Matt Besler enters KC lore

Matt Besler has been a staple of soccer in Kansas City for nearly 10 years now.

The Sporting KC captain’s start in Friday night’s 6-0 mauling of the Vancouver Whitecaps was his 228th career start in the club’s colors, drawing him level with assistant coach and former midfielder Kerry Zavagnin in the club’s record book for most regular-season starts.

And in the 55th minute, Besler moved past Zavagnin for the most regular-season minutes played, further cementing his status among the club’s legends.

“The fact that we’re still here, and the total has added up, just means that I’m old,” Besler joked.

Vermes replaced Curt Onalfo as the Wizards’ head coach midway through Besler’s rookie season in 2009.

Vermes joked in Friday’s post-match press conference that Zavagnin “kept telling me, ‘don’t play him!'” After the chuckles subsided, Vermes laid out his thoughts on what Besler had accomplished.

“I’m actually really happy that it’s Bes,” said the coach, using Besler’s locker-room nickname.