KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Ike Opara still isn’t all the way back from his second season-ending injury in as many years, but this was a milestone too big to pass up for the Sporting Kansas City center back.
Opara, who missed all but six games of the 2015 season with a ruptured Achilles tendon – a year after breaking his right ankle just three games into the 2014 campaign – delivered the final goal in the 51st minute of Sporting’s 3-1 victory over New York City FC on Sunday night.
Afterward, he said he had to fight off his emotions during the goal celebration.
“Luckily, I had it together,” he said. “But deep down inside, I felt it. I had to smile it out.”
It was Opara's first goal since March 28, 2015 – also against NYCFC – but where that goal was a towering set-piece header off a long throw-in, this one came in traffic near the goal mouth after a scramble in the area and a deflected pass from Benny Feilhaber that fell to Opara’s feet at point-blank range.
He knocked it in, then ran down the endline in front of the Cauldron supporters section as his teammates mobbed him.
“In front of the fans, it was awesome,” he said. “I can’t thank them enough for the support that I’ve gotten. They’re shouting my name – my chant, I guess – and I wish I could thank all of them individually. It just means a lot. I owe a lot of people that goal: the training staff, the coaching staff for believing in me and staying with me, and the guys on this team for supporting me as I was coming back.”
Opara has made 13 appearances this year, with nine starts, but manager Peter Vermes is still protective of his minutes. He was subbed off in the 84th for Nuno Coelho, who was himself coming off a five-match injury absence with thigh and hamstring problems.
“I’m a big believer that as a player, you have to have a routine in playing,” Vermes said. “If you don't have a routine, and you don’t play on a regular basis, the risk of injury is much higher. The fact that he really hadn't played, prior to this year, for two years, we had to be very smart in the way that we're continuing to bring him back to the team.
“It's going to be important, going into this next game, how we see him this week, because we have three games in eight days.”
Opara understands that, especially with Sporting heading into a grueling summer league schedule and CONCACAF Champions League group play. Still, Sunday's goal was a welcome affirmation of the work he put in to come back from the Achilles tear.
“It feels nice, at least for me, that I can overcome some of the things that I have and kind of go back to where I've been and not lose a beat,” he said. “Obviously, it hasn't been easy. I can pat myself on the back for a night, and come tomorrow, it's time to go again.”
