Sporting KC Top NYCFC to Win Their Second Preseason Game

Sporting Kansas City played their fifth preseason game on Wednesday. New President of Soccer Operations, David Lee, welcomed his former club as New York City FC lined up on the other side of the pitch.

Sporting KC showed up in the same formation (4-4-2? 4-5-1? 4-4-1-1) that they played in the loss to Minnesota United on Saturday. However, they tried some different personnel. Jake Davis, Kwaku Agyabeng, Jansen Miller, Stefan Cleveland and Stephen Afrifa were all new starters. Afrifa was wide right, Davis once again is at right back and Agyabeng replaced Jacob Bartlett next to Manu Garcia.

1' Underway for #SportingKC's second exhibition match at @coachella_inv vs. NYCFC.

Starting XI:

Stefan Cleveland
Jake Davis
Jansen Miller
Ian James
Zorhan Bassong
Kwaku Agyabeng
Manu Garcia
Daniel Salloi
Stephen Afrifa
Dejan Joveljic
Calvin Harrishttps://t.co/LZUJbNDsKz

— Sporting KC Communications (@SportingKC_PR) February 11, 2026

NYCFC put out out a lineup on Twitter, and it was a heavily rotated squad. It would catch up with them fairly early.

The 1⃣1⃣ taking on @SportingKC ⤵️

XI: Acito, Baiera, Carrizo, Farnos, Flax, Murray, Musu, Reid, Romero, Sunjic, Tanasijević pic.twitter.com/vyerxH2U6U

— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) February 11, 2026

Sporting KC started out with a good chunk of possession and twice found Calvin Harris over the top up the left side of the attack. On the first approach he found Daniel Salloi, but a loose touch led to a turnover. The second came to nothing as well, but the new speed on the wings is a tool KC haven’t had in the past.

NYCFC started to get the better of SKC around the 10th minute and in the 14th, earned a free kick just outside of the box. Miller got turned and may have tugged down the New York attacker. The ensuing free kick cleared the wall at a good height but went wide of the net. The whole sequence that led to the free kick was a blown foul call when Agyabeng was pulled back off the ball right in front of the referee, who remains in preseason form as well.

In the 18th, Afrifa came into a late challenge with the New York left back and it certainly looked yellow card worthy, but it ended in a stern warning. Immediately after that, Zorhan Bassong found himself in behind until he was shoved down from behind, killing a promising attack.

The 21st minute led to the best Sporting KC chance up to that point. Miller killed an attack and hit a well-placed pass to Salloi who overcooked a pass to Manu. Davis grabbed the ball, found Manu, who then clipped a ball over the top to Salloi in the box. He gathered it down just in front of the keeper but didn’t have much space to shoot and his shot was saved.

It was a sign of things to come. Another attack was thwarted by Garcia drawing a foul. He stepped up to take the free kick, as he had all game (and the corners). While the initial action didn’t lead to a goal, the recycled ball did. Garcia got to the endline, hit a hard cross, and a deflection found Harris for his first goal in a Sporting KC uniform and only the second goal of the preseason.

Manu to Harris and it's 1-0 SKC! #SportingKC #LAGalaxy

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2026-02-11T22:01:33.898Z

It wouldn’t take long for Sporting KC to double the lead. This time it was a well-worked attack that ended up with Davis on the right crossing the ball in and either Dejan or Afirfa could have scored, but it was Dejan who got the touch and made it 2-0!

Minutes later and Jake Davis finds Dejan Joveljic to make it 2-0! #SportingKC #LAGalaxy

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2026-02-11T22:02:29.906Z

While that would be the last goal of the first half, there was a lot of interesting movement from Sporting KC to note during the remainder of the half. On one goal kick, Cleveland was having trouble finding Manu so he rotated out wide to right back and Davis dipped into the middle. They were able to find Manu, even though he just had to play it straight back, it was a new wrinkle. Another change was Zorhan Bassong also getting into the midfield and at a time, all the way up to basically CF on one of the attacks. While he would get out of his defensive spot, his teammates did well covering. On one occasion Harris was basically at LB and at another it was Agyabeng.

NYCFC did get a few chances late on in the half, though they were questionable. The best was when Manu Garcia took a clear hand to the face that all the refs missed and NYCFC had an odd man rush. Despite that, Ian James held up the attack until help could arrive and they were able to play out to Salloi who drew a foul and killed the chance.

Sporting KC continued to get their share of chances too. On the sequence where Bassong was nearly at CF, Dejan played a through ball to Harris which just went a tiny bit too far and the keeper gathered it. Another sequence came when SKC defended a corner then used their speed for a counter. Manu found a nice ball to Salloi, who did well to then find Afrifa. New York ultimately recovered, but it was a speedy counter that isn’t usually Sporting’s forte.

They went into the half up 2-0.

Sporting KC made extensive changes at the half. Off came Harris, Dejan, Manu, Salloi, Bassong, Cleveland and Ian James.

They were replaced by Davis moving to midfield/forward (the Salloi role from the 1st half) and the additions of Shapi Suleymanov, Wyatt Meyer, John Pulskamp, Jayden Reid, Justin Reynolds, Jacob Bartlett and SKC II midfielder Shane Donovan (playing CF).

Just a few minutes into the half and the subs would falter. Reid dove in from behind in the box to give up a clear penalty kick.

Jayden Reid, who just subbed on, with a terrible challenge.NYCFC PK and they drain it. #SportingKC's lead reduced to 2-1. #NYCFC

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2026-02-11T22:39:22.004Z

NYC’s Seymour Reid would step up and drain it, cutting the lead to one for Kansas City.

Seymour from the spot 🎯 pic.twitter.com/v8d0hJOofg

— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) February 11, 2026

After the goal, Sporting KC would seize a bit of control and settle the game down. They would earn a few half chances, but the lack of attacking options on the pitch showed. Davis tried to take a half volley and blasted it out for a throw. Then Afrifa got in the box but was quickly surrounded and nothing came of it.

Positions became pretty fluid too. Afrifa and Donovan consistently rotated with each other. Davis was at times dropping incredibly deep, all the way between the CBs, despite nominally playing that shadow striker/attacking mid role.

In the 63rd minute, Sporting KC made some extra changes. Jansen Miller came off for trialist Ethan Bartlow and Afrifa was removed for SKC II midfielder Johann Ortiz.

The next chance of note came when a cross found the head of Wyatt Meyer in the box, and it went wide of the net. If that’s something he can bring to the team, it may get him on the field more, since threats in the air have been lacking for SKC on set pieces. In the 74th, he made another smart play we don’t often see from Kansas City. He was beat so he drug down his man and took a smart, tactical yellow card.

SKC made one final sub in the 84th, bringing on Cielo Tschantret for Agyabeng. There were some nervy moments down the stretch, but despite NYCFC putting their DP Nico on, they maintained the 2-1 lead for their second win of preseason. That improves the team to 2-3-0 and gives them their first win over MLS competition.

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