Sporting Kansas City (3-8-4, 13 pts.) saw its five-game home unbeaten streak in all competitions come to an end Saturday with a 1-0 setback against Vancouver Whitecaps FC (4-7-2, 14 pts.) at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
Vancouver star Lucas Cavallini scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the 24th minute as Sporting was unable to find a way back into the game.
Sporting made one change from the team’s last MLS match – the 1-1 draw at San Jose last Sunday – as Andreu Fontas came in at center back in place of Robert Voloder.
With 2021 MLS MVP finalist Daniel Salloi suspended, Cypriot winger Marinos Tzionis coming off a knee injury and five other attacking options sidelined through injury, Sporting once again started with versatile midfielder Cam Duke and central midfielder Remi Walter on the wings, either side of captain Johnny Russell.
Sporting almost went ahead just 58 seconds into the match, as Ben Sweat met Felipe Hernandez’s corner kick at the far post but thudded his header over the bar with Vancouver goalkeeper Cody Cropper stranded.
The first major flashpoint came in the 22nd minute when Vancouver earned a penalty kick after Uri Rosell brought down Lucas Cavallini on the edge of the area just moments after producing a spectacular sliding challenge to deny Cristian Dajome a run at goal. Cavallini stepped up himself and dinked a composed penalty into the back of the net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
In the 31st minute, Vancouver spurned a golden opportunity to add a second as substitute Deiber Caicedo sprung in behind the Sporting backline and with only Tim Melia to beat, Caicedo lobbed a bouncing effort inches wide of the post.
Sporting threatened to equalize in the 35th minute when Walter cut away from his man 20 yards from goal but struck his curling effort over the bar.
Sporting’s best chance of the first half fell to Russell in the 41st minute when Duke found a nice pocket of space down the left wing and cut the ball across the face of goal for Russell, but the Scotsman couldn’t add to his recent goalscoring form as he skewed his effort well wide of the post when well positioned.
Russell continued to threaten in the early stages of the second half, heading over the bar from inside the six-yard-box after being picked out expertly by Walter’s free kick wide on the right wing.
Hernandez created a turnover high up the field in the 63rd minute and fed Russell on the edge of the area, but the Sporting captain could only muster a tame effort straight into the arms of Cropper in the Vancouver goal.
With the game ticking into the latter stages, Hernandez tried his luck from 20 yards with a first-time effort in the 81st minute, but it sailed over the bar.
Sporting almost found a last-gasp equalizer in the 94th minute when Hernandez’s corner found substitute Nicolas Isimat-Mirin who thundered a header on frame, but Vancouver’s Javain Brown was on hand to clear the ball off the line and clinch three points for the visitors.
Saturday’s match concluded a stretch of seven games in 22 days, with Sporting now having a break in the schedule and returning to action on Saturday, June 12, when Sporting plays host to 2021 MLS Supporters’ Shield winners the New England Revolution at Children’s Mercy Park in a nationally televised contest on ABC. Kickoff for that match is set for 2 p.m. with tickets available via SeatGeek.com.
- Story from Sporting KC