Sporting drops first home match

Saturday, May 5, 2012, 7:30 p.m. CT
English TV: KSMO-TV
Spanish Radio: La Gran D 1340 AM

LIVESTRONG Sporting Park | Kansas City, Kan.
Attendance: 20,404
Weather: Sunny, 84 degrees
Video: Match Highlights

Sporting Kansas City: Jimmy Nielsen©; Chance Myers, Matt Besler, Aurelien Collin, Michael Harrington; Julio Cesar (Paulo Nagamura 79), Roger Espinoza, Graham Zusi; Kei Kamara, C.J. Sapong (Teal Bunbury 66), Bobby Convey

Subs not used: Jon Kempin, Korede Aiyegbusi, Dom Dwyer, Lawrence Olum, Jacob Peterson

Montreal Impact: Donovan Ricketts; Jeb Brovsky, Hassoun Camara, Nelson Rivas (Matteo Ferrari 62), Tyson Wahl; Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Andrew Wenger 84), Felipe, Patrice Bernier©, Lamar Neagle; Eduardo Sebrango (Davy Arnaud 70), Justin Braun

Subs not used: Greg Sutton, Bryan Arguez, Calum Mallace, Sanna Nyassi

Misconduct Summary:

KC – Julio Cesar (caution; reckless tackle) 35
MTL – Nelson Rivas (caution; reckless foul) 36
MTL – Patrice Bernier (caution; reckless foul) 45
MTL – Sinisa Ubiparipovic (caution; persistent infringement) 53
MTL – Tyson Wahl (caution; reckless foul) 77

Scoring Summary:

MTL – Felipe 1 (Justin Braun 1) 30
MTL – Patrice Bernier 1 (penalty kick) 64

Sporting Kansas City suffered a 2-0 loss on Saturday against the Montreal Impact at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The expansion Impact earned their first road win in MLS behind a long-rangegoal from Felipe and a penalty kick from Patrice Bernier, as Donovan Ricketts shutout Sporting Kansas City for the first time at home since the stadium’s opening match last year. Despite the defeat, Sporting Kansas City remain in first place in the Eastern Conference with 21 points from the team's first nine MLS matches.

Sporting Kansas City garnered the first shot of the match in the 15th minute as C.J.Sapong forced an acrobatic save from Impact goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts on a half-volley. Three minutes later, Ricketts was called into action again to tip Chance Myer’s cross over the bar following a short corner from Bobby Convey.

Montreal then threatened for the first time in the match in the 24th minute when midfielder Patrice Bernier found Lamar Neagle isolated on the left wing. The Impact striker did well to get past Aurelien Collin but sent his shot over from the top of the penalty area.

On the opposite end, Convey connected with Graham Zusi with space to line up a shot from 30 yards out. The low, driven attempt troubled Ricketts, who extended to his right to deflect the effort narrowly wide of the far post.

The Impact then took the 1-0 lead in the 30th minute on a superb long-range strike from Felipe for his first MLS goal since joining Montreal prior to their debut 2012 season. The Brazilian received a pass from Justin Braun and buried his audacious attempt from more than 30 yards out, deflecting en route off the outstretched palm of Nielsen and into the side netting.

The game’s opening goal increased the intensity for the final 15 minutes of the first half, with three cautions shown by match referee Juan Guzman. However, neither side could capitalize on the flurry of set pieces, as Montreal debutant Nelson Rivas sent two headers off target following Montreal corner kicks and Kei Kamara’s bicycle attempt didn’t connect from close range.

The second half continued the rash of cards shown with Sinisa Ubiparipovic picking up a yellow in the 53rd minute and Sporting Kansas City coming close to capitalizing on the ensuing set piece. Zusi rolled the free kick to Convey, whose service was perfectly placed for Matt Besler’s run to the back post. The 2011 MLS All-Star was left unmarked only to see his header go inches over the crossbar.

Montreal then doubled their advantage in the 64th minute on a penalty kick from Bernier. Neagle drew the spot kick after bursting through the Sporting KC backline and going down on Collin’s sliding challenge. Bernier, a Canadian international, stepped to the spot and sent Nielsen the wrong way for his first MLS goal.

Sporting Kansas City, behind by two goals for the first time in the regular season since September 5 of last year in a 2-2 draw against the LA Galaxy, nearly responded two minutes later as Collin’s snap header went narrowly wide on a Zusi’s delivery from a free kick.

Impact head coach Jesse Marsch called upon club captain Davy Arnaud in the 70th minute,marking his return to LIVESTRONGSporting Park after spending his first 10 MLS seasons in Kansas City. The all-time leader in games played for KC, Arnaud received a loud ovation from the standing-room only crowd of 20,404. The crowd was Sporting Kansas City’s largest home attendance of the season.

Sporting Kansas City continued to press forward late with the home support behind them. Cesar directed his header near net in the 79th minute and Roger Espinoza let loose with a shot from the outside in the 88th minute, but Ricketts made his fourth and final save of the night on the blast.

Collin would come close once more in the final minute of regulation, but his header crashed off the crossbar from an offside position and Sporting KC suffered their first home shutout in MLS play since the stadium opened last June.

Sporting KC will next travel to Chicago to face their Eastern Conference rivals on Saturday, May 12. The match will air live on KSMO-TV at 7:30 p.m. CT.

FAST FACTS:

• With the loss, Sporting Kansas City falls to 7-2-0 in 2012 but maintains a three-point lead in first place in the Eastern Conference.
• Sporting Kansas City’s all-time record now stands at 201-201-100 (.500) and 135-73-43 (0.624) at home in the team’s 17-year history.
• Sporting KC is 4-1-0 at home in 2012. Sporting Kansas City is 13-3-6 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in regular season play.
• Sporting Kansas City is 25-34-16 all-time in the month of May. Sporting Kansas City has not won a game in the month of May in any of the last three years. The last May win dates back to May 16, 2009 in a 2-0 win at RSL – a span of ten straight May matches without a win.
• Felipe scored the first goal of the match on an assist from Justin Braun. The goal marks Felipe’s first goal in Major League Soccer and Braun’s first assist this season. 
• Julio Cesar received his first yellow card in 2012 for a reckless tackle in the 34th minute of play. 
• Montreal defender Nelson Rivas made his MLS debut on Saturday, starting and playing 62 minutes for the Impact.
• The last time Sporting Kansas City lost back-to-back matches was in 2011 on May 14 to the LA Galaxy and May 21 to Seattle.
• Tonight’s loss marks the first time in club history that Kansas City has lost in their first meeting against an expansion team. The team's record against expansion teams is now 6-1-4.
• Sporting Kansas City defender Michael Harrington earned his first start since September 17, 2011.
• Seth Sinovic missed Saturday's match after undergoing surgery on his wrist. It marked the first match Sinovic hasn’t started since earning his spot in the starting 11 on May 28, 2011.
• Sporting Kansas City is now 11-4-5 in matches against opponents for the first time.
• Patrice Bernier's penalty kick in the 64th minute was the first penalty kick scored against Sporting Kansas City at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park.
• The last time Sporting Kansas City faced a penalty kick was May 14, 2011 against the LA Galaxy.
• The last time Sporting Kansas City conceded two goals in a game was September 5th against the LA Galaxy. 
• Saturday tied Sporting Kansas City’s season-low for fouls committed with nine.
• This is the fourth time this season Jimmy Nielsen has not recorded a save in a match. The previous three occasions were all victories. 
• Graham Zusi tied his single game career high in shots with five.
• Aurelien Collin set his single game career high in shots with four.
• Sporting Kansas City tied the team's single game season high in corner kicks (11) and offsides (4).
• Saturday’s loss marks the second consecutive game Sporting KC has trailed at halftime. Sporting KC is 0-2-0 when trailing at halftime. 
• The last time Sporting Kansas City was shutout in back-to-back games was June 4 and June 9 of 2011.
• Sporting Kansas City's last home shutout loss came on July 10, 2010 against Chivas USA in a 2-0 defeat at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. 
• Sporting Kansas City wore dark indigo jerseys and socks with Sporting blue shorts on Saturday. It marked the first time the club wore both colors in a match since the team re-branded after the 2010 season.
• Sporting Kansas City has been held scoreless for a span of 205 minutes, dating back to Kei Kamara's goal in the 65th minute of a 3-1 win at Vancouver.
• Sporting Kansas City outshot Montreal 22 to 6 on Saturday. The Impact’s six shots on Saturday marks a team low this season.
• Montreal converted both of their shots on goal in the 2-0 victory. 
• Sporting Kansas City controlled 66% of the possession in Saturday's match to Montreal’s 34%.
• Sporting Kansas City connected 565 passes to Montreal’s 289.
• Sporting Kansas City is 2-1-0 against Eastern Conference opponents. Saturday was the first time Sporting Kansas City faced an Eastern Conference opponent since the home opener on March 17, 2012 against New England Revolution.

QUOTES:

A postgame quotesheet from tonight’s match between Sporting Kansas City and the Montreal Impact will be available on SportingKC.com, including comments from players and managers. Video of the post-game press conference is available for download on the MLS FTP. Contact Alice Schroeder (913-302-1565) for instructions on how to access the footage.