Author: Brian Turrel

by Brian Turrel

Sporting Kansas City’s offense went on a tear of productivity on Wednesday night, generating 22 shots. Unfortunately, the Dallas defenders knocked aside so many of those shots that Kansas City settled for a 1-1 draw on their home field.

Dallas’s 14 blocks out of 22 shots (64%) was the highest percentage of blocked shots in an MLS game since 2014. Forward Johnny Russell, on the wrong end of five of those blocks, was frustrated.

“Everything we had seemed to be blocked,” Russell said after the game. “I feel like we created enough chances and just couldn’t get that final touch. That’s the most frustrating part — when you dominate a game that much and you don’t come away with the three points, kind of feels like a defeat.”

Dallas got on the board first, with a goal in the 9th minute. Bryan Acosta picked off a lackadaisical pass near the right corner of the Sporting 18-yard box and rolled it to Franco Jara charging up the middle. Jara chipped the ball over goalkeeper Tim Melia for his first MLS score.

Kansas City equalized the score in first half stoppage time. Gianluca Busio won the ball with a header in the midfield and played it forward to Khiry Shelton. Shelton cycled the ball through Felipe Hernandez and Gerso Fernandes before getting it back on well timed run into the Dallas box. Shelton punched the ball into the right corner past the dive of Houston goalkeeper Kyle Zobeck.

Sporting continued to pile up chances in the second half, and stayed aggressive throughout. Daniel Salloi, on as a substitute in the second half, got a particularly strong opportunity in the 60th minute, forcing Zobeck to make a diving save. However, the final whistle blew with the score still knotted at one apiece.

Sporting will play at the Houston Dynamo on Sept. 5, and then they’ll return home to face Minnesota at Children’s Mercy Park on Sept. 13. The Minnesota game completes the third phase of the MLS regular season. MLS is expected to announce plans for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs within a few days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Brian Turrel

Sporting Kansas City’s first match at Children’s Mercy Park in 171 days was a memorable game they will want to forget. The Houston Dynamo, last in the Western Conference, gave Sporting a 5-2 drubbing in front of the nearly 2,300 fans fortunate enough to get tickets to the limited-attendance game.

Sporting started the match with initiative, pushing high up the field and creating offensive opportunities. However, in the 17th minute, in a sign of things to come, Houston’s attack found space among KC’s widely spread defense and Alberth Elis tapped in a cross for the first goal.

Sporting answered back in the 26th minute when Johnny Russell volleyed in a rebound off the crossbar to equalize.

Houston pushed back in front just before halftime, swinging the ball to the right side to catch Kansas City’s defense out of position.

The Dynamo came out firing again after halftime. Niko Hansen received a smooth pass forward from Christian Ramirez, then outraced the retreating KC defense before beating Sporting goalkeeper Tim Melia one on one.

Sporting pulled back within one goal a minute later when Gadi Kinda knocked in a rebound off a header by Alan Pulido.

Houston put the game out of reach with two goals by Darwin Quintero in the 57th and 61st minutes, sapping most of the remaining energy from the stands.

In the final 30 minutes, Sporting KC made a series of substitutions to create offensive pressure, but Houston stayed solid defensively, venturing out only infrequently for counter-attacks.

Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said that he would not judge his players’ performance by one game, saying that it “was just a bad game.” He noted that the team had started “chasing shadows” after their promising start, and that the defense had “been late” at times.

Despite the loss, Sporting Kansas City maintains their first place standing in the Western Conference, with a 5-0-2 record. They will play next against the Colorado Rapids in Denver on Saturday, Aug. 29, and they’ll be back at home against FC Dallas on Sept 2.