Month: October 2021

Sporting KC visits Seattle Saturday afternoon

A Western Conference showdown will unfold Saturday afternoon as second-place Sporting Kansas City (15-7-7, 52 points) visits first-place Seattle Sounders FC (17-6-7, 58 points) in a 2:50 p.m. kickoff at Lumen Field.

The match will air regionally on Bally Sports Kansas City and Bally Sports Midwest and nationally in Spanish on Univision and TUDN with coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. Fans can also stream the action live on Twitter at @TUDNUSA, while viewers with Bally Sports Midwest can catch the game on BallySports.com or the Bally Sports app. La Grande 1340 AM will carry the match locally over the radio in Spanish. Supporters also may access the Sporting KC mobile app.

Looking to finish atop the West for the third time in four seasons, manager Peter Vermes’ side trails the conference-leading Sounders by six points in the standings with one game in hand.

A road win this weekend would shift momentum toward Sporting Kansas City heading into the final fortnight of the regular season, while a Seattle victory would strengthen their status in pole position.

The top seven teams in the West following Decision Day on Nov. 7 will advance to the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs, with the top-seeded club receiving a bye to the conference semifinals. Sporting has yet to officially punch its playoff ticket and can do so with a win against Seattle or if any one of several results go their way this weekend.

Sporting’s nine postseason appearances over the last decade are second-most among Western Conference teams behind only the Sounders, who have reached the playoffs every year since joining MLS in 2009.

Saturday will mark the third head-to-head meeting between Sporting and Seattle this year. Aiming to keep their first-place hopes alive, Vermes’ men will be encouraged that the away team has won on both previous occasions.

Forward Johnny Russell, MLS MVP candidate Daniel Salloi and Academy product Cam Duke scored in a 3-1 victory at Seattle on July 25, while the Sounders returned the favor with a 2-1 triumph on Sept. 26 at Children’s Mercy Park as Cristian Roldan and Will Bruin found the back of the net.

Sporting has gone 7-3-3 in the last 13 regular season games against Seattle since 2015, including victories in each of their last two visits to Lumen Field. In addition to sinking the Sounders in July, Sporting claimed a 3-2 win in August 2019 against a Seattle outfit that lifted the MLS Cup three months later.

Sporting’s 2-1 loss at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Sunday saw one of the league’s hottest attacking players etch his name into the Kansas City history books. With 43 minutes on the clock, Russell received a pass from Salloi and sent a fantastic curler in off the post to cut his team’s deficit in half.

By doing so, the Scottish captain became the first player in Sporting history to score in six consecutive MLS regular season matches.

With goals in his last six appearances, Russell is now tied with Ola Kamara of D.C. United for the longest scoring streak in MLS this season.

He is one of six MLS players with 11 goals and seven assists this year alongside Salloi, whose 24 combined goals (16) and assists (eight) lead the league. Russell and Salloi have paced a potent Sporting attack that leads the West with 52 goals scored and 1.79 goals per match.

Led by sixth-year head coach Brian Schmetzer, the Sounders have hoisted the Western Conference crown in four of the last five seasons, adding MLS Cup titles in 2016 and 2019. This year’s iteration of of the team appears capable of adding to the trophy cabinet, having opened the year with a record-setting 13-game unbeaten run and more recently winning eight of their last 12 matches.

Striker Raul Ruidiaz (16 goals), U.S. international midfielder Roldan (six goals, five assists), playmaker Joao Paulo (three goals, 10 assists), defender Yeimar Gomez Andrade and goalkeeper Stefan Frei have kept Seattle punching among the heavyweights, while former Sporting utility men Jimmy Medranda and Kelyn Rowe have also contributed to a team that wields a league-low 0.87 goals against average.

Both teams enter the weekend with lingering injury concerns. On the Seattle sideline, Ruidiaz is a question mark after sustaining an injury with the Peru national team earlier this month. Sporting will continue to play without the services of striker Alan Pulido (knee) and defender Jaylin Lindsey (hamstring). Salloi and midfield newcomer Jose Mauri are listed as questionable with ankle problems.

Beyond the context of the 2021 campaign, Sporting and Seattle have earned the right to call themselves two of the best MLS clubs over the last 10 seasons. Each team boasts four major cup titles since 2011 and the sides have combined for 19 of a possible 20 playoff appearances over the previous decade.

Sporting hoisted the 2013 MLS Cup as well as Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015 and 2017. Seattle has secured two of each, winning MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019 and the Open Cup in 2011 and 2014.

  • Story from Sporting KC

KC NWSL ties Gotham, 1-1

Kansas City NWSL took on NJ-NY Gotham Friday at Legends Field as it picked up its seventh-straight positive result at home.

Although Gotham was able to capitalize first in the 25th minute from forward Margaret Purce, Kansas City battled back to earn a penalty kick that captain and defender Kristen Edmonds slotted home to equalize the game at 1-1 and notch her first goal of the season.

The result held after the full 90 minutes with both teams leaving with a point in the standings.

Edmonds gave credit to forward Kristen Hamilton for pressing in the attack on the Gotham defense and creating the penalty kick opportunity for her to take with ease.

“I was pretty confident going into that PK and knew I had to put it away,” she said.

Kansas City came out sharp in the attack as midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta slipped a ball into a slashing forward Darian Jenkins who slotted a ball on top of the six-yard box, but no one was there to tap it home. Kansas City went on to hold majority of possession in the first half.

Despite Kansas City keeping the pressure on in the attack, Gotham was able to strike first in the 25th minute when midfielder McCall Zerboni picked off a KC pass and then slotted Purce into the final third who sent into the net to get the first score of the game.

The “next-play” mindset showed for Kansas City when not even a minute later they created a dangerous chance when the ball bounced to defender Kate Del Fava’s foot, and she fired a low-driven shot to the near post that went just wide of the net.

The Kansas City attack did not let down as Hamilton found herself on a breakaway in the 43rd minute but chipped the ball slightly over the top of the net. Hamilton made up for the miss 30 seconds later when she battled to win a penalty kick. Edmonds took to the spot and calmly slotted the ball to the left side of the net to even the game at 1-1 just before the half.

The second half saw more Kansas City attacks as they continued to keep the ball down deep in Gotham’s half and create chances that were near goals. One of these near makes was in the 61st minute when LaBonta crossed a dart to midfielder Addie McCain’s foot who redirected it at the net, but Gotham goalkeeper Didi Haracic was able to sprawl to keep it out.

Although Kansas City led in shots (16) compared to Gotham (14), KC was unable to find the back of the net for the game-winner, ending the second half scoreless on both sides for a final score of 1-1.

Kansas City will stay home for the final match of the inaugural season at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas, to face off against OL Reign. Kansas City will celebrate Fan Appreciation Night. For tickets and information visit KCWoSo.com.

  • Story from KC NWSL