Beyond the Box Score: Tim Melia seizes chance for long-awaited shutout victory

Sunday's 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire was a moment six years in the making for goalkeeper Tim Melia, who earned the first victory and first shutout of his MLS career. And yet, Melia's club debut was only six seconds old at Sporting Park when he leapt into action—literally—to head away a long ball from Jeff Larentowicz some 20 yards off his goalline.

It would be the first of two headed clearances for the 29-year-old on the day, giving him more than every other goalkeeper in Major League Soccer combined in 2015. 

So it goes in a career that is equal parts unorthodox and improbable dating back to his college days at SUNY Oneonta (Division III) and Lynn University (Division II).

ACTIVE MLS PLAYERS FROM NCAA DII COLLEGES (according to Elias Sports Bureau) 

*Player is yet to appear in 2015 MLS regular season

Sporting Kansas City signed Melia this offseason on the heels of his whirlwind stint as a League Pool Goalkeeper, during which time he was called up by three teams in three months (KC, Dallas and D.C.) after parting ways with Chivas USA last summer.

Which brings us to Sunday—exactly one year from the day of his last MLS outing, a lopsided 4-1 loss cut short by his ejection in the 67th minute. His previous MLS start? A 5-0 home loss in 2013. Such were the perils of the goalkeeper position for a Chivas USA side that conceded an MLS-worst 186 goals during his three-year tenure from 2012-2014.

Though, in fairness, the defensive picture was hardly any prettier for Sporting KC after conceding four goals for the first time in nearly three years in the team's 4-4 draw at Houston one week prior.

MLS HISTORY: MOST SEASONS PRIOR TO FIRST SHUTOUT/VICTORY

Enter Melia, ready and waiting to make the most of the opportunity with an aggressive approach from the outset. His four punches matched the most by an MLS goalkeeper in 2015 and his five accurate keeper sweepings set a new season-high.

Add in three saves from shots inside the penalty area—first on Guly in the 13th minute, then on Eric Gehrig in the 19th minute and finally on Designated Player David Accam in the 78th minute—plus an important intervention to turn away a goalward cross and Melia garnered MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week honors along with a BurgerFi Man of the Match nomination.

"He was excellent. He's had the right mentality from day one, even in preseason," Sporting KC captain Matt Besler said. "I think I speak for everyone in saying we're all very happy for him. He was strong and he was commanding. I think he should gain a lot of confidence out of that performance."