Sporting Kansas City traveled to Sandy, Utah looking to end their one game losing streak against Real Salt Lake. Rafa Wicky set his team up in a 3-4-3 formation with Ian James and Jansen Miller returning to the starting line up with Ethan Bartlow across the back line. Justin Reynolds and Shapi Suleymanov flanked Lasse Berg Johnsen and Jake Davis in the midfield. The attacking band featured Calvin Harris and Manu Garcia on either side of Sporting’s talisman, Dejan Joveljic.

First Half

The game started in nightmare fashion for Sporting Kansas City with Diego Luna beating John Pulskamp from distance in the fourth minute of the match. Luna was found between the lines and was given a million miles of space. He took a wormburner of a shot that beat Pulskamp low and to his left.

Things nearly went from bad to worse in the 10^th minute when Zavier Gozo weaved through three SKC players in the box before unloading a curler of a shot that went just wide. Not a strong piece of defending for Sporting. Through the first 15 minutes of the match, Sporting KC struggled to deal with RSL’s counterpress. Calvin Harris had Sporting’s first half-chance of the game when he drove into the box from the left before firing a shot that went high and wide of the target.

In the 22^nd minute, after a bad turnover just outside the box, Salt Lake fired a cross across the face of goal. It found the boot of a player in claret and cobalt but the shot clanged off the crossbar and somehow Sporting remained only down 1-0.

Sporting turned it over again in a dangerous place in the 25^th minute but were able to somehow avoid another goal when the RSL shot was deflected up and over the crossbar. Diego Luna fired an inswinging cross at the front post but couldn’t find anything dangerous.

Salt Lake nearly doubled their lead again in the 41^st minute when an unmarked Sergi Solans found space about 8 yards from goal and rocked a shot off the crossbar for a second time today.

With a minute before halftime, Solans found himself 1 v. 1 with John Pulskamp on a breakaway. The rookie was unable to convert his shot as Sporting’s keeper made himself big to deflect the ball away.

As halftime neared, the center official brought the game to a screeching halt as VAR flagged a potential red card for DOGSO when Bartlow extended a hand into the back of Solans as he was in on goal. The color commentator, Kacey White, insisted that this should be a penalty kick, but it was an exceptionally soft foul and hardly DOGSO given Solans was able to get a strong shot off. Fortunately, the center official did not see a foul and play continued with four minutes of added time.

Halftime

The halftime whistle blew with the score 1-0 in favor of the hosts. The scoreline did not reflect the utter dominance of RSL in the first half. They picked Sporting apart over and over again but were simply unlucky to not find a second or third goal. RSL held the xG lead 1.83 to 0.13 for SKC. The hosts had 12 shots (4) to 2(1). Somehow the teams split possession 50/50 but Sporting rarely had possession in dangerous areas while RSL was counterpressing and winning possession in and around Sporting’s final third.

Second Half

New signing, Diego Borges, made his SKC debut at halftime, coming on for Ethan Bartlow. The game picked up where it left off with RSL pressing Sporting high. In the 50^th minute, Manu Garcia found Justin Reynolds racing forward. The wingback was able to sneak a shot underneath the RSL keeper but it went wide. RSL nearly struck back when Shapi went down in the box on defense holding his face. The referee allowed the game to play on and RSL’s shot was deflected out for a corner. Sporting’s Russian was angry with the no-call, but a review showed the slightly contact to the face.

Salt Lake finally scored again in the 55^th minute. They broke through Sporting’s high press deep in their defensive third. A clever flick in the midfield from Guilavogui found Gozo who then passed to Solans. Jansen Miller was marking Solans and allowed the forward to cut back onto his right foot, breaking Miller’s ankles. The former UCLA Bruin wasn’t wasteful with his chance and slotted the ball past Pulskamp.

A slight glimmer of hope for a result came for Sporting KC in the 59^th minute with a moment of true brilliance from Deki. The Serbian sniper received a ball from Justin Reynolds just outside of the box. He took a slight touch to his left and fired a shot off the inside of the post to bring the game to 2-1.

Salt Lake immediately hit the accelerator again and started to push for another goal to give themselves a cushion. In the 64^th minute, Jacob Bartlett and Zoran Bassong came in for Justin Reynolds and Ian James. Diego Luna and his terrible hair nearly struck again on a counter attack when he beat Jake Davis before firing a shot across the face of goal. As the final 20 minutes clicked away, Sporting remained down 2-1.

Pablo Mastroeni opted for his first changes in the 71st minute when Solans and Alexandros Katranis came off for defender, Sam Junqua, and striker, Victor Olatunji (who has incredible rec-specs). Sporting responded with another substitution in the 74th minute replacing Calvin Harris with Stephen Afrifa.

RSL found their third goal in the 82nd minute with a golazo from Gozo. Sporting turned the ball over in the attacking third again. Gozo was found at the top of the box, popped the ball up with his foot and hit a half volley rocket into the top corner of the goal. Diego Luna and Stijn Spierings were immediately substituted for Dominik Marczuk and Gabriel Dillon. The first yellow of the match was shown in the 88th minute to Guilavogui for a tactical foul.

Dejan Joveljic looked to have a second goal in the 90th minute when LBJ found him running in behind. He chipped the keeper to find the back of the net, but the flag came up late and the game remained 3-1. The available camera angle made it look like Joveljic might have been onside, but there was no clear and obvious error.

RSL made their final substitution in stoppage time. Man of the match, Zavier Gozo, was substituted for Jesus Barea. With a minute and a half, Jesus Barea clanked a third shot off the post. It was inches away from making the score 4-1 and the post was clearly Sporting’s man of the match.

Mercifully, the whistle finally blew after five minutes of stoppage time. Salt Lake’s points were never in doubt and they sent Sporting back to Kansas City searching for answers. The visitors were outclassed in nearly every statistic. The 3-1 score flattered Sporting KC as the match could have easily ended 6-1.