Recap: SKC II triumphs 2-0 over Timbers2 Sunday evening at Swope Soccer Village 

Sporting KC II (8-10-2, 26 points) defeated Portland Timbers2 (1-15-3, 9 points) by a 2-0 scoreline Sunday afternoon at Children's Mercy Victory Field in Kansas City, MO. Josh Coan showed out for SKC II, assisting on the first goal and sinking a penalty in the second half. Bakary Bagayoko netted his first SKC II goal in the third minute, starting the match off right for the hosts.

Head coach Benny Feilhaber's starting XI was bolstered by a trio of Sporting KC, first-team loanees including Kaveh Rad, Kayden Pierre and Cam Duke. Edgar Bazan started as well after starting for the West All-Stars in the first ever MLS NEXT All-Star Game in Minnesota on Wednesdays. Josip Hmura made his first-ever SKC II start, playing the first 45 minutes at the number nine spot.

With the contest's first attack, SKC II worked the ball up the field well. Coan received a centering pass inside the 18 and zipped a shot on target that Bagayoko redirected past the keeper for the opening goal.

The home side did not let off the gas, nearly grabbing a second goal four minutes later. Duke spread the ball out to forward Guy Michaeli who served a delicious ball into the area. After a touch from Hunter Sulte, the Timbers2 keeper, Bagayoko latched onto the ball and forced him into a save.

Goalkeeper Ethan Bandre almost had to get into the action in the 10th minute on a visiting set piece in the SKC II final third. The attempt curled past his far post as he dove to cover the shot. Bandre would go on to hold the clean sheet after making a season-high nine saves a week ago.

K. Rad made a pair of nice defensive plays, forcing an errant shot over the bar and then stepping into the right channel to intervene on a cross. Portland's front man Tega Ikoba found space in the box for a header but deflected it wide of the target. On the following goal kick, Bandre launched the counter-attack and Michaeli was able to get on the end of a cross, playing a one-timer inches wide.

In the 36th Bandre used his hands for the first time, dashing off his line to corral a rolled pass. Johan Hinestroza crashed into the keeper and earned himself the match's only yellow card for the infraction.

In stoppage time of the first half, Kian Alberto entered the match in place of Bagayoko after the goalscorer picked up a knock. SKC II took the one-goal lead into the break.

At halftime, Feilhaber brought on Ryan Reid for Hmura and Portland set out looking to equalize. The SKC II back four held strong with support from the midfield, repelling cross after cross. The most dangerous attack came in the 53rd when a blocked cross wound up at the top of the box and was hammered on target. Esai Easley threw his body in front of the shot and kept Portland off the scoreboard.

Two minutes later, Coan unloaded two shots on target. Sulte spilled the first one but recovered the ball before Michaeli could pick up the rebound. He smothered the second with a diving save to his left.

Duke earned SKC II a free kick in the 63rd after being ripped down from behind, setting up Coan for a free kick – foreshadowing the events that would occur a little over 10 minutes later. – Coan stepped up and blasted a shot that glanced off the post and out for a goal kick.

Dawson McCartney was played a beautiful ball inside the six and he squandered it, sending a chip shot over the goal. SKC II made a double switch bringing on Coby Jones and Rauf Salifu for Nati Clarke and Michaeli. The 74th minute brought one of the better SKC II attacking sequences of the season.

Pierre left his defender in the dust at midfield with a lethal turn and dashed for the goal. He played Duke into the area but the midfielder could not find the shot. He recycled the play and got back on the ball before being taken out by a sliding defender, giving SKC II a penalty kick. Coan took the pk and terrifically tucked it in the lower right corner, sending the keeper the wrong way.

In the 85th Julian Vazquez entered the contest in place of Bazan as the final SKC II sub. Bandre made his lone save of the night on a bouncing header attempt off a Timers2 restart, catching the ball on a hop in the middle of the goal. SKC II would hold onto the 2-0 victory, snapping a four-match losing streak. They will be back in action next Saturday, taking on the Tacoma Defiance at 9 p.m. CT in the Pacific Northwest.

2022 MLS NEXT Pro | Match 20

Children's Mercy Victory Field | Kansas City, MO
Weather: 91 degrees and sunny

Sporting Kansas City II: Ethan Bandre; Kayden Pierre, Kaveh Rad, Esai Easley, Nati Clarke (Coby Jones 67'); Edgar Bazan (Julian Vazquez 75'), Cam Duke Josh Coan; Guy Michaeli (Rauf Salifu 67'), Josip Hmura (Ryan Reid 46'), Bakary Bagayoko (Kian Alberto 45+2')
Subs Not Used: Carlito Saylon, Mikey Lenis, Jahon Rad, Cade Thomson

Portland Timbers2: Hunter Sulte, Carlos Vivas (Adrian Ortellao 32' (Christian Mendoza 88'), Sivert Haugli, Julian Bravo Ismaila Jome (Alex Moreno 82'); Victor Griffith, Johan Hinestroza (Gerardo Duran 70'), Selmir Miscic (Ryan Zellefrow 82'), Dawson McCartney, Blake Bodily (Victor Enriquez 70'); Tega Ikoba
Subs Not Used: Noah Lawrence, Michael Dunne, Cole Aman

Scoring Summary:
SKC – Bakary Bagayoko 1 (Josh Coan 2) 3'
SKC – Josh Coan 1 (penalty kick) 74'

Misconduct Summary:
POR – Johan Hinestroza (unsporting conduct; yellow card) 36'

Referee: Kyle Armstrong
Assistant Referee: Matt Trotter
Assistant Referee: Jacob Herold
Fourth Official: Luis Tribaldo