Sporting KC Blow Lead to Remain Winless Against FC Dallas

Sporting Kansas City entered the sixth game of the Major League Soccer season still looking for their first win. That win wouldn’t come on Saturday, despite signs of improvement.

They hit the road to face a new look FC Dallas club who made a blockbuster trade to acquire former MLS MVP Lucho Acosta just before the start of the season.

It would be a very different lineup to take the field for Kansas City with four changes from last week’s loss against LAFC. Daniel Salloi started over Erik Thommy and took the captain’s armband in the process. Dany Rosero returned from injury to start over Robert Voloder. Jacob Bartlett made his first start for the first team since the home opener against the San Jose Earthquakes. And perhaps most importantly, Khiry Shelton got his first start at right back, allowing Jake Davis to push into the midfield and play his box-to-box destroyer role.

The squad 👇 #SportingKC

— Sporting Kansas City (@sportingkc.com) 2025-03-29T23:50:17.800Z

Dallas ran out a relatively first choice lineup looking for their attempt to win a third game this season.

We present to you…Our Starting XI 🎬

Tune in with #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV: https://t.co/kYGZv11VZm pic.twitter.com/VQaZ4PXd4b

— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) March 29, 2025

Sporting KC came out on the front foot and looked quite aggressive. Early on Davis got off a couple rocket shots that missed the net. The aggression did leave room for Dallas to come on the counter and the Texas side did create some early chaos that ultimately got cleared out of KC’s box. In the 13th minute, a turnover forced by Sporting KC led to a ball up the left side to Salloi whose cross was just over the head of Shapi Suleymanov. If Shapi had stayed far post instead of drifting too far inside, it would have been a sure-fire goal.

In the 16th minute, off a recycled corner kick, Dallas delivered a great header to Petar Musa, but he snatched at the open chance and blasted it over the bar. In the 23rd minute, Shapi sprung a counterattack to Salloi who couldn’t get the ball out from under his feet to make the cross to Dejan Joveljic or take a shot. A minute later, Salloi drew the game’s first yellow card when he ate a tough challenge from Shaq Moore from behind. Shortly after, Bartlett found himself in the book for a challenge on Musa.

In the 32nd minute, Sporting KC would break through. A well worked attack found the foot of Suleymanov who cut back inside and curled a left footed ball into Salloi. Daniel took the ball off his thigh and volleyed it into the corner to make it 1-0!

Shapi to Salloi… WHAT A FINISH FROM DANIEL! 1-0! #SportingKC #DALvSKC

— KC Soccer Journal (@kcsoccerjournal.bsky.social) 2025-03-30T01:14:34.166Z

The team’s second lead of the season was shorter than their first (which was only seven minutes). This time, it was only around five minutes before Dallas had leveled the score. The sequence started with an uncharacteristic giveaway from Manu Garcia directly to Acosta. The Argentine DP got the ball quickly into Sporting KC’s box and forced some emergency defending from Rosero before the ball made its way back to Acosta for a clean finish to the corner to level it 1-1.

KC's 2nd lead of the season was shorter than their first one. Acosta levels it. #SportingKC #DALvSKC

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-03-30T01:22:24.793Z

Just two minutes later and Dallas had the lead. A simple ball over the top to Sebastian Lletget found Shelton too far up the field and Jansen Miller being aggressive in defense. Lletget would work around Miller and down the endline before finding a wide-open Leo Chu who made it 2-1 as he roofed his shot.

From leading to losing in mere minutes. Leo Chu with Dallas' 2nd of the night. #SportingKC #DALvSKC

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-03-30T01:23:01.961Z

Just before the half, Dallas coach Eric Quill was booked for his antics on the sideline (not for wearing a baseball hat, but presumably his words). It seems Quill thought Shapi elbowed Acosta, but it appeared to be accidental head-to-head contact that left Dallas’ DP in a heap on the ground. The half ended with Dallas up 2-1.

At the half, Dallas had the advantage in expected goals (xG) at 0.77 to 0.35 (per the Apple TV broadcast) and shots six to five. Both teams were level in shots on goal (two each). SKC had the possession advantage 55 to 45.

The second half got underway with Sporting KC again controlling the early part of play. Shelton hit a nice switch to Salloi who got deep into the box but couldn’t get off a shot or find a teammate to do the same. In the 47th minute, Joveljic went down in the box and seemingly wanted a penalty kick, but the there was so little in it that they didn’t even bother with a replay on the MLS Season Pass broadcast. It wasn’t until the 53rd minute that Dallas broke the pressure that ended with Moore blasting a shot into the side netting. Despite KC’s control, they weren’t finding shots. Finally, Sporting KC got off a shot in the 55th, but it was a miss hit ball from Ndenbe that trickled out for a goal kick.

A nice opportunity came a minute later when Shelton read a pass well and intercepted it to start a counterattack. Shelton played to Shapi who laid it back off to Khiry for his overlapping run. Shelton’s cross was blocked but it fell kindly to Shapi who just missed the goal.

A wrinkle of the season half, just like last week against LAFC, saw Garcia coming very deep to receive the ball. He was picking out some nice passes, but it also meant he was too far from goal for that final pass.

Sporting KC maintained their control but failed to get a promising chance. Shapi looked like he was going to create a chance, but he was once again taken down by Nolan Norris, for at least the third time of the night. Somehow Nolan continued to evade going into the book.

Shapi with the nutmeg. That's Nolan's 3rd foul AND he stopped a promising attack. Not sure how he's still not on a yellow. #SportingKC #DALvSKC

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-03-30T02:06:49.894Z

The 69th minute did see Ramiro go into the box for clipping Ndenbe’s heels as he headed towards the box. The resulting free kick was a delightful ball from Jake Davis that would get flicked onto goal, but Paas came up huge with the save! Shelton was the person who tried to head it, but it may have gone off a Dallas player. Right after, Bartlett was subbed out for Memo Rodriguez who would take over at the defensive midfielder spot. Dallas got in on goal shortly after but after SKC snuffed out the attack, Garcia sent a lovely through ball to Joveljic who took a bad touch at the end of the run to dribble out for a goal kick.

Norris was subbed out for Marco Farfan in the 75th minute and he immediately picked up where Norris left off and fouled Shapi too. Dallas was basically making zero effort to go forward but then a mental lapse from either Rosero or Pulskamp (or both) let Farrington get in behind to force emergency defending from Miller that led to a corner. The next subs would be the insertion of Erik Thommy and William Agada in the 80th minute. They replaced Joveljic and Suleymanov.

Immediately after the subs Garcia earned a free kick. Rodriguez took it and delivered an inch-perfect ball to the head of Rosero who drove it towards the net. Unfortunately, Paas again came up with the big save to preserve Dallas’ lead.

Despite Sporting KC staying on the front foot, they just couldn’t create a chance.

In the 91st, each team made subs. Acosta came off for Lalas Abubakar and Davis came off for Bassong, meaning Shelton played a full 90 on his return. Somehow, despite subs happening during stoppage time and a few injuries, there were only three minutes of stoppage time. Sporting KC kept pushing forward, but they couldn’t make anything happen. They left Dallas still looking for a win as they fell 2-1.

Sporting Kansas City return home next Saturday to face their cross-state rival, St. Louis City SC.