Sporting Kansas City (7-20-6, 27 points) suffered a 3-0 road loss at second-place Minnesota United FC (16-7-10, 58 points) on Saturday night at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota. Loons defender Anthony Markanich bagged a brace and playmaker Joaquin Pereyra struck in the second half as Kansas City slipped to a fifth straight defeat in the club’s final away match of the season.
Sporting will conclude the 2025 campaign on Saturday, Oct. 18, by hosting Houston Dynamo FC on Fan Appreciation Night at Children’s Mercy Park. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. CT with tickets available at SeatGeek and live coverage on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.
Sporting’s starting lineup featured three changes from last weekend as the team shifted into a 3-5-2 formation, deploying a three-man backline for the first time since June 22, 2024. Defender Robert Voloder replaced Khiry Shelton, while Nemanja Radoja and Jake Davis earned midfield spots in place of Stephen Afrifa and Daniel Salloi. Nine of Kansas City’s starters were 26 or younger—including 17-year-old Academy product and Minnesota native Ian James—and standout striker Dejan Joveljic hit a major milestone with his 250th professional club appearance. Joveljic also donned the captain’s armband for the first time as a Sporting player, having arrived as a marquee addition ahead of the 2025 campaign.
Goalkeeper John Pulskamp—the only Sporting player to feature in all 35 competitive matches this season—was prompted to make his first of three saves in the seventh minute, dropping low to cast aside Pereyra’s 22-yard piledriver. Five minutes later, the visitors threatened at the opposite end with James rising to nod Zorhan Bassong’s probing cross wide of the target.
Minnesota entered the weekend with an MLS-best 19 goals from set pieces and added to their impressive total in the 25th minute. Pereyra’s free kick delivery from the right channel was met by an unmarked Markanich, whose six-yard header could only be touched into the side netting by a hapless Pulskamp. The Loons thought they had doubled their lead shortly thereafter, but Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s deft redirected finish off a Robin Lod shot was rightly ruled offside.
Sporting’s clearest chance came two minutes before halftime when Joveljic did brilliantly to touch a ball in behind for fellow Mason Toye, but the former Minnesota striker was thwarted on the doorstep by Loons goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and the hosts went to intermission up 1-0.
Davis denied Lod a goal in the 52nd minute by producing a heroic goal line clearance after the Minnesota veteran had exploited a pocket of space and dinked a shot past Pulskamp at a tight angle on the right side of the penalty area. The Loons landed another haymaker nine minutes later, however, when a costly Kansas City giveaway led to a Minnesota counter. Pulskamp saved Lod’s initial attempt, but Pereyra was on hand to slam home the rebound for his fifth goal of the year.
Minnesota added a third and final tally on 63 minutes. Pulskamp made a superb save on Morris Duggan’s powerful header, but the hosts retained possession and Markanich conjured a towering header of his own off Nectarios Triantis’ cross for his ninth goal of the season.
Sporting continued to search for a goal of their own and nearly had it in the 68th minute. Joveljic had a clean look that was blocked at the top of the box before Nemanja Radoja’s venomous 20-yard blast rattled the woodwork. Not long later, Joveljic sent a curling shot inches wide and Sporting center back Alan Montes did well to block a close-range volley from Pereyra.
2025 MLS Regular Season | Match 33
Allianz Field | St. Paul, Minnesota
Attendance: 19,784
Weather: 80 degrees and clear
Score | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
Sporting Kansas City (7-20-6, 27 points) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Minnesota United FC (16-7-10, 58 points) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Sporting Kansas City: John Pulskamp; Ian James, Alan Montes, Robert Voloder; Jake Davis, Memo Rodriguez (Erik Thommy 64'), Nemanja Radoja (Santi Munoz 74'), Zorhan Bassong (Jacob Bartlett 88'), Logan Ndenbe (Tim Leibold 74'); Mason Toye (Daniel Salloi 75'), Dejan Joveljic (C)
Subs Not Used: Ryan Schewe, Jansen Miller, Khiry Shelton, Stephen Afrifa
Minnesota United FC: Dayne St. Clair; Jefferson Diaz, Morris Duggan, Michael Boxall (C), Anthony Markanich (Nicolas Romero 75'); Bongokuhle Hlongwane (Julian Gressel 86'), Nectarios Triantis (Dominik Fitz 82'), Wil Trapp (Hassani Dotson 81'), Joseph Rosales; Robin Lod (Owen Gene 81'), Joaquin Pereyra
Subs Not Used: Alec Smir, Alisa Randell, Kieran Chandler, Mamadou Dieng
Scoring Summary:
MIN -- Anthony Markanich 8 (Joaquin Pereyra 11) 25'
MIN -- Joaquin Pereyra 5 (unassisted) 59'
MIN -- Anthony Markanich 9 (Nectarios Triantis 2) 63'
Misconduct Summary:
SKC -- Zorhan Bassong (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 53'
SKC -- Jake Davis (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 90'
STAT | SKC | MIN |
|---|---|---|
Shots | 8 | 14 |
Shots on Goal | 3 | 7 |
Saves | 3 | 3 |
Fouls | 15 | 10 |
Offsides | 3 | 4 |
Corner Kicks | 3 | 3 |
Referee: Natalie Simon
Assistant Referee: Jeremy Kieso
Assistant Referee: Ian McKay
Fourth Official: Sergii Demianchuk
VAR: Kevin Stott
AVAR: John Krill
