Author: Brian Turrel

by Brian Turrel

Sporting KC returned from MLS schedule’s international break rested, trained and prepared. The visiting Montreal Impact were the ones who suffered for it, as Sporting KC scored a team record 7 goals in the Saturday afternoon match at Children’s Mercy Park.

Montreal had no antidote for Sporting KC’s front line — Krisztian Nemeth in the center, Johnny Russell on the right, and Gerso Fernandes on the left. Nemeth finished the game with 3 goals, and Russell with 2. Fernandes didn’t score, but created many of the scoring chances by beating his defender on the dribble or getting open space for a pass from his supporting line.

Russell started the scoring in the 10th minute, picking up a rebound off a Nemeth shot for a 1-0 lead.

Sporting scored two more in the closing minutes of the first half. Nemeth got a fine cross from Fernandes for his first goal in the 43rd minute. Fernandes served up another assist to midfielder Felipe Gutierrez in first half stoppage time.

The scoring burst continued after halftime, with Russell’s 50th minute goal off an assist from Roger Espinoza.

Nemeth scored his second goal in the 68th minute when Russell set him up nicely with a pass into the box.

Gianluca Busio scored as a substitute in the 78th minute, becoming the youngest goal-scorer at Children’s Mercy Park. The 16 year old midfielder anticipated a move by Montreal defender Victor Cabrera to win the ball near the penalty spot and knock it in.

Nemeth finished his hat trick in the 84th minute finding himself wide open and getting a pass forward from midfielder Ilie Sanchez.

Kansas City did give up one goal in the closing minutes of the game. Montreal winger Saphir Taider broke away to slip one past goalkeeper Tim Melia in the 89th minute. It was only the second shot on frame from the Impact.

Nemeth credited his fellow forwards after the game.

“When you play with wingers like Johnny and Gerso,” he said, “it’s easy to play center forward because the teams don’t know which players they have to focus on.”

“They gave me an easy ball,” Nemeth said. “Probably anyone could finish that.”

Sporting KC will head next to Mexico, taking on Monterrey in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions League semifinal on April 4. They’ll quickly turn around to Cincinnati for an MLS road game on April 7 before returning to Kansas City for the home leg of the CCL semi-final on April 11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Brian Turrel

Sporting Kansas City won the second leg of its Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal match against Panamanian squad Club Atletico Independiente 3-0.

The win gave Sporting a 4-2 aggregate score over CAI and advances Sporting on to the semifinal round in early April.

Sporting was the more aggressive team from the start of the game. In need of at least one goal to have a chance at advancement, Kansas City pressed its attack. The attacking mentality showed up in 13 corner kicks from Johnny Russell, and 26 total shots for the game.

Runs down the right side from Johnny Russell and up the center from Krisztian Nemeth created scoring chances for the home team, but Independiente managed to parry all of Sporting’s attacks through the first 73 minutes. Goalkeeper Jose Guerra made several athletic saves to keep the game scoreless.

Nemeth opened the scoring in the 74th minute by knocking in a ball from six yards that was headed forward to him by defender Botond Barath.

Sporting added two more goals in quick succession, the first in the 81st minute by Roger Espinoza running up the middle and firing in a cross from Johnny Russell.

The final goal came in the 86th minute, again from Nemeth, who got a cross from the left by Gerso and pushed it inside the right goalpost.

The semifinal is the best showing by Sporting KC in its four Champions League appearances. Sporting is the only MLS team remaining in this year’s competition. Kansas City’s opponent in the semifinal will be Club Futbol de Monterrey, a member of Mexico’s Liga MX. The dates for the games have not been announced.

Kansas City will play away against the Colorado Rapids in MLS competition on Sunday, March 17.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Brian Turrel

The weather smiled on Sporting Kansas City’s MLS home opener, and the result did too. SKC posted a 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union under sunny skies and light breezes.

Sporting opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Gianluca Busio was taken down in the penalty area. Ilie Sanchez knocked in the penalty kick, directing it confidently to the right past the dive of Union goalkeeper Andre Blake.

Busio, at age 16, became the youngest player to start a game at Children’s Mercy Park. Head coach Peter Vermes praised the young midfielder after the game.

“He has incredible street smarts in the game,” Vermes said. “He sees things that other guys don’t.”

In spite of the score, Philadelphia controlled possession for most of the first half, roughly dispossessing Sporting KC of the ball on several occasions.

“I don’t think we played well in the first half. I thought we were choppy with the ball,” Vermes said.

Near the end of the half, Philadelphia earned a penalty kick of its own, when referee Chris Penso went to video review to confirm a Seth Sinovic handball. Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia dove low to his right to knock away Marco Fabian’s attempt.

Melia’s save percentage for penalty kicks is double the league average, but after the game, he shared the credit.

“Our team, our coaches, our goalkeeper staff, Ashley Wallce, they do such a good job giving all the goalkeepers so many statistics on all the shooters that it definitely gives us a competitive advantage in the game,” Melia said.

In the 60th minute, Philadelphia’s Marco Fabian was given a red card for spiking Johnny Russell. Graham Zusi’s free kick for the foul bounced off the goal frame, but the man advantage helped Kansas City extend possessions and bring its formation forward for attacks.

Kansas City sealed the game with a Philadelphia own goal in the 80th minute. A cross from the right side from Gerso Fernandes was intended for Kelyn Rowe in the box, but Philadelphia defender Jack Elliott misdirected his block into the net.

Sporting KC will play next in a Concacaf Champions League game on Thursday at home against Panamanian club Independiente la Chorrera at 7 p.m.