about proving himself is nearly as impressive as the performances themselves.
Since the start of the preseason, Vermes has raved about Sapong’s willingness to learn, and his desire to get better. And although the 22-year-old is still raw in some areas, those traits have come out on the field in the form of constant improvement and growth.
As the positive performances have mounted, Vermes has rewarded him with more and more responsibility. In Sporting’s past two games against Dallas and San Jose, Sapong has even been preferred at center forward to burgeoning US national team star Teal Bunbury.
“Every opportunity on the field, there is somebody else that would like to be in that position,” Sapong said. “I try not to take anything for granted. I’m going to work as hard as I possibly can every roll of the ball. That’s what Peter stresses, and I feel like that’s what is going to keep me on the field.
“That’s embedded in my DNA as a player,” he added. “It’s never going to change.”
And Sporting hope it never does.
His teammates call him a “handful” and a “man-child.” Opposing coaches have commented on the pressure he puts on their defenders with his size, strength, speed and constant motor. Vermes says his young forward has a ton of “upside.”
Sapong is a little more humble. He just wants the dream to continue.
“I’m just trying to help my team any way that I can,” he said. “It’s a beautiful thing when everyone is out there battling until the very last minute. I’m just being thankful for every moment and opportunity that I get. I’m going to continue to try to take advantage [of them].”
