Recap: Sporting KC improves playoff positioning with scoreless draw at New York

Red Bull Arena | Harrison, N.J.
Attendance: 25,219
Weather: Clear and 63 degrees
Video: 
Match Highlights

Sporting Kansas City:
 Jimmy Nielsen©; Seth Sinovic, Matt Besler, Aurelien Collin, Chance Myers; Julio Cesar, Paulo Nagamura, Graham Zusi (Bobby Convey 88); Jacob Peterson (Lawrence Olum 79), Kei Kamara, C.J. Sapong
Subs not used: 
Eric Kronberg, Michael Harrington, Oriol Rosell, Peterson Joseph, Dom Dwyer
New York Red Bulls:
 Luis Robles; Connor Lade, Markus Holgersson, Rafa Marquez, Heath Pearce; Dax McCarty, Teemu Tainio, Tim Cahill, Lloyd Sam (Joel Lindpere 77); Kenny Cooper, Thierry Henry©
Subs not used: 
Bill Gaudette, Stephen Keel, Tyler Ruthven, Sebastien Le Toux, Jan Gunnar Solli, Roy Miller

Misconduct Summary:
NY – Markus Holgersson (caution; reckless tackle) 38
NY – Thierry Henry (caution; dissent) 44
KC – Kei Kamara (caution; reckless foul) 54
NY – Lloyd Sam (caution; reckless foul) 70
Scoring Summary:
None


(October 20, 2012) – Following a scoreless draw at the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, Sporting Kansas City maintains a three-point lead atop the Eastern Conference entering the final match of the regular season. Sporting KC has secured home field advantage in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and can now clinch theconference’s top seed and the No. 2 overall seed in the MLS Cup Playoffs with a draw or win against the Philadelphia Union at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday at LIVE
STRONG
 Sporting Park.
Jimmy Nielsen made five saves for his 15th shutout of the season, second most in a singleseason in MLS history, and the team held New York’s high-powered offense scoreless for the second time this year at Red Bull Arena.
Saturday’s road result sees Sporting Kansas City become the sixth team in MLS history to earn 60 points in a single season, setting a new club record, and the club extended its MLS-best unbeaten streak to 11 matches with the draw.


New York opened the match strong, eager to respond a month after suffering their first home loss of the season in a 2-0 defeat to Sporting Kansas City at Red Bull Arena, but it was Sporting Kansas City with the first chance of the match. C.J. Sapong beat goalkeeper Luis Robles to a through ball from JacobPeterson in the 18th minute, but Robles recovered to tip the cross away from danger.
The Red Bulls were on the attack two minutes later, instigated by a corner kick from Thierry Henry. The ball found its way to the feet of Tim Cahill, who took a close-range shot but was denied by Nielsen.
Minutes later, Dax McCarty took a driving shot from distance that was knocked out expertly by Nielsen. Kenny Cooper pounced on the rebound and sent his tightly-angled shot high of the goal.
The Red Bulls were back at it in the 41st minute when Cahill directed a header to Cooper. The striker hit the ball on target and Nielsen parried it over the crossbar to keep the teams level entering at the half.
New York’s mission for three points was evident in the opening minutes of the second half, notably in the 50th minute when Lloyd Sam made a run at Sporting KC’s backline. He chipped the ball to Cooper in the box, forcing Nielsen to make another valiant save on the header. 




The pressure from the home side continued as Cahill slid the ball across the box for Thierry Henry, whose attempt on goal was blocked by the fervently busy Nielsen.
In the 65th minute, New York nearly took the lead when Henry beat his marks and took a shot from close-range that was initially blocked by Nielsen and collected again by the former Barcelona man. He sent a dangerous ball across the goalmouth where Matt Besler smartly intervened.




In the 86th minute, Sporting Kansas City fired back with a chance of their own when Graham Zusi sent in a swinging cross to the wide-open Kei Kamara at the far post.  The Sierra Leone international placed his attempt low and on frame, but the effort was blocked by Robles. 




Nielsen made his final save of the match in the 88th minute as McCarty tested him with a low, driving shot after playing off of Cahill at the top of the area.
Sporting Kansas City returns home to host Philadelphia in the regular season finale on Wednesday with the opportunity to repeat as the East’s top team for the second consecutive season. The match will be shown locally on KSMO-TV and nationally broadcast on the NBC Sports Network (blacked out in Kansas City).
A limited number of tickets are available for the match and can be purchased 
online at Ticketmaster.com
 or at the LSP Box Offices. During the player introductions, 18 current Season Ticket Members will be randomly selected and matched with a Sporting KC player on the gameday roster to receive their game-worn uniform. All fans can also take advantage of a sale at Sporting Style for buy one jersey, get one jersey 50% off at all merchandise locations inside the stadium.
Additionally, Sporting Kansas City has partnered with Harvesters Community Food Network to co-host a food drive at the match. Collection barrels will be located at all LSP entrances and ticket holders that donate five or more canned food itemswill be entered in a raffle. Five winners will be randomly selected to takepart in a post-game meet and greet with a Sporting KC player on the field after the match.
FAST FACTS:

• Sporting Kansas City is now 17-7-9 on the season and remains in first place in the Eastern Conference with 60 points, three points ahead of second place D.C. United.
• With the draw, Sporting Kansas City secured one of the top two spots in the Eastern Conference for the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs.
• With a win or draw against the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday, Sporting Kansas City would clinch the Eastern Conference title.
• If Sporting Kansas City loses on Wednesday, they could still clinch the Eastern Conference title pending the result between D.C. United and Chicago on Oct. 27. If D.C. United lose or draw, Sporting Kansas City would win the Eastern Conference title despite a loss on Wednesday.
• Sporting Kansas City finished in first place in the Eastern Conference last season. The club has never finished in first place in their conference in back-to-back seasons.
• Sporting Kansas City is 71-131-62 all-time on the road and 211-206-109 in the regular season all-time.
• Sporting KC has earned the most ties in MLS history among all teams (108).
• Sporting Kansas City went undefeated against New York this season with a 1-0-2 record.
• Sporting Kansas City is 18-17-11against the New York Red Bulls all-time and 4-10-8 on the road against the Red Bulls.
• With the draw, Sporting Kansas City is now unbeaten in 11 straight matches.
• The streak is the longest active unbeaten streak in MLS currently and is the longest undefeated streak by an MLS team this season.
• Saturday’s match marks the first time Sporting KC has been outshot by their opponents in their last 14 games. The last time Sporting KC was outshot was in a 2-0 win at Columbus on July 14th.
• Sporting Kansas City has been outshot by their opponent in only six out of 33 matches in 2012.
• Sporting Kansas City is 2-1-3 when outshot by an opponent in 2012.
• Sporting KC earned 29 points on the road this season, a new club record, with an 8-4-5 record.
• The team’s .618 winning percentage away from home is the second best mark in MLS this season.
• Since 2000, only three MLS teams have earned more than 29 points on the road in a single season.
• Sporting Kansas City’s 60 points are the second most in MLS, four points fewer than the San Jose Earthquakes, and are the most for the team in a single season in club history.
• Sporting KC becomes only the sixth team in MLS history to earn 60 points in a season.
• Sporting KC is averaging 1.82 points per game in 2012, also second-best behind San Jose.
• Sporting Kansas City’s .651 winning percentage is on pace to match thebest mark in team history in the non-shootout era.
• Sporting KC has the most wins (17) and best goal differential (+14) of all teams in the EasternConference this season.
• Sporting Kansas City is 7-2-7 when tied at the half.
• Sporting Kansas City is 3-1-2 when wearing dark indigo.
• Sporting Kansas City is 11-0-4 when allowing zero goals this season.
• Sporting Kansas City is 0-4-4 when scoring zero goals this season.
• Sporting Kansas City has allowed 26 goals in 33 MLS matches for a 0.79 goals against average, the best in MLS this season. 
• The team record for fewest goals allowed in a season is 29, set in 2000.
• Sporting Kansas City allowed only 15 goals on the road this season in 17 MLS matches, the fewest goals allowed in the East by a team on the road.
• The 15 road goals conceded matches the 2000 season for the fewest road goals conceded away from home in team history. The team played one additional road game in 2012 than the team played in 2000.
• Jimmy Nielsen set a new club record on Saturday for minutes played in a season with 2,970. The previous record of 2,915 was shared by Peter Vermes and Nick Garcia during the 2000 season.
• With the start, Nielsen has now started 33 MLS matches this season, a new club record.
• Nielsen is the only Sporting KC player to have played every minute for the club this season. Nielsen has played in 5,220 straight minutes of MLS action (including playoffs).
• Nielsen has started the most games, 33, and played the most minutes, 2,970, of any MLS player in 2012.
• Nielsen made five saves on Saturday, the second most he has recorded in a match this season.
• Nielsen’s 1.02 career goals against average in the regular season is the best mark in MLS history among goalkeepers with 4,000 minutes played.
• Jimmy Nielsen’s 1.09 career goals against average on the road is the best for a goalkeeper in MLS history with at least 2,000 minutes played on the road.
• Nielsen’s 0.79 goals against average this season is on pace to be the best mark in club history, surpassing Tony Meola’s 0.92 goals against average in 2000.
• The 0.79 goals against average is the best mark in MLS among goalkeepers who have played in more than 20 MLS matches this season.
• Among goalkeepers who have played in 75 percent of their team’s games in a season, only Nick Rimando (0.67 in 2010) had a lower goals against average than Nielsen’s 2012 average in MLS history.
• Nielsen’s 0.88 goals against average on the road this season is the sixth best in MLS history among goalkeepers with at least eight road games played.
• Nielsen leads MLS with 17 victories and 15 shutouts this season. Both are one shy of the MLS all-time record.
• Jimmy Nielsen’s 32 regular season shutouts are second most in MLS since 2010, trailing only Nick Rimando.
• SportingKC is 16-5-8 and has recorded 14 shutouts with Matt Besler in the starting lineup this season.
• Sporting KC has allowed only 21 goals with Besler on the field in 2012 for a 0.71 goals against average in his 2,679 minutes played.
• Sporting KC has a 1-1-1 record and 1.67 goals against average in the three matches that Besler has missed in 2012.
• Besler is the highest ranked defender in the MLS Castrol Index (26).
• Sporting KC is 8-2-4 against teams in playoff position with Besler in the starting lineup and had allowed 10 goals against those teams in 1,329 minutes with Besler on the field for a 0.68 goals against average.
• Sporting Kansas City is 9-2-6 when the temperature is below 75 degrees at kickoff in 2012.
• Sporting Kansas City is 6-1-2 in the Eastern time zone this season.
• Sporting Kansas City is 11-5-7 against the Eastern Conference this season.
• Sporting Kansas City is 14-6-8 on grass surfaces this season.
• Sporting Kansas City leads MLS with 529 shots this season and has allowed the fewest shots against (317). 
• Sporting KC has allowed the fewest shots on goal (99) in MLS this season.
• Sporting Kansas City’s six shots in Saturday’s game was a season low, but extends the new team record for most shots in a single-season to 529 shots. The previous mark was 514 in 1996.
• The club has led MLS in shots in five of the past seven seasons, finishing first in shots in 2006 (408), 2007 (420), 2010 (393) and 2011 (488).
• Sporting Kansas City leads MLS in all-time shots taken with 7,178.
• Sporting Kansas City's one shot on goal on Saturday was also a season low.
• Zusi leads MLS with 147 corner kicks this season and Sporting Kansas City leads MLS with 196. Both marks are single season records for the club.
• Kei Kamara now leads MLS with 132 shots this season.
• Kamara has the second most shots in a single-season by a KC player, behind only Preki (140), and third most in a single-season in MLS history behind Preki (140) and MamadouDiallo (152).
• The last time an MLS player attempted more than 132 shots in a season was in 2000 (Mamadou Diallo).
• Kamara is second in MLS with 49 shots on goal this season and on Saturday, he broke a tie with Vitalis Takawira's 1996 campaign for the second most in a single season in club history.
• Sporting Kansas City made two subs on Sunday and has a record of 4-2-3 when making two subs in 2012.
• Sporting Kansas City has gone 62 consecutive MLS matches (including playoffs) without conceding a goal on a corner kick, dating back to May 21, 2011 at Seattle.
• The New York Red Bulls have scored the most goals in the Eastern Conference this season but were shutout for the sixth time this season.
• New York was held scoreless at home for only the third time this season, twice coming against Sporting Kansas City. 
• Peter Vermes is 46-36-30 in MLS competition (including playoffs).The .545 winning percentage is the best winning percentage of any coach in club history.
• Roger Espinoza missed Saturday’s match with a left ankle injury, sustained in second half stoppage time against the Columbus Crew.
• Bobby Convey entered the match as a second half substitute for Sporting KC on Saturday, earning his first minute since August 4th. He missed the team's last eight matches due to injury.
• Matt Besler surpassed 9,000 MLS minutes played (including playoffs) in his career in Saturday’s match.
• With the start on Saturday, Besler has now started 100 MLS matches (including playoffs). Besler is the second active Sporting KC player, along with Michael Harrington, to do so in his KC career.
• Chance Myers surpassed 6,000 minutes played during the regular season in Saturday’s match.
• Sporting Kansas City is 23-2-8 all-time with the backline of Chance Myers, Seth Sinovic, Matt Besler and Aurelien Collin starting in defense in all competition.