Recap: Dejan Joveljic scores twice in Sporting KC's 2-2 draw with Columbus

Sporting Kansas City rallied from a halftime deficit to earn a 2-2 draw on Saturday in the team's sold out home opener at Sporting Park as Dejan Joveljic provided both goals to equal the club record as the fastest player to score 20 regular season goals in team history.

After leading SKC with 18 goals a year ago in his debut season, Joveljic now has 20 goals in just 34 regular season games - tying a mark set by Preki in 1997 -- and the Designated Player has recorded the last five goals scored by Sporting KC players dating back to Aug. 30, 2025. 

Fastest to 20 regular season goals for SKC
1. Dejan Joveljic, 34 games (2026)
1. Preki, 34 games (1997)
3. Dom Dwyer, 44 games (2014)
4. Digital Takawira, 45 games (1997)
5. Alan Pulido, 48 games (2023)

Head coach Raphael Wicky made one change to Sporting Kansas City's starting lineup from last week's season opener as Ethan Bartlow made his SKC debut in place of the injured Justin Reynolds. Bartlow nearly opened the scoring in the 24th minute on Saturday, rising above two Crew defenders to meet Manu Garcia's corner and directing a header on target to force a superb save from Patrick Schulte. 

The visitors would strike first in the 33rd minute through Designated Player Wessam Abou Ali -- who has now scored in five straight MLS matches dating back to last season -- as the Crew capitalized on a turnover inside Sporting's penalty area to take a 1-0 lead. 

Sporting nearly pulled even in the 42nd minute as Shapi Suleymanov's free kick was destined for the back of the net if not for a diving save from Schulte but moments later it was the Crew who were inches away from doubling their lead as Diego Rossi struck the post from a yard out and Daniel Gazdag's follow-up effort missed the target.

Saturday's second half was filled with end-to-end entertainment, beginning in the 48th minute as Sporting sprung on a counter to level the scoreline at 1-1. A swift move through the middle third ultimately resulted in Calvin Harris switching the point of attack with a cross to Jake Davis, who squared the ball with a first-time pass for Joveljic eight yards in front of goal. Joveljic made no mistake, sending his defender and the Crew goalkeeper opposite directions with a composed finish to open his scoring account for 2026.

The Serbian striker was back on the scoresheet in the 72nd minute, collecting a deflected shot from Suleymanov and tucking away the go-ahead goal in front of the South Stand for the ninth multi-goal game of his MLS regular season career and fourth with Sporting Kansas City.

Ten minutes later, Columbus would respond with an 82nd-minute equalizer as Rossi scored in a second-straight game to start the season -- picking up a cross from Max Arfsten and firing a well-placed shot past Pulskamp -- to give the former MLS Golden Boot winner 81 career regular season goals in eight seasons.

Seizing the momentum, Columbus would win a penalty from their next attack -- albeit only after intervention from VAR Kevin Stott -- and Abou Ali stepped to the spot in the 87th minute with a chance to steal all three points only to be denied by the right hand of Pulskamp at full extension to produce a clutch save that ultimately secured Sporting it's first point of the season.

Sporting Kansas City will next host San Diego FC at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 7 at Sporting Park. Tickets are available online at SeatGeek and the Western Conference clash will be available to watch live on Apple TV.

2026 MLS Regular Season | Game 2
Sporting Park | Kansas City, Kansas
Attendance: 18,522
Weather: 51 degrees and clear

Sporting Kansas City: John Pulskamp; Ian James (Jansen Miller 90+1'), Ethan Bartlow, Wyatt Meyer; Jake Davis, Jacob Bartlett (Kwaku Agyabeng 90'), Manu Garcia, Jayden Reid; Shapi Suleymanov (Taylor Calheira 90'), Dejan Joveljic (C), Calvin Harris (Stephen Afrifa 81')

Subs Not Used: Stefan Cleveland, Shane Donovan, Zamir Loyo Reynaga, Cielo Tschantret

Columbus Crew: Patrick Schulte; Andres Herrera, Steven Moreira (Jamal Thiare 81'), Rudy Camacho, Malte Amundsen; Taha Habroune (Sekou Bangoura 64'), Sean Zawadzki (C), Max Arfsten; Daniel Gazdag (Hugo Picard 64'), Wessam Abou Ali, Diego Rossi

Subs Not Used: Cesar Ruvalcaba, Amar Sejdic, Yevhen Cheberko, Tristan Brown, Evan Bush, Owen Presthus

Scoring Summary:
CLB - Wessam Abou Ali 2 (unassisted) 33'
SKC - Dejan Joveljic 1 (Jake Davis 1, Calvin Harris 1) 48'
SKC - Diego Rossi 2 (unassisted) 72'
CLB - Dejan Joveljic 2 (unassisted) 82'

Misconduct Summary:
CLB - Andres Herrera (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 15'
SKC - Jacob Bartlett (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 44'
CLB - Sean Zawadzki (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 79'

Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
Assistant Referee: Cory Richardson
Assistant Referee: Jose Da Silva
Fourth Official: Corbyn May
VAR: Kevin Stott
AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert