Beyond the Box Score: Goals galore make for instant classic in Houston

On Saturday night, two rivals set the bar high for Major League Soccer’s game of the year in 2015.

The latest installment of the Sporting Kansas City/Houston Dynamo rivalry contrasted everything that fans have come to expect when the sides meet.

Departing from the usual low-scoring, physical, stop-and-go affairs that have characterized the matchup, Saturday’s encounter at BBVA Compass Stadium served up golazos, lead changes, and late drama suitable for a Hollywood script.

Not surprisingly, Sporting KC’s thrilling 4-4 draw at Houston—the highest scoring game in MLS this season—was chock-full of statistical rarities. The game will long be remembered for its eight total goals, so let’s start there.

Saturday was tied for the second highest scoring match in Kansas City’s 646-game MLS history (including postseason). Only a 6-4 win against Columbus during the inaugural 1996 season offered more scoring over 90 minutes plus stoppage time.

Sporting KC’s four goals were also tied for the team’s second most in a road match all-time, one behind a five-goal shutout win at Colorado in 2000. The fact that Kansas City put four past a Houston defense that had previously conceded one goal in 360 minutes at BBVA Stadium this year (and led MLS with 0.57 goals allowed per game) makes the feat even more impressive.

Highest scoring matches in Sporting KC history

Though Saturday’s draw may have been an instant classic among fans, pundits and participating field players, it will be one the goalkeepers want to forget. Luis Marin and Tyler Deric combined to make zero saves, marking just the fourth time in MLS history that a match failed to produce a single save. The other three instances—most recently a scoreless draw between FC Dallas and Seattle last month—combined for just seven shots on goal, while #HOUvSKC on Saturday had eight.

All-time MLS matches without a save from either team

Sporting KC bookended the scoring on Saturday, drawing first blood really early and salvaging a tie really late. Krisztian Nemeth’s low drive in the second minute—the fourth earliest ever conceded by Houston at home—was tied for the team’s second quickest road goal all-time. Conversely, Benny Feilhaber’s spectacular volley after 95 minutes was the team’s second latest road goal all-time and fourth latest overall. Both goals came from outside the box, as did Giles Barnes' strike in the 46th minute. The three total goals from beyond the penalty area tied an all-time MLS high during the Opta era (2011-present).

Latest regular season goals in Sporting KC history

With all the goals also came a few individual milestones. Graham Zusi’s cushioned header that led to Feilhaber’s last-gasp equalizer gave the United States international 50 career assists for Sporting KC in all competitions. Zusi becomes just the third player in club history to reach that mark, behind Preki (104) and Chris Klein (54).

Sporting KC career assist chart (all competitions)

Meanwhile, Dom Dwyer, whose opportunistic goal in the 74th minute cut Kansas City’s deficit to 3-2, has now scored in each of his last four matches against the Dynamo dating back to the 2013 Eastern Conference Championship second leg. He is the club’s fourth player to score in four straight MLS games against the same opponent (including postseason).

SKC players to score in four straight games vs. same opponent (incl. playoffs)

So what did coach Peter Vermes make of the 4-4 spectacle?

“In a lot of respects, we didn't deserve to get anything coming out of here,” Vermes told reporters shortly after Feilhaber’s late volley rescued a draw. “When we went to 3-3 and they kicked off, we should have went after them…We did not, and that caused (their) fourth goal, and so here we are and here we sit. It was a great way to get back in the game and get a point, but in the end it's not good enough.”

Vermes has reason to be dissatisfied. Saturday was the first time ever that Kansas City scored at least four goals and failed to win, having previously been 35-0-0 in those games.

On the other hand, Vermes lauded his team’s ability to fight back for a result—a quality they first showed in a 3-2 comeback win over Philadelphia three weeks ago. After all, Sporting KC trailed 3-1 heading into the 74th minute against a Houston defense that had allowed one goal in four home games entering the night. In fact, Saturday marked the fifth time ever that the team earned a road result after trailing by two goals in the second half.

SKC's two-goal second half deficits overcome on the road

"I think today was actually one of the few games that we played against (Houston) that there was more soccer," Feilhaber said afterward, alluding to the quality of the match. "It was a pretty entertaining game with eight goals and it was fun to play in. It's nice to get a point, but we're always disappointed with ourselves when we don't get three."