Sporting Kansas City earned a 2-1 road win at the Colorado Rapids on Friday, securing all three points at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park for the first time since March 2014. The victory sees Sporting climb into 10th place in the Western Conference, three points back of the playoff line with 13 games remaining.
Dejan Joveljic got the Fourth of July fireworks started early with the team's fastest goal of the season in the fourth minute. Club captain Erik Thommy did well to intercept a pass from Rapids goalkeeper Nico Hansen and the German playmaker then cut the ball back for a first-time finish from Joveljic, who now has a league-leading 33 goals in MLS play since the start of 2024.
The Serbian striker has a goal or assist in seven straight appearances, the longest such streak in MLS this season, including goals in four straight road games. With 12 goals this season, Joveljic is third in the MLS Golden Boot race and he ties a club record set by Miklos Molnar in 2000 for most goals by a newcomer (excluding the 1996 inaugural season).
Most Goals in First Season with SKC
1. Preki (18 in 1996)
2. Vitalis Takawira (13 in 1996)
3. Miklos Molnar (12 in 2000)
3. Dejan Joveljic (12 in 2025)
The Rapids would respond with a flurry of scoring chances as the hosts chased an equalizer for the remainder of the first half. Sporting KC goalkeeper John Pulskamp was credited with eight saves on the night - matching his MLS career-high and moving him into the league lead -- beginning with a stop on Calvin Harris in the 15th minute.
After two near misses - the first from Rafael Navarro in the 21st minute and another from Chidozie Awaziem three minutes later -- the Rapids would win a penalty as Pulskamp brought down Djordje Mihailovic in the scramble for a rebound after Pulskamp initially stretched low to his right to keep out a shot from Ted Ku-DiPietro. Mihailovic stepped to the spot in the 31st minute and struck his attempt off the post then sent a second shot wide moments later.
Colorado would continue to come close to producing a game-tying goal as Navarro re-directed a cross narrowly past the near post in the 34th minute and Mihailovic was denied by the post once again on the cusp of halftime. Pulskamp would be called into action just 37 seconds into the second half with a superb stop on Navarro off a perfectly-placed pass from Harris.
Pulskamp would next play the part of provider, punting the ball long in the 53rd minute for Thommy to settle and drive forward to the top of the penalty area before unleashing a sublime strike into the bottom corner of the net to double Sporting Kansas City's lead. Thommy has goals in back-to-back matches after scoring in last week's 1-1 draw against Real Salt Lake and, with a goal and an assist on Friday, now has five goal contributions (three goals, two assists) in five career regular season appearances against the Rapids after scoring twice in the previous match-up last year.
Pulskamp was credited with his second assist of the year, becoming the first goalkeeper in club history with multiple assists in a single season and joining Sporting Legend Tony Meola as the only goalkeepers with multiple regular season assists for the team all-time.
The 24-year-old goalkeeper was back at his best in the 53rd minute, tipping a header from Connor Ronan over the bar to preserve the two-goal advantage. Second-half substitute Mason Toye nearly extended the lead to 3-0 in the 87th minute on a counter attack that ended when his shot shook the near post and caromed out of play.
The Rapids refused to go quietly and Darren Yapi earned a penalty -- Colorado's sixth of the season and referee Filip Dujic's eighth of the year, both league highs -- in the 88th minute on a foul committed by Ian James inside the area. Navarro spoiled the shutout with a successful conversion, however Sporting would see out six minutes of stoppage time to snap the team's 11-game winless run (0-6-5) in Colorado.
2025 MLS Regular Season | Match 21
DICK'S Sporting Goods Park | Commerce City, CO
Attendance: 17,576
Weather: 85 degrees and sunny
Score | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
Sporting Kansas City (6-10-5, 23 points) | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Colorado Rapids (7-9-5, 26 points) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Sporting Kansas City: John Pulskamp; Khiry Shelton, Jansen Miller, Joaquin Fernandez (Ian James 46'), Tim Leibold (Memo Rodriguez 57'); Jacob Bartlett, Zorhan Bassong, Manu Garcia; Shapi Suleymanov (Daniel Salloi 58'), Dejan Joveljic (Mason Toye 73'), Erik Thommy (C) (Santiago Munoz 87')
Subs Not Used: Ryan Schewe, Andrew Brody, Stephen Afrifa
Colorado Rapids: Nico Hansen; Keegan Rosenberry (C), Andreas Maxso, Chidozie Awaziem, Jackson Travis; Josh Atencio (Darren Yapi 73'), Connor Ronan, Calvin Harris (Kimani Stewart-Baynes 81'), Ted Ku-DiPietro (Cole Bassett 60'), Djordje Mihailovic; Rafael Navarro
Subs Not Used: Oliver Larraz, Wayne Frederick, Sam Bassett, Ian Murphy, Adam Beaudry, Kevin Cabral
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Dejan Joveljic 12 (Erik Thommy 4) 4'
SKC - Erik Thommy 4 (John Pulskamp 2) 53'
COL - Rafael Navarro 7 (penalty kick) 89'
Misconduct Summary:
SKC -- Joaquin Fernandez (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 17'
SKC -- Manu Garcia (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 48'
SKC -- Tim Leibold (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 52'
SKC -- Jacob Bartlett (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 64'
STAT | SKC | COL |
|---|---|---|
Shots | 5 | 25 |
Shots on Goal | 2 | 9 |
Saves | 8 | 0 |
Fouls | 15 | 7 |
Offsides | 0 | 1 |
Corner Kicks | 2 | 10 |
Referee: Filip Dujic
Assistant Referee: Adam Wienckowski
Assistant Referee: Felisha Mariscal
Fourth Official: Trevor Wiseman
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert
