Author: Brian Turrel

by Brian Turrel

Sporting Kansas City cut down the Portland Timbers 4-1 Sunday evening at Children’s Mercy Park, getting some measure of payback for the 7-2 paddling the Timbers administered when Kansas City visited in May.

Willy Agada scored twice, continuing the torrid offensive output he’s shown since starting with his new club in July. Fellow summer window signee Erik Thommy added another goal. Defender Andreu Fontas scored as well, surprisingly earning two goals in two games after scoring only once in 70 previous appearances with Kansas City.

Graham Zusi set up the opening score in the 31st minute, playing a cross from the right side that bounced dangerously across the front of the Portland goal. It took another high bounce to the far post, falling to Agada who whipped an unstoppable shot into the upper left corner.

In the 40th minute, Fontas doubled the lead by striking home a corner kick that fell into the scrum in front of the Portland goal.

Before the celebratory smoke had cleared from Fontas’s goal, Kansas City scored again. Agada made a run up the middle, picking up a long pass from Zusi and drawing the Portland defense. He played a touch back into the path of Thommy who had a clear lane to the goal and put all his momentum into a scoring blast from 20 yards out.

Agada scored his second of the game, and fifth of his short MLS season, in the 75th minute. Ben Sweat earned an assist with a perfectly executed cross from the left side that intersected Agada’s path just as he surged past the Portland defensive line.

Kansas City goalkeeper Jon Pulskamp deserved the clean sheet that he nearly got, putting on a show in the second half to keep Portland from mounting a comeback.

In the 47th minute, Pulskamp raced off his line to disrupt a Portland breakaway, then scrambled back to the goal line to make a leaping tip save. One minute later, he dived to his left to save a shot from Dairon Asprilla and then alertly smothered the ball that had rolled slightly behind him.

Pulskamp made two more diving stops of Asprilla shots in the 54th and 73rd minutes, but the 21-year-old keeper finally conceded an immaterial goal to Timbers forward Sebastian Blanco in the final minute of regulation.

The re-energized Kansas City offense has now scored three first-half goals in three consecutive matches, the first MLS side to ever do so.

Sporting will be back in action at Children’s Mercy Park next Saturday, facing off with the San Jose Earthquakes at 7:30 p.m.

by Brian Turrel

Sporting Kansas City ended its offensive drought with a shower of goals against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Recently signed forward Willy Agada made it rain with two first-half goals, on the way to a 4-2 win Saturday evening at Children’s Mercy Park.

Agada’s fellow newcomer Erik Thommy opened the scoring in the 10th minute, chesting a well-placed ball from Roger Espinoza and then blasting it on the volley inside the far post from the right corner of the 6-yard box, a move that manager Peter Vermes described as “a world-class finish.”

A handball in the penalty area by Galaxy defender Derrick Williams gave Sporting the chance to double the lead in the 24th minute, but Los Angeles goalkeeper Jonathan Bond knocked away Johnny Russell’s penalty kick attempt, the second consecutive match for Kansas City to be denied from the spot.

Agada opened his account for Kansas City in the 40th minute, knocking in a shot after being denied on his first attempt. Agada didn’t get to celebrate right away as his point-blank shot was waved off for offsides, but after a video review, the call was reversed and Kansas City granted a 2-0 lead.

The Nigerian striker added to his tally in first-half stoppage time. Graham Zusi started a brilliant sequence, firing the ball long down the right side of the pitch to Daniel Salloi. Salloi one-touched a cross that found Agada, who was on a perfectly timed run to the back post.

The visitors made the game interesting as the clock passed the 80th minute. Galaxy star Chicharito scored in the 83rd minute, drawing Kansas City goalkeeper John Pulskamp away from goal and slotting the ball past him into the far corner.

Uri Rosell conceded a penalty kick on a hand ball in the second minute of stoppage, and Chicharito took the opportunity for another goal, narrowing the lead to one. Pulskamp correctly anticipated the direction of the kick, but his dive to the right was no match for the pace on Chicharito’s ball.

Salloi sealed the game late in stoppage time. Getting two chances from a narrow angle on the far left side, his first attempt curled just over the crossbar. His second shot sailed into the net past the goalkeeper to settle the final margin.

After the match, Agada described his first Kansas City goal.

“When the goalkeeper kept it out, I kept struggling,” said Agada, “fighting for the second goal. I thought it was a goal. You know how the VAR sometimes is, a little bit complicated, but thank God it went in. I’m so excited that that was my first goal. I’m so excited.”

Sporting Kansas City will play on the road next Saturday against Austin FC, a rematch of the July 30 game that Austin won 2-0. Kansas City will be back at Children’s Mercy Park on Aug. 21 to face the Portland Timbers. The Sunday evening match kicks off at 6:30 p.m.