Sunday's scoreless draw between Sporting Kansas City and Columbus Crew SC at scorching Children's Mercy Park left a bitter taste in the mouth of goalkeeper Tim Melia, who after the game expressed feelings that two valuable points had been dropped on home soil.
"All in all, we’re not happy with the result," Melia said. "We want to win at home, but we got a shutout. We’ve got to move on, look at this game and learn from it."
While Melia's disappointment is understandable — Sporting KC played the entire second half up a man after Crew SC's Federico Higuain received a straight red card on the stroke of intermission — the result could easily have been worse if not for the goalkeeper's heroics in the 43rd minute.
When referee Robert Sibiga awarded Columbus a penalty kick in the 43rd minute, forward Gyasi Zardes stepped to the spot with hopes of bagging a league-leading ninth goal of the season. Melia, of course, had different ideas, and sprawled low to his left to make the pivotal save and keep Crew SC off the scoresheet.
Melia's penalty save marked the continuation of his stellar performance between the posts since the start of 2017. The reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year has now saved four penalties in MLS regular season play over the last two seasons, more than any other keeper. Perhaps more impressively, Melia has stopped four of the six penalties he has faced since the start of 2017.
TIM MELIA: PENALTIES FACED SINCE 2017
(MLS REGULAR SEASON)
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<strong>PK Taker</strong> |
<strong>Outcome</strong> |
<strong>Result</strong> |
03/04/2017 |
at D.C. United |
Marcelo Sarvas |
Save |
T 0-0 |
04/09/2017 |
vs. Colorado Rapids |
Kevin Doyle |
Goal |
W 3-1 |
05/20/2017 |
at Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
Fredy Montero |
Save |
L 0-2 |
07/01/2017 |
vs. Portland Timbers |
Diego Valeri |
Save |
T 1-1 |
07/06/2017 |
vs. Philadelphia Union |
Roland Alberg |
Goal |
T 1-1 |
05/27/2018 |
vs. Columbus Crew SC |
Gyasi Zardes |
Save |
T 0-0 |
MOST PENALTIES SAVED SINCE 2017
(MLS REGULAR SEASON)
<strong>Goalkeeper</strong> |
<strong>Club</strong> |
<b>Saved</b> |
<strong>Faced</strong> |
Tim Melia |
Sporting KC |
4 |
6 |
Zack Steffen |
Columbus Crew SC |
3 |
7 |
Nick Rimando |
Real Salt Lake |
3 |
7 |
Jon Kempin |
Columbus Crew SC |
2 |
2 |
Andrew Tarbell |
San Jose Earthquakes |
2 |
3 |
Tyler Miller |
LAFC |
2 |
5 |
Alex Bono |
Toronto FC |
2 |
6 |
Evan Bush |
Montreal Impact |
2 |
9 |
Bobby Shuttleworth |
Minnesota United FC |
2 |
10 |
Melia's 43rd-minute intervention ultimately allowed Sporting KC to record its sixth clean sheet in nine games. After leaking nine goals through their first four matches of 2018, Manager Peter Vermes' men have returned to their typically stingy ways with just four goals allowed since March 31 — three fewer than any other team.
Sunday's contest arguably featured the best two defensive sides in MLS. Sporting KC and Crew SC are the only teams averaging less than a goal allowed per game since March 31. Columbus goalkeeper Zack Steffen leads the league with seven shutouts, while Melia is just behind him with six. On a related note, Steffen set a pair of regular-season club records Sunday by extending his shutout streak to five straight games and 495 total minutes.
SHUTOUTS AND GOALS CONCEDED SINCE MARCH 31
(MLS REGULAR SEASON)
<strong>Club</strong> |
<strong>Shutouts</strong> |
<strong>Goals<br>
Conceded</strong> |
<strong>Games<br>
Played</strong> |
Sporting KC |
6 |
4 |
9 |
Columbus Crew SC |
5 |
7 |
10 |
FC Dallas |
3 |
9 |
8 |
Atlanta United FC |
3 |
10 |
9 |
Portland Timbers |
3 |
10 |
8 |
New England Revolution |
3 |
13 |
9 |
LA Galaxy |
3 |
16 |
9 |
LAFC |
3 |
18 |
10 |
Two stifling defenses and temperatures in the mid-90s may have contributed to the cagey and goalless nature of Sunday's stalemate, but the 20,697 fans in attendance were brought to their feet in the 87th minute when Vermes made a notable substitution.
Midfielder Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal, who was making his first-ever appearance in Sporting KC's matchday 18, earned his MLS and club debut as Roger Espinoza's replacement. In doing so, Kuzain became the eighth-youngest player to feature for Sporting KC in the MLS regular season and the second-youngest Homegrown Player to debut for the side.
YOUNGEST SPORTING KC PLAYERS
(MLS REGULAR SEASON, ALL-TIME)
<strong>Player</strong> |
<strong>Age</strong> |
<strong>Debut Date</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<strong>Result</strong> |
Erik Palmer-Brown |
17 years, 24 days |
05/18/2014 |
at Chicago Fire |
L 1-2 |
Nino da Silva |
18 years, 158 days |
08/31/1997 |
at D.C. United |
L 0-2 |
Yura Movsisyan |
18 years, 311 days |
05/13/2006 |
at D.C. United |
L 1-2 |
Soony Saad |
19 years, 0 days |
08/17/2011 |
vs. Portland Timbers |
W 3-1 |
Jake Dancy |
19 years, 137 days |
08/24/1997 |
at San Jose Earthquakes |
T 2-2 |
Jose Burciaga |
19 years, 184 days |
05/19/2001 |
at Chicago Fire |
L 0-2 |
Jimmy Medranda |
19 years, 212 days |
09/07/2013 |
vs. Columbus Crew SC |
W 3-0 |
<strong><em>Kuzain</em></strong> |
<strong><em>19 years, 255 days</em></strong> |
<strong><em>05/27/2018</em></strong> |
<strong><em>vs. Columbus Crew SC</em></strong> |
<strong><em>T 0-0</em></strong> |
Igor Juliao |
19 years, 264 days |
05/14/2014 |
vs. Philadelphia Union |
L 1-2 |
Teal Bunbury |
20 years, 28 days |
03/27/2010 |
vs. D.C. United |
W 4-0 |
AGES OF SPORTING KC HOMEGROWN PLAYERS
TO MAKE MLS REGULAR SEASON DEBUTS
<strong>Player</strong> |
<strong>Age</strong> |
<strong>Debut Date</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<strong>Result</strong> |
Erik Palmer-Brown |
17 years, 24 days |
05/18/2014 |
at Chicago Fire |
L 1-2 |
<strong><em>Kuzain</em></strong> |
<strong><em>19 years, 255 days</em></strong> |
<strong><em>05/27/2018</em></strong> |
<strong><em>vs. Columbus Crew SC</em></strong> |
<strong><em>T 0-0</em></strong> |
Daniel Salloi |
20 years, 264 days |
04/09/2017 |
vs. Colorado Rapids |
W 3-1 |
Jon Kempin |
21 years, 144 days |
08/10/2014 |
at Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
L 0-2 |
Kevin Ellis |
21 years, 364 days |
06/29/2013 |
vs. Columbus Crew SC |
W 3-2 |
Kuzain, a product of the Sporting KC Academy and the ninth Homegrown Player in club history, signed an MLS contract with Sporting KC in April. The holding midfielder, who has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Malaysia, is the first Sporting KC Homegrown signing to progress from the Sporting KC Academy to the Swope Park Rangers to the senior team.
Sporting KC will return to action next Sunday at Children’s Mercy Park for their second straight nationally televised clash on FS1. Minnesota United FC will visit Kansas City in the second meeting between the clubs in three weeks. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT and tickets for the game are available via SeatGeek.com.
