Sporting KC prevails 2-0 over D.C. United

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex | Kissimmee, F.L.
Weather: 80 degrees, rainy

Lineups:

SKC: Eric Kronberg; Mechack Jerome* (Josh Gardner 75), Ike Opara (Lawrence Olum 75), Matt Besler (Yann Songo'o 75), Seth Sinovic (Kevin Ellis 75), Oriol Rosell (Michael Thomas 75), Benny Feilhaber (Peterson Joseph 59), Paulo Nagamura(Christian Duke* 75), C.J. Sapong (Adama Mbengue 75), Claudio Bieler (Dom Dwyer 59), Bobby Convey (Soony Saad 75)

DC – Bill Hamid (Dykstra 59); Chris Korb (Robbie Russell 31), Brandon McDonald (Kalungi* 46), Dejan Jakovic (Shavar Thomas* 46), Daniel Woolard (Jan Fredericksen* 31); Nick DeLeon (Marcos Sanchez* 37), Marcelo Saragosa (Lewis Neal 46; Lance Rozeboom 81), Perry Kitchen (Joseph Nane* 31;Conor Shanosky 83), Chris Pontius (Kyle Porter* 31); Dwayne De Rosario (Walter Martinez* 31; Ryan Richter* 68), Lionard Pajoy (Michael Seaton 31; Rafael 62)

* - Guest/Trialist Player
** - Supplemental Draft Pick

Misconduct Summary:
KC - Oriol Rosell (Caution - tactical foul) 67

Scoring Summary:
KC - Bobby Convey (Paulo Nagamura) 74
KC - Soony Saad (Peterson Joseph) 81

Sporting KC earned a 2-0 victory over D.C. United at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on Wednesday night, marking their first win in the 2013 Disney Pro Soccer Classic. Both teams are now 1-1-0 in the tournament with one match left to play in the group phase. Montreal, D.C., and Sporting KC could all finish in first place of Group B depending on the results of the final set of group stage matches.

The majority of the first half was played in the middle third of the field with neither team having a good chance to snag the lead but Sporting KC dominating possession. Sporting KC earned the first look on goal after Chris Pontius committed a foul in the fifth minute of play. Bobby Convey stood over the free kick from 25 yards out and crossed the ball into the six-yard box but C.J. Sapong couldn't put the header on frame.

D.C. United responded in the 12th minute with a through ball from Lionard Pajoy to Marcelo Saragosa that crept behind the Sporting Kansas City backline, but the play was whistled dead for offside. 

Sporting Kansas City’s Ike Opara, who was picked up in an offseason trade with the San Jose Earthquakes, connected with new Designated Player Claudio Bieler, who was lingering just below D.C. United’s last line of defense. Bieler  flicked the ball to Sapong on the overlap on the right hand side of the field but D.C. defenders were able to break up the play in the 15th minute. One minute later, D.C. United was on the counter, and it was Opara who stepped in to deny Pontius the ability to turn inside the 18-yard box.

A few minutes later Pajoy found himself isolated in the final third with just Matt Besler to beat. Besler’s patience allowed Opara to recover and the two Sporting KC defenders were able to channel a poor touch into the arms of veteran goalkeeper Eric Kronberg.

Sporting Kansas City saw a series of opportunities to end the first half. Oriol Rosell knocked a well-paced ball to Convey darting down the left flank before the ball was deflected out for a corner kick. Two minutes later it was Convey again, this time on the right wing as he backheeled the ball to Mechack Jerome. D.C. United was able to interrupt the possession but the clearance landed in the path of Besler, whose effort sailed just high.

Contrary to the end of the first half, D.C. United forced the first scoring opportunity of the second half in the 48th minute. Robbie Russell whipped the ball into the mix, Kronberg got behind it and Sporting Kansas City defenders were able to clear the rebound out of danger before D.C. could capitalize.

Twenty minutes later, D.C. almost caught Sporting KC on the transition before  Rosell made a sliding tackle around midfield. Rosell earned a yellow card on the play but was able to eliminate the counterattack threat.

Bobby Convey opened the scoring in the rain-soaked match in the 74th minute. Paulo Nagamura played Convey just outside the left goal post. Convey took his first touch inside towards goal before striking the ball over the head of Bill Hamid with a right-footed shot.

In the 81st minute Soony Saad doubled the lead with his second goal of the preseason. Haitian midfielder Peterson Joseph slotted the ball to Saad, who calmly placed it past Hamid and into the back of the net. D.C. United’s young Designated Player Rafael almost pulled one back with a powerful strike in the 88th minute but was just wide of goal.

Both teams will continue their preseason on Saturday, Feb. 16 as D.C. United will take on the Montreal Impact at 12 p.m. CT.  Sporting KC will face the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League at 7 p.m. CT.

Sporting Kansas City’s match will be streamed live online at SportingKC.com/live.