by Brian Turrel
Sporting Kansas City was happy to be back playing in front of the fans, and the 40 percent capacity crowd gave the stadium the atmosphere of a true home game for the first time in over a year.
Kansas City and Orlando delivered a home opener whose excitement belied the 1-1 final score.
Kansas City started with the early attack, playing out of the back and pushing aggressively up field. The space behind Sporting’s offense gave Orlando the opportunity to counter, but the new-look defense was quick to recover. Kansas City’s defensive speed may give its offense opportunities it hasn’t had in a few years.
An apparent Kansas City goal in the 13th minute by defender Nicolas Isimat-Marin was called back for offsides after a video review. The aggressiveness of both sides kept the linesmen busy waving the offsides flag throughout the match.
Sporting got on the board first just before halftime. Daniel Salloi won the ball in the Orlando penalty area and played from the endline back to Gianluca Busio about 12 yards out on the left side. After the game, Busio remarked that Orlando’s defender had been shading him toward the back post, so he fired low and just inside the near post for the score.
Orlando took the initiative in the second half, holding the ball for extended possessions in dangerous areas of Kansas City’s end. Orlando appeared to have its equalizer just after halftime, but a second video review nullified that goal.
Orlando finally drew level in the 79th minute. Kansas City goalkeeper John Pulskamp blocked a shot from Chris Mueller, but the defense was unable to clear it.
Standing with his back to the goal as the ball rolled to him, Orlando forward Nani calmly chipped it with the back of his heel and into the net. Nani’s score was initially voided for an offsides infraction, but the third video review of the game revived it.
Although Kansas City pressed the offense in the late minutes, Orlando was content to see out the draw.
Sporting will play next at Real Salt Lake on May 1 at 1 p.m. The next home match is May 9 at 6:30 p.m. against Austin FC, in Austin’s inaugural season in Major League Soccer.
