Category: Sporting KC

Sporting Kansas City moved back atop the Supporters’ Shield standings and extended their Eastern Conference lead to five points with a 4-1 win over Toronto FC on Saturday.

Dom Dwyer struck twice from the penalty spot in the first half before Soony Saad and C.J. Sapong each added second half goals in front of the 48th consecutive sellout crowd at Sporting Park.

Dwyer’s brace was his League-leading fifth of the season and brings his goal scoring total to 16 goals this year, second in the MLS Golden Boot race and the most in a single-season by a KC player since Preki scored 18 in 1996.

Homegrown goalkeeper Jon Kempin made two saves and earned the victory in his first career MLS start at age 21, making him the youngest goalkeeper to start a match in club history.

Sporting Kansas City threatened to open the scoring in the 15th minute through the combination of Sal Zizzo, Benny Feilhaber and Dwyer. The Englishman was poised to unleash his shot when Toronto FC defender Justin Morrow slid in to intervene at the last moment.

The ensuing corner kick fell to the feet of Feilhaber, who dribbled past Michael Bradley at the top of the penalty area before being brought down inside the box on a challenge from Jackson. Dwyer stepped to the spot and roofed his shot under the crossbar to give Sporting KC a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.

Toronto FC goalkeeper Joe Bendik made his lone save of the match in the 24th minute, getting a hand to Aurelien Collin’s header after the Frenchman connected on a cross from Graham Zusi.

Referee Drew Fischer pointed to the penalty mark for the second time in 15 minutes when Doneil Henry’s sliding tackle tripped up Dwyer at the corner of the six-yard box. Dwyer then successfully doubled the home side’s advantage by sending his shot to Bendik’s left and improved to six-for-six on penalty attempts in 2014.

The goal gives Dwyer 10 against Canadian clubs this season after he also struck twice against Toronto in a 2-2 draw in May.

Toronto FC — playing without the team’s leading scorer Jermain Defoe and club captain Steven Caldwell — came close to cutting the deficit in half in the 43rd minute when Bradley’s free kick was deflected narrowly wide of the near post. Three minutes later, the visitors pulled a goal back through Gilberto.

The Designated Player made a strong run to the near post and slipped his shot under Kempin’s outstretched arm with a clever backheel. The goal was Gilberto’s fifth of the season and his third in as many matches.

With the momentum to start the second half, Gilberto nearly scored a second to bring the sides level on a breakaway in the 51st minute. Kempin came off his line to cut down the angle and came up with his best save of the night to deny the Brazilian after a 60-yard-run that started inside his own half.

Sporting Kansas City responded with the team’s third goal of the night in the 64th minute. Zusi’s corner was initially headed away by Toronto FC but only so far as Saad, stationed 20 yards out. The fourth-year forward, who turns 22 on Sunday, took a touch to control and struck a half-volley through traffic for his seventh career goal.

One week after an impressive goal line clearance in Vancouver, MLS All-Star Aurelien Collin again prevented an imminent goal with his recovery in the 71st minute. Jackson worked his way past Kempin and had an empty net awaiting ahead of him only to see Collin intervene.

The reigning MLS Cup champions put the game out of reach in the 77th minute with the team’s third goal of the night as a result of a corner kick. Saad’s first-time flick set up second-half substitute C.J. Sapong for a sliding finish from close range for the 20th goal of his career, moving him into a tie for ninth most in team history and improving Sporting KC 19-0-2 when Sapong is on the scoresheet in MLS competition (including postseason).

Zusi earned the secondary assist and now holds sole possession of third place on the team’s all-time assists chart with 36 in his career.

With the victory, Sporting Kansas City is now 6-0-1 at home against Toronto FC since 2010. Moreover, Manager Peter Vermes is 9-1-3 in his coaching career against Toronto.

Sporting Kansas City now turns the team’s attention to the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League ahead of Tuesday’s group stage opener at Real Esteli in Nicaragua. The match will be broadcast live on FOX Soccer Plus at 9 p.m. and can be seen at the team’s official watch parties at area Johnny’s Tavern locations.
– Story from Sporting KC

Atop the East, Sporting Kansas City hosts third place Toronto FC at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan., in a clash of Eastern Conference contenders.

The match will be televised live locally on KMCI-TV 38 and across the Midwest on SKCTV. Fans can also listen to the match on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and La Gran D 1340 AM (Spanish).

A limited number of tickets remain available, including standing room only tickets, which can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or at the Sporting Park box offices on game day.

Sporting Kansas City fell 2-0 to the Vancouver Whitecaps last weekend after conceding a pair of first half goals. The loss snapped an eight-game unbeaten streak for the reigning MLS Cup champions that included five consecutive road victories.

Homegrown goalkeeper Jon Kempin made his MLS debut in the match after Andy Gruenebaum suffered a shoulder injury and could not return after the halftime break. Kempin’s first save of his MLS career came on a Darren Mattocks penalty kick attempt, which earned MLS Save of the Week honors.

Toronto FC concludes a four-game road trip on Saturday in Kansas City. After falling 3-0 at second place D.C. United to begin their travels, Toronto FC recorded victories against Montreal and Columbus in back-to-back weeks.

Both wins came without leading scorer Jermain Defoe as the English international remains questionable for tomorrow’s match with a right adductor strain. Defoe’s 11 goals in 15 MLS matches are fifth most in MLS and three behind Sporting KC forward Dom Dwyer, who replaced Defoe on the MLS All-Star game day roster.

Fellow MLS All-Star Michael Bradley returns to Kansas City for the first time since the 2013 MLS All-Star Game while playing for AS Roma. A member of the United States Men’s National Team at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, Bradley was acquired by Toronto prior to the start of the season. Along with Defoe, the duo share the distinction as Major League Soccer’s highest-paid players with $6 million base salaries.

Sporting Kansas City and Toronto FC have already met twice this season, including a 2-2 draw at Sporting Park on May 23 that kept the Manager Peter Vermes’ squad unbeaten at home (5-0-1) against their Canadian counterparts since 2010. More recently, Sporting KC earned a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC at BMO Field on July 26 with Graham Zusi and Jacob Peterson on the scoresheet.

Fans can get in-game updates online at SportingKC.com/GameOn or by following @SKCGameday on Twitter. Additionally, the match will also be available to watch live online as MLSsoccer.com’s Stream of the Week.

– Story from Sporting KC

Former U.S. Men’s National Team player Desmond Armstrong has been named Sporting Kansas City’s Academy Affiliate technical director, the organization announced.

“My belief is that MLS youth academies are the future in youth soccer development’s success in America,” Armstrong said. “To be a part of the Sporting Club in this capacity and to continue my work in youth development for players and coaches is exhilarating. Our aim at Sporting is to be the leader in the industry and to work unto excellence.”

“Adding Desmond brings a wealth of experience in regards to his playing ability, both in the World Cup and Olympics,” said Sporting KC Academy Director of Coaching Jon Parry. “Anytime you can add someone with that type of playing experience, it adds value to the organization and the way in which we develop players. This is something he feels he can convey to our affiliates and give them an even greater connection to the Academy.”

Armstrong joins the Sporting Club Network with a wealth of experience at the highest levels. His debut for the U.S. Men’s National team came in 1987 and, a year later, he would travel to Seoul, South Korea, to represent his country in the 1988 Summer Olympics. Armstrong’s strong performances earned him a spot on the 1990 World Cup team, where he played alongside Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes. In 2012, Armstrong was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame along with Sporting Legend and former U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Tony Meola.

As Academy Affiliate technical director, Armstrong will perform a wide array of roles for the eleven Academy Affiliate clubs. In addition to conducting Coaches Education and Chalk Talks, Armstrong will visit each Academy Affiliate to run training sessions and identify potential players for the Sporting Kansas City Academy.

“I will be delivering the coaching philosophy of the first team, which is implemented throughout the Sporting Kansas City youth academy teams, directly to the Academy Affiliate clubs,” Armstrong said. “This will be accomplished through my time on site with the first team, academy teams, and the technical staffs in addition to me traveling to our affiliate clubs.”

Armstrong’s first stop will be a visit to Sporting St. Croix Academy in Minneapolis, Minn., later this month.

“St. Croix is very excited to have Desmond come to Minnesota and give us insight on what Sporting Kansas City does to be so successful,” said Sporting St. Croix Director of Coaching Nathan Klonecki. “We’re getting a soccer person who has been part of the youth game for a long time. He’ll bring great insight into how to improve as a club.”

The Sporting Club Network features 50 affiliates, including 11 Academy Affiliates, with more than 50,000 members in six states across the Midwest.
– Story from Sporting KC