Sporting Park | Kansas City, Kan.
Attendance: 19,579 (sold out)
Weather: 91 degrees and clear
<strong>Score</strong> |
<strong>1</strong> |
<strong>2</strong> |
<strong>F</strong> |
<p>Sporting KC (12-9-6, 42 pts)</p> |
<p>1</p> |
<p>1</p> |
<p>2</p> |
<p>Colorado Rapids (10-8-9, 39 pts)</p> |
<p>0</p> |
<p>1</p> |
<p>1</p> |
Sporting Kansas City: Jimmy Nielsen (c); Chance Myers, Aurelien Collin, Matt Besler, Seth Sinovic; Oriol Rosell, Paulo Nagamura, Benny Feilhaber (Kei Kamara 84); Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer (Teal Bunbury 74), Soony Saad (C.J. Sapong 79)
Subs not used: Eric Kronberg, Josh Gardner, Ike Opara, Claudio Bieler
Colorado Rapids: Clint Irwin; Chris Klute, Drew Moor (c), Shane O'Neill, Marvell Wynne; Hendry Thomas, Dillon Powers, Deshorn Brown (Edson Buddle 70), Nathan Sturgis (Martin Rivero 57), Vicente Sanchez (Atiba Harris 80); Gabriel Torres
Subs not used: Brenton Griffiths, Nick LaBrocca, Matt Pickens, German Mera
<p>Stats</p> |
<strong>KC</strong> |
<strong>COL</strong> |
<p>Shots</p> |
<p>15</p> |
<p>10</p> |
<p>Shots on Goal</p> |
<p>3</p> |
<p>5</p> |
<p>Saves</p> |
<p>4</p> |
<p>1</p> |
<p>Fouls</p> |
<p>17</p> |
<p>15</p> |
<p>Offsides</p> |
<p>1</p> |
<p>1</p> |
<p>Corner Kicks</p> |
<p>3</p> |
<p>1</p> |
Misconduct Summary:
COL — Hendry Thomas (caution; persistent infringment)65
KC — Oriol Rosell (caution; reckless foul) 70
COL — Drew Moor (caution; tactical foul) 91+
Scoring Summary:
KC — Benny Feilhaber 3 (Dom Dwyer 1) 33
COL — Edson Buddle 4 (unassisted) 77
KC — Graham Zusi 5 (C.J. Sapong 2, Chance Myers 2) 88
Sporting Kansas City moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night at Sporting Park. Benny Feilhaber and Graham Zusi tallied in the first and second half, respectively, as Sporting KC earned three points in front of the 30th consecutive sellout at Sporting Park.
With the win, Sporting KC improved to 12-9-6 (42 points) and pulled level with the Montreal Impact and New York Red Bulls atop the Eastern Conference. Sporting KC also moved six points back of Western Conference leader Real Salt Lake in the race for the Supporters’ Shield.
Feilhaber’s strike in the 33rd minute was his third goal of the year and second in as many home matches. Dom Dwyer earned his first career assist on the goal in his first MLS start. The second-year striker slid toward a loose ball and poked it to an open Feilhaber. The U.S. international took one touch and with the outside of his right foot curled a 30-yard shot past Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin.
Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen tied his season high with four saves including two on rookie forward Deshorn Brown in the first half. In the 22nd minute, Brown received a long ball over the Sporting KC defense and found himself one-on-one with Nielsen. The veteran goalkeeper came off his line and dove to his left to snatch Brown’s header out of the air.
Brown was in the thick of the action again when he beat Sporting KC’s offside trap in the 45th minute. Nielsen tipped away the rookie’s attempt, however, to keep the visitors off the board. On the ensuing corner kick, Hendry Thomas headed the Dillon Powers set piece off the crossbar and after a scrum in the box, the ball was knocked out for a goal kick.
Colorado found their equalizer in the 77th minute when Edson Buddle’s volley hit off Sporting KC defender Matt Besler and ricocheted past Nielsen.
The home side continued to press and found the eventual game winner in the 88th minute. Oriol Rosell’s long ball found Chance Myers streaking down the right flank. The veteran defender one-timed his cross to the back post and C.J. Sapong alertly headed the ball back toward the middle of the box. Zusi struck quickly and slid the ball under a diving Irwin to give Sporting KC the full three points.
Sporting KC returns to action next Saturday when they host the Columbus Crew at Sporting Park. Limited tickets are available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com.
