Recap: SKC II claims two points in snowy showdown with Rapids 2

Sporting Kansas City II (0-2-1, 2 points) picked up their first two points of 2026 in a cold, blustery shootout win over Colorado Rapids 2 (0-2-1, 1 points) on Sunday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. 

Shane Donovan and Johann Ortiz opened their scoring accounts for the season as SKC II came from behind twice to force kicks from the spot. Molinaro denied all three Rapids 2 shooters while all three of SKC II's takers made theirs.

Head coach Lee Tschantret, who earned his first MLS NEXT Pro points, slotted Molinaro back in net for a third straight game. Nate Young made his first professional start alongside Pierre Lurot, Mitch Ferguson and Zane Wantland on the back line. Ortiz began the match with Gael Quintero and Carter Derksen in midfield and Donovan started up top opposite Missael Rodriguez and behind Tega Ikoba in the middle.

The game started off slow as the snow began to fall onto the pitch. Colorado controlled the tempo early on, playing methodically out of the back. Molinaro made his first save of the night, boxing the ball over the bar with an outstretched arm. 

The snow picked up and blanketed the field, forcing the referee to bring out the yellow winter weather ball. 

The ref booked Derksen in the 31st and Quintero in the 35th after a pair of fouls in the midfield. Colorado found the opener in the 38th after a Kimani Stewart-Baynes cross connected with Donavan Phillip and was headed off the grass and into the back of the net. 

Molinaro made a second save, securing a screamer against his chest in stoppage time. On the other side of the half, SKC II brought it to Colorado early on, leading to a pair of actions from Zack Campagnolo. The first was a lofted cross that ricocheted off Colorado and forced Campagnolo into a diving save to his left. 

The ensuing corner fell to Derksen, was hammered on target and somehow turned aside by the Rapids 2 keeper. SKC II would find the equalizer in the 54th after turning over Rapids 2 near midfield. Missael Rodriguez sprung Donovan into the final third where the winger snuck the ball past Campagnolo and evened the contest up at one.

Ikoba looked to get the visitors out in front but was unable to get enough behind the shot to beat the keeper. Phillip put the hosts back on top in the 58th minute with another headed goal, redirecting a corner kick off the foot of Chris Aquino. 

Ferguson tried his luck from long range, sending an effort into the arms of Campagnolo. Ikoba drew a foul on Ian Murphy in the 67th after beating the defender with a nice turn. Murphy received a yellow card for the action. Kashan Hines came on as SKC II's first substitute in the 69th, replacing Ikoba.

Murphy immediately got his marching orders four minutes later when he denied SKC II an obvious goal scoring opportunity. With the man advantage, the guests launched an onslaught of attacks. Donovan saw a shot blocked by the keeper right before Derksen rattled the crossbar with a rip from beyond the box. The shot drifted out of bounds and the corner was cleared by Rapids 2.

Zamir Loyo Reynaga made an appearance, taking off Quintero in the 76th. Again, Donovan nearly tied the game, and again Campagnolo came up clutch for Colorado, denying the SKC Academy product. Chaos broke out in the 81st after Rodriguez was dragged down in the area. After four minutes of conversations Ortiz stepped up and buried the kick to level the score again.

Rodriguez almost put a third for SKC II past the net minder with an ambitious strike that deflected off the corner of the bar and away from the goal. Tschantret made his final change in the 90th, bringing on Tomiwa Adewumi for Ortiz. The substitute almost made an immediate impact by getting a touch on a Lurot centering pass and redirecting it goalward where Campagnolo made yet another pressure save.

Right on the cusp of penalties, Rodriguez rifled yet another offering off the bar, barely missing the winner. In penalties, Molinaro made three consecutive saves while Ferguson, Loyo Reynaga and Adewumi converted their kicks to give Sporting KC II their first two points of the campaign.

Sporting KC II will return to Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village and play three straight home games between March 22 and April 4. They will open the stretch against MNUFC 2 next Sunday at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets are on sale for all SKC II matches for just $10 at SeatGeek.com and all games will air on MLSNEXTPro.com and in the OneFootball app.

Sporting Kansas City II: Jacob Molinaro; Pierre Lurot, Nate Young, Mitch Ferguson, Zane Wantland; Gael Quintero (Zamir Loyo Reynaga 76'), Carter Derksen, Johann Ortiz (Tomiwa Adewumi 90'); Shane Donovan, Tega Ikoba (Kashan Hines 69') Missael Rodriguez

Subs Not Used: Kael Taylor, Luca Antongirolami, Blaine Mabie

Colorado Rapids 2: Zack Campagnolo; Andre Erickson (Charlie Harper 87'), Ian Murphy, Grant Gilmore, Jaden Chan Tack; Chris Aquino (Landon Strohmeyer 62'), Sydney Wathuta, Nathan Tchoumba (Quinn Bedwell 76'), Donavan Phillip; Bryce Jamison (Josh Copeland 62'), Kimani Stewart-Baynes (Kai Thomas 76')

Subs Not Used: Kendall Starks, Rogelio Garcia, Edgar Heredia, Noah Strellnauer

Scoring Summary:

COL -- Donavan Phillip 1 (Kimani Stewart-Baynes) 38'
SKC -- Shane Donovan 1 (Missael Rodriguez) 53'
COL -- Donavan Phillip 2 (Chris Aquino) 58'
SKC -- Johann Ortiz 1 (Penalty) 85'

Shootout Summary:

COL -- Landon Strohmeyer (Saved)
SKC -- Mitch Ferguson (Converted)
COL -- Donavan Phillip (Saved)
SKC -- Zamir Loyo Reynaga (Converted)
COL -- Kai Thomas (Saved)
SKC -- Tomiwa Adewumi (Converted)

Misconduct Summary:

SKC -- Carter Derksen (Yellow Card; Unsporting Conduct) 31'
SKC -- Gael Quintero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Conduct) 35'
COL -- Nathan Tchoumba (Yellow Card; Unsporting Conduct) 58'
COL -- Ian Murphy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Conduct) 67'
COL -- Ian Murphy (Red Card; Denial of Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity) 71'
SKC -- Tomiwa Adewumi (Yellow Card; Unsporting Conduct) 90+8'

Referee: Kaitlyn Trowbridge
Assistant Referee: Jake Brochu
Assistant Referee: Hunter Zachwieja
Fourth Official: Bowen Taylor