by Brian Turrel
Sporting Kansas City doubled up the Houston Dynamo 4-2 at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday afternoon. Johnny Russell scored twice, his sixth goals in the past five games, having just renewed his contract with the club for at least the next two years.
The Scottish winger earned his first goal in the 16th minute when he was brought down just inside the penalty area by Houston defender Teenage Hadebe. Though Russell had to wait for a video review, the penalty was confirmed, Hadebe was booked, and Russell slapped the ball confidently inside the right post for the 1-0 lead.
Daniel Salloi doubled the home side’s lead in the 26th minute. After Salloi’s near-miss in the 22nd minute, Gadi Kinda slotted in a pass down the left side of the box that Salloi knocked inside the far post from about 8 yards. The goal was the Hungarian forward’s 16th of the year, just one off the pace of league-leading Ola Kamara of D.C. United.
Blanked in the first half, Houston brought renewed urgency after the halftime break, and shortly had Kansas City under pressure. Goalkeeper Tim Melia made a sliding, spinning save to hold off a shot in the 49th minute, but Houston was right back and scored in the 50th minute, on a Fafa Picault shot aided by defender Griffin Dorsey.
Houston nearly scored again 6 minutes later, but Picault’s possible equalizer was waved away for offsides.
Kansas City earned back its two-goal advantage in the 58th minute. Salloi returned Kinda’s favor and played a give-and-go to the midfielder. Kinda then juked to his right to create an opening and fired home from just outside the 6-yard box.
Houston pulled back within one in the 76th minute on Darwin Quintero’s header of a cross from Picault.
Russell scored again in the final minute of regulation. He created his own opportunity by racing past Houston defender Maynor Figueroa on the right wing and jumping an attempted tackle from Hadebe. Facing only goalkeeper Michael Nelson, Russell curled his shot across the goal and inside the far post.
After the match, manager Peter Vermes extolled Russell’s virtue as a player and team captain.
“You see what he does on the field,” Vermes said, “but he’s an incredible leader with the group. He has a great personality. He’s one of those guys that in the big moments, he doesn’t break. He bends, but he always comes back. He’s got more than just what you see him do on the field. He’s got a big presence in our team. We’re lucky to have him on our team and in our club.”
Forward Alan Pulido came on as a late substitute in his second match back from injury. Pulido struggled to get on the end of some passes forward and looked to have some work to do to get back in game condition.
The win vaulted Kansas City back into first place in the MLS Western Conference. However, Kansas City’s closest rivals, the Seattle Sounders and Colorado Rapids both have two games in hand and can spring back in front with favorable results.
Sporting KC will have a two-week break for international play. Kinda (Israel) and Salloi (Hungary) have both been called up to their national teams.
Kansas City’s next game will be on the road against the Vancouver Whitecaps, although the match will take place in Portland due to Canada’s Covid restrictions. The next home game will be at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 against the L.A. Galaxy.
