November 2018 – Page 55 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

Sporting KC moves on to conference finals, 4-2 over Salt Lake

Forward Daniel Salloi knocked the ball past Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando in the closing seconds of the game. (Photo copyright 2018 by Brian Turrel)

by Brian Turrel

Sporting KC finished off Real Salt Lake on Sunday afternoon in the second leg of the Western Conference semifinal match, outscoring Salt Lake 4-2. Sporting won the match 5-3 on aggregate goals, but endured an excruciating second half to earn the victory.

Kansas City started the second half with a 2-0 lead and plenty of momentum from a strong first half, but twice gave up goals that brought RSL within one. Because of the two-leg aggregate format, a 2-2 or 3-3 draw would have advanced Salt Lake over Kansas City to the conference finals against Portland.

With a potential equalizer in sight, Salt Lake threw its offense forward, and prevented Kansas City from keeping possession and running out the game clock. Throughout the last half hour, and most intensely from the 80th minute on, Salt Lake strained the Kansas City defense, coming away with several near-misses, but no game-tying score.

In the seventh minute of stoppage time, KC forward Daniel Salloi broke loose for the game’s last goal, and the referee’s final whistle sounded, drowned out by the roar of the celebrating crowd.

Diego Rubio picked up the game’s first goal in the 14th minute, assisted by Johnny Russell and Felipe Gutierrez. Salloi followed on five minutes later, with Gutierrez again on the assist. Kansas City kept the pressure on through the remainder of the half, and as head coach Peter Vermes put it, “We could have easily went three or four goals still without them even scoring one.”

Salt Lake’s Sebastian Saucedo scored in the 60th minute to make the score 2-1. Kansas City re-established its margin on a penalty kick by Ilie Sanchez, earned when Diego Rubio was brought down on a run near the Salt Lake goal.

Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando tried to disrupt Sanchez by telling him to “make sure you go in one side or the other.” Sanchez placed the ball squarely in the middle of the goal for the score.

After the game, Sanchez talked about the kick as redemption for a miss earlier in the season. He said, “I came from Dallas when I missed that PK. It was right in front our fans that traveled that night, and it was in that corner, and I was so sorry for them. I’m just happy that I could do it tonight and everybody was able to enjoy it.”

The MLS playoffs will take a two-week hiatus to allow for players in international competition, including SKC forward Johnny Russell for Scotland. Sporting KC will face off with the Portland Timbers in the Western Conference final. The first leg will take place in Portland at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 25. The second leg will be at Children’s Mercy Park at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 29.

Johnny Russell signed an autograph for a lookalike after the game. (Photo copyright 2018 by Brian Turrel)

Johnny Russell crossed the ball in front of the Salt Lake goal. (Photo copyright 2018 by Brian Turrel)

Daniel Salloi, surrounded by a cluster of Salt Lake defenders, scored in the 19th minute. (Photo copyright 2018 by Brian Turrel)

Forward Diego Rubio was taken to the ground in the penalty area. (Photo copyright 2018 by Brian Turrel)

Midfielder Ilie Sanchez knocked home a penalty kick in the second half. (Photo copyright 2018 by Brian Turrel)

Midfielder Felipe Gutierrez touched the ball across to Diego Rubio for an assist on the first goal. (Photo copyright 2018 by Brian Turrel)

A squadron of A10 Warthogs from Whiteman Air Force Base flew over Children’s Mercy Park before the game. (Photo copyright 2018 by Brian Turrel)

Forward Yohan Croizet headed the ball to the middle. (Photo copyright 2018 by Brian Turrel)

Daniel Salloi made a run at the Salt Lake goal in the second half. (Photo copyright 2018 by Brian Turrel)

Winter weather advisory in effect from 8 p.m. Sunday until 6 p.m. Monday

Up to an inch of snow is possible tonight in Wyandotte County, according to the National Weather Service. (National Weather Service graphic)

A winter weather advisory is in effect from 8 p.m. Sunday to 6 p.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service. (National Weather Service graphic)

Light rain showers will change over to snow this evening, according to the National Weather Service.

A winter weather advisory will be in effect from 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, through 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12, the weather service said. A winter weather advisory means periods of snow will cause travel difficulties. Expect snow-covered roads and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving, according to the weather service.

Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are possible mainly south of I-70, the weather service said.

Falling temperatures may cause wet roads to freeze Monday morning. Patchy freezing drizzle is possible Monday morning in central Missouri, according to the weather service.

Two rounds of snow are expected, with the first round beginning this evening through early Monday, and the second round later Monday morning through late afternoon, the weather service said.

Snowfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible, with highest amounts generally south of Interstate 70, according to the weather service.

Temperatures will drop overnight tonight allowing slick conditions to develop by Monday morning, especially on bridges and overpasses, the weather service said.

It was 46 degrees at 5 p.m. Sunday. There is an 80 percent chance of rain and snow showers before 2 a.m., then a chance of snow showers between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., according to the weather service. Tonight’s low will be around 27, with a north wind of 7 to 11 mph, gusting as high as 20 mph. Less than 1 inch of snow is expected.

Monday, there is a 30 percent chance of snow showers, mainly between 9 a.m. and noon, the weather service said. The high will be near 31 with a north wind of 10 to 14 mph, gusting as high as 24 mph.

Monday night will be mostly clear, with a low of 16 and a north wind of 6 to 11 mph, according to the weather service.

For more information, visit www.weather.gov.

Blue Devils fall to North Central; play Allen County Tuesday

Sophomore Arother Ratliff flew past North Central Missouri’s Marty Jackson (21) and Cameron Lockett (35) for a KCKCC field goal in the Blue Devils’ 78-52 loss Saturday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

North Central Missouri got away from Kansas City Kansas Community College late in the first half on the way to a 78-52 win in the Keith Lindsey Classic Saturday night.

The loss left the Blue Devils 1-3 heading into a home contest with former Jayhawk Conference rival Allen County Tuesday at 7 p.m.

KCKCC trailed North Central just 17-14 only to be outscored 16-8 the final six minutes of the first half and trailed 33-22 at the break. The visiting Pirates (3-2) then put the game out of reach with a 9-2 second-half start that expanded the lead to 42-24.

Lack of scoring continued to plague the Blue Devils, who had only one player in double figures. Freshman Jonathan Richmond scored 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting but only two points came in the second half.

Tyson Beringer added eight points, four rebounds and three assists; Jalen Davis seven points and four rebounds; Malcolm Tate and Daiyon Taylor six points each; and Arother Ratliff five points.

Just 3-of-14 from three-point range for 18.8 percent, the Blue Devils were 21-of-53 for 39.6 percent from the field and only 7-of- 18 (.389) from the foul line.

Rebounding domination was also a major factor as the Pirates won the battle of the boards 44-31.

Jake Salisbury and Marty Jackson each had 15 points and Solomon Thomas 14 for North Central, which notched 18-of-34 second-half shots for 52.9 percent and finished at .509 for the game, The Pirates also won the turnover battle, committing 15 to KCKCC’s 20.