As the cliche goes, all good things must come to an end.
Such was the case Wednesday night when Sporting Kansas City's long-standing unbeaten runs against the LA Galaxy were finally halted in a 2-0 defeat at Children's Mercy Park.
Manager Peter Vermes' side entered the fixture unbeaten in eight straight meetings with LA and owned an 11-game home unbeaten run in the regular season series. Both streaks were snapped as the Galaxy struck through Favio Alvarez and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the second half to claim their first victory in Kansas City since 2007, back when the then-Wizards played at Arrowhead Stadium.
Sporting's eight-game regular-season unbeaten run versus LA fell one short of tying the longest in club history against a single opponent. It fell two short of tying Sporting's 13-game home unbeaten streak versus Colorado, strung together from 2003-2015.
SPORTING KC: LONGEST UNBEATEN RUNS
VS. SINGLE OPPONENT (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
<strong>Matches</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<strong>Seasons</strong> |
9 |
Toronto FC |
2013-2018 (active) |
9 |
Colorado Rapids |
2009-2015 |
9 |
Tampa Bay Mutiny |
1998-2001 |
<strong>8</strong> |
<strong>LA Galaxy</strong> |
<strong>2015-2018</strong> |
7 |
D.C. United |
2011-2013 |
7 |
Toronto FC |
2010-2012 |
7 |
LA Galaxy |
2003-2005 |
7 |
New England Revolution |
2005-2007 |
7 |
New England Revolution |
2000-2003 |
SPORTING KC: LONGEST HOME UNBEATEN RUNS
VS. SINGLE OPPONENT (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
<strong>Matches</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<strong>Seasons</strong> |
13 |
Colorado Rapids |
2003-2015 |
11 |
LA Galaxy |
2008-2018 |
10 |
FC Dallas |
2000-2006 |
9 |
D.C. United |
2007-2013 |
From the Galaxy's perspective, one of the club's longest barren stretches finally ended. Their eight-game winless skid against Sporting was one shy of tying the team record for the longest draught against a single opponent. New England and New York both went nine unbeaten versus LA in the mid-2000s.
LA also managed to avoid a 12th straight trip to Kansas City without a win, which would have equaled their club record for longest road winless skid against a single opponent. The Galaxy went 12 regular season games without a win in Colorado from 2003-2009.
LA GALAXY: LONGEST WINLESS DROUGHTS
VS. SINGLE OPPONENT (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
<strong>Matches</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<strong>Seasons</strong> |
9 |
New England Revolution |
2004-2008 |
9 |
New York Red Bulls |
2003-2006 |
<strong>8</strong> |
<strong>Sporting KC</strong> |
<strong>2015-2018</strong> |
7 |
Columbus Crew SC |
2004-2007 |
7 |
Sporting KC |
2003-2005 |
7 |
FC Dallas |
2000-2002 |
LA GALAXY: LONGEST WINLESS DROUGHTS
VS. SINGLE OPPONENT (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
<strong>Matches</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<strong>Seasons</strong> |
12 |
Colorado Rapids |
2003-2009 |
<strong>11</strong> |
<strong>Sporting KC</strong> |
<strong>2008-2018</strong> |
10 |
FC Dallas |
1998-2003 |
10 |
New York Red Bulls |
2001-2008 |
9 |
New England Revolution |
2000-2008 |
With a three-game homestand in the books, Sporting will now embark on a four-match road swing in MLS that spans the entire month of June.
The daunting stretch begins Saturday with a visit to rivals Houston Dynamo (7-3-2, 23 points) at BBVA Compass Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT with live coverage on FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports GO, Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM.
