Recap: Sporting KC II stages incredible second-half comeback to defeat Whitecaps FC 2 on the road

Sporting Kansas City II (2-12-4, 11 points) picked up its second straight victory after a 3-2 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 (7-8-4, 28 points) on Thursday night at Swangard Stadium. After trailing 2-0 at halftime, Sporting KC II netted three unanswered goals in the second half to pick up an impressive six points in two road matches.

Maouloune Goumballe scored his second goal in as many matches to give SKC II some life early in the second half, and Medgy Alexandre bagged his first professional brace to propel Kansas City to a win.

Head coach Istvan Urbanyi made no changes to his starting eleven after they picked up three points at LAFC 2 on Sunday night. Jacob Molinaro started in goal while Anthony Samways, Nati Clarke, Pierre Lurot and Beckham Uderitz played in defense. Cielo Tschantret, Carter Derksen and Luis Cruz-Ayala occupied the midfield and Goumballe, Alexandre and Shane Donovan started in the attack.

Daniel Russo opened the scoring in the seventh minute by poking a close-range shot past the keeper after getting onto a long throw-in sent into the box.

Goumballe forced a save out of Isaac Francoeur a quarter of an hour into the contest. The forward ran onto a through ball, muscled his way onto the ball and chopped a shot off a defender and into the keeper's chest. Just before the 25th minute mark, Derksen turned over the Whitecaps and looked to play Alexandre in. The forward got to the endline but had his cross played away from danger.

Goumballe had a chance to level the match after a brilliant pass from Cruz-Ayala in the 28th, however, his attempt drifted high of the mark from inside the 18. Jackson Castro nearly doubled the home side's lead with a rip from just outside the arc that glanced wide of the mark.

Molinaro made his first save of the match, blocking a shot from a tight angle away with two hands in front of his goal. Rayan Elloumi assisted on the second goal of the first half when he played Antoine Coupland through on goal. The forward was able to lift the ball over a charging Molinaro to give Vancouver a two-goal advantage.

The SKC II net minder made three saves to keep the deficit at two heading into the half, stopping a shot from point-blank range right at him before knocking one away from goal and corralling a bouncing shot against the pitch in stoppage time. Following the halftime break, Urbanyi made a pair of changes, swapping Derksen and Cruz-Ayala for Johann Ortiz and Blaine Mabie.

The latter nearly buried his first goal in the 51st, just barely missing the roof of the goal with a quick, turnaround strike. Goumballe barely missed the target after pushing his shot inches past the far post but was not discouraged after the near miss.

Goumballe did not waste a golden opportunity to cut into the lead when he was gifted the ball off a Vancouver free kick in their defensive third. The forward kept his composure and sank a one-v-one against Francoeur to shift the momentum of the match with 30 minutes to go.

With a chance to level in the 64th, Adrian Pelayo and Francoeur teamed up to reject another Goumballe effort inside the 18. However, Alexandre would not be denied on the ensuing corner, stuffing an Ortiz corner kick past Francoeur to even the score at two apiece.

Molinaro made a clutch save, falling to his left to deny Russo without spilling the ball for a rebound. Lurot remained down after an SKC II defensive stand in the 70th and was forced to sit out for three minutes. Despite playing down a man, SKC II earned a penalty kick with their first offensive movement forward after Donovan got pulled down inside the box.

Alexandre calmly sank the kick against fellow Quebecois Francoeur, and SKC II's three unanswered goals had them out in front with a little over 15 minutes to play.

Goumballe nearly put the game on ice in the 81st, but had his legs taken out from under him by Mark O'Neill before he could get a shot off. A late whistle from the ref gave SKC II their second penalty of the night. This time, Francoeur won the battle of the Quebecois, somehow pawing Alexandre's attempt away from goal.

A scary moment wound up just a corner for the Whitecaps. Molinaro and Tschantret went after the same bouncing ball near the goal line, and after both players made contact, the ball, fortunately for SKC II, skipped out for a corner. Mateo Clark sent an ambitious strike just past Molinaro's left-hand post off the corner and Kachwele fired well high of the mark moments later.

As the clock ticked into the 90th minute, Molinaro made his biggest save of the night, reaching up at full extension to tip a shot over the crossbar. Goumballe headed the lofted, back post ball out for a throw-in, and SKC II dropped 11 players behind the ball.

Bryan Arellano came on in the 94th minute, and Molinaro made another save in the 95th, diving to stop a shot from 19 yards out. Zane Wantland came on in place of Uderitz in the 95th as SKC II packed it in for one final defensive stand. The Kansas City boys' lines held, and the comeback against the Whitecaps was complete.

Following the six-point road trip, SKC II will return to Children's Mercy Victory Field on Sunday to take on Austin FC II. Tickets are on sale for just $10 at SeatGeek.com. The match will begin at 12 p.m. CT and will air on MLSNEXTPro.com.

Sporting Kansas City II: Jacob Molinaro; Anthony Samways, Pierre Lurot, Nati Clarke, Beckham Uderitz (Zane Wantland 90+4'); Cielo Tschantret, Carter Derksen (Johann Ortiz 46'), Luis Cruz-Ayala (Blaine Mabie 46'); Maouloune Goumballe, Medgy Alexandre (Bryan Arellano 90+3'), Shane Donovan

Subs Not Used: Jack Kortkamp, Kashan Hines

Whitecaps FC 2: Isaac Francoeur; Deylen Vellios (Johnny Selemani 40'), Mark O'Neill, Adrian Pelayo; Giuseppe Bovalina (Cyprian Kachwele 46'), Yuma Tsuji (Carson Rassak 85'), Jackson Castro, Daniel Russo (Sahil Deo 85'); Nikola Djordjevic, Rayan Elloumi, Antoine Coupland (Mateo Clark 62')

Subs Not Used: Trystan Read

Scoring Summary:

VAN -- Daniel Russo 1 (Rayan Elloumi 5) 7'
VAN -- Antoine Coupland 2 (Rayan Elloumi 6) 41'
SKC -- Maouloune Goumballe 2 (Unassisted) 59'
SKC -- Medgy Alexandre 4 (Johann Ortiz 1) 64'
SKC -- Medgy Alexandre 5 (Penalty Kick) 74'

Misconduct Summary:

SKC -- Nati Clarke (Yellow Card; Unsporting Conduct) 29'
VAN -- Rayan Elloumi (Yellow Card; Dissent) 50'
SKC -- Shane Donovan (Yellow Card; Unsporting Conduct) 58'
SKC -- Beckham Uderitz (Yellow Card; Dissent) 76'
VAN -- Mark O'Neill (Yellow Card; Unsporting Conduct) 82'
SKC -- Maouloune Goumballe (Yellow Card; Unsporting Conduct) 85'

Referee: Nivin Raizada
Assistant Referee: Theo Diederichsen
Assistant Referee: Nolasco Encina
Fourth Official: Niko Jecanski