After the longest penalty kick shootout in MLS postseason history Thursday night, Sporting Kansas City ended its season with a 2-2 draw at Portland, Ore.
Sporting KC’s scoring came from Kevin Ellis with a goal that tied the match in the 87th minute. Krisztian Nemeth scored in the first of two 15-minute periods.
The Timbers rallied with a late equalizer of their own in the 118th minute to level the match at 2-2 and survived the longest penalty kick shootout in MLS postseason history.
Portland goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey converted his penalty kick in the 11th round and then made the decisive save to send the Timbers into the Western Conference semifinals.
Homegrown goalkeeper Jon Kempin, who entered with six minutes remaining in regulation, made three saves in the shootout and four Sporting Kansas City players – Paulo Nagamura, Soni Mustivar, Jacob Peterson and Amadou Dia – all converted attempts with the match on the line. Nevertheless, Sporting Kansas City was eliminated on the road in the Knockout Round for the second straight year as all four home teams advanced in this year’s opening round of postseason play.
Sporting Kansas City will now turn the team’s attention to a 2016 season in which the club will seek a sixth straight playoff berth and defend the U.S. Open Cup title won last month, while also competing in the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League. The Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs will resume on Sunday with four Conference Semifinal match-ups on the road to 2015 MLS Cup on Dec. 6.
– Information from Sporting KC