Sporting Kansas City win Eight Goal Thriller in San Jose

Matchday nine saw Sporting Kansas City hit the road for the first game of a two-game road trip. They headed to Northern California for the first rematch of the young MLS season against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Sporting KC would attempt to get the job done without the services of Jake Davis who popped up on the injury report on Friday missing his first action of the 2025 season. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Nemanja Radoja, who missed last week’s game. Andrew Brody reappeared on the bench after an extended absence after a 34-minute sub appearance against this same Earthquakes team, but he wouldn’t make it into the game.

Team News 🗞️#SJvSKC | #SportingKC

— Sporting Kansas City (@sportingkc.com) 2025-04-20T01:45:01.401Z

While Sporting KC were missing Davis and Dany Rosero, the Quakes had some missing players as well, including their starting goalkeeper. That would play a big role tonight in San Jose.

los once para #SJvSKC ⚔️
 #Quakes74 | #BraceForImpact pic.twitter.com/wEOZkyfOyq

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) April 20, 2025

The game got off to a nervy start for Sporting KC who had trouble with the ball in their own box but somehow the Earthquakes were unable to capitalize. In general, the end-to-end nature of the game looked to be favoring San Jose early. They had a few half chances requiring emergency interventions from the SKC defense. Manu Garcia lost the ball in this sequence via a heavy midfield collision but again the defense snuffed out the chance.

In the 14th minute, a calamity in the midfield nearly gifted San Jose a goal. Garcia was looking for a pass and he collided with fellow midfielder Jacob Bartlett to spring the Earthquakes counter. Thankfully John Pulskamp came up with a massive save to keep it 0-0.

Calamity in the midfield between Garcia and Bartlett but Pulskamp bails them out with a HUGE save. #SportingKC #SJvSKC

— KC Soccer Journal (@kcsoccerjournal.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T02:56:23.832Z

Despite the shaky start, it would be Sporting KC who would open the scoring on the night. A ball moved up the left side of the attack and was moved nicely between Garcia, Salloi and Joveljic. Ultimately, Dejan played the ball through to left back Logan Ndenbe who scored his first goal since the playoffs against St. Louis City in 2023. 1-0 Sporting KC.

Joveljic to Ndenbe who finishes from a TIGHT angle! 1-0 #SportingKC!!! #SJvSKC

— KC Soccer Journal (@kcsoccerjournal.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T03:01:21.902Z

A mere 2:23 seconds later, Sporting Kansas City doubled the lead. John Pulskamp saw an opportunity for a quick restart and played the ball over the top to Salloi who controlled the ball and played it quickly into the back of the net. All three of his goals this season have been when he hasn’t had time to think and just has to play instinctively. It was Pulskamp’s birthday, his first career assist and Kansas City’s first goalkeeper assist in 20 years! 2-0 SKC.

Pulskamp to Salloi!! Goalkeeper assist as SKC push the lead to 2-0!!! #SportingKC #SJvSKC

— KC Soccer Journal (@kcsoccerjournal.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T03:03:52.035Z

It wouldn’t take long for Sporting KC to further extend the lead. A long switch was played from left to right that found the foot of Shapi Suleymanov. Shapi held the ball up while Garcia ghosted in behind the defense where Shapi perfectly placed the ball and Garcia hit it first time to open his account for Sporting KC. 3-0 SKC.

Manu Garcia opens his account and it's 3-0 over a wild 6-minute stretch! #SportingKC #SJvSKC

— KC Soccer Journal (@kcsoccerjournal.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T03:10:20.874Z

After the third goal, backup goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. probably wanted to go back to sitting on the bench. He was having a bad night and letting in balls that were likely somewhat savable.

1,000 mile stare from Earl Edwards Jr…. #SportingKC #SJvSKC #quakes74

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T03:07:44.518Z

The three-goal lead would be short lived. After scoring three times in six minutes, another six minutes is all it would take for the San Jose Earthquakes to pull back a goal. Rodrigues de Oliveira slipped a perfect through ball to Josef Martinez that Fernandez didn’t adequately anticipate and Martinez made no mistake. No celebration needed as the Quakes still had work to do. The lead was down to 3-1 KC.

San Jose pull one back… 3-1. #SportingKC #SJvSKC

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T03:13:54.964Z

The chaotic nature of the game finally gave way to the game’s first yellow card. Mark-Anthony Kaye picked up the card for taking down Garcia who had intercepted the ball in the midfield and was on his way to goal.

It was Garcia who made a huge defensive intervention to cut out a golden chance by Chicho Arango who had just received a lovely cutback ball from fellow Designated Player Cristian Espinoza. His block stopped a chance that looked likely to bring the score within a goal.

In the 40th minute, Ndenbe was shielding a ball, and he inadvertently made contact with Espinoza’s face. It was given as a yellow against Ndenbe and it would be costly. The subsequent free kick found a flailing Ndenbe’s head and went right to Arango who softly headed the ball into the net to pull the score within one goal. 3-2 SKC.

Ndenbe with the "assist" to Chicho. San Jose were down three and are within one on the precipice of halftime. 3-2 #SportingKC #SJvSKC

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T03:27:08.306Z

Shortly after the goal, Joaquin Fernandez was forced to leave the field because he was bleeding, according to the broadcast (they later reported it was a hamstring injury). But instead of patching up the wound, Fernandez was replaced by Robert Voloder who made his first appearance since March 22nd against LAFC. Voloder would help Sporting KC hold onto their one goal lead to make it into the half.

According to MLS/Apple’s inflated stats, the San Jose Earthquakes were behind in goals (2 to 3) but massively ahead in expected goals (xG) by a margin of 2.93 to 0.70.

The only change at the half was Kaye being removed for Ian Harkes. Sporting made no changes.

The momentum stayed in San Jose’s corner to start the half as they created a chaotic situation in the box that Sporting KC struggled on multiple occasions to deal with. Ultimately Pulskamp came up with a very big save and then some nonsense ensued after. Arango laid on Pulskamp hoping for a call (when he clearly whiffed on his shot) and Jansen Miller took offense and rolled Arango off Pulskamp. Arango jumped up and charged Miller knocking him down, but referee Joseph Dickerson kept his cards in his pocket.

Miller removes Arango from laying on his keeper and Chicho has quite the reaction. No cards handed out. #SportingKC #SJvSKC

— KC Soccer Journal (@kcsoccerjournal.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T03:54:40.417Z

Rodrigues found his way into the book right after this with a rough challenge on Salloi.

In the 62nd minute near disaster struck for Sporting KC. After the ref ran a screen on Garcia to release San Jose in the midfield the eventual shot was deflected by Miller up off the crossbar and out for an uneventful corner kick. In the 64th, Kansas City had a counter of their own. A really nice build up found Khiry Shelton in behind the entire defense, but he inexplicably passed backwards to Shapi who showed too much indecision, and it all came to nothing.

In the 67th minute Sporting KC made a double sub. Shapi came off for Erik Thommy and Radoja off for Zorhan Bassong. Just before this, Arango elbowed Garcia in the face and got no card given to him after Ndenbe got a yellow for less on Espinoza earlier. Briefly after this, Arango earned a foul from Miller that set up a dangerous free kick from the Quakes. The ball was floated in, and an incredibly weak free header fell easily to Pulskamp.

In the 72nd minute, a turnover from SKC led to a dangerous attack up the right side of the field. Espinoza played a great ball into the box, but Shelton came up HUGE with the defense effort to snuff out the attack and draw a foul.

That would be a key play because almost immediately after that, Sporting KC extended their lead. Manu Garcia played a simple ball out wide to the newly subbed on Thommy who put a cross through a defender’s legs to the on charging Salloi who made no mistake in securing his brace! 4-2 Sporting KC!

Salloi with the brace! Thommy on the assist! 4-2 #SportingKC #SJvSKC

— KC Soccer Journal (@kcsoccerjournal.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T04:18:36.894Z

In the 83rd minute, it looked like Salloi was going to get his hat trick. Thommy again played a nice ball in from his right-wing spot and Salloi got goal side on his defender but got his shot all wrong and the ball deflected harmlessly out for a goal kick. After the game, Salloi told us how mad he was at himself and how he was likely to have a text from his father for missing such a great opportunity.

Right after though, Thommy got into the attack and got his second goal of the season! A well worked attack came up the left side where Ndenbe slowed down play and worked the ball into the middle of the field. Eventually Garcia found Salloi who returned the favor to Thommy with a well weighted layoff that Thommy cut back onto his left foot for the night’s fifth goal for Sporting KC. 5-2 SKC.

Thommy gets his goal! That's FIVE for Sporting Kansas City tonight! 5-2. #SportingKC #SJvSKC

— KC Soccer Journal (@kcsoccerjournal.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T04:29:18.818Z

That goal would be Salloi’s second assist. He ended the night as the player of the game with two goals and two assists. A career night for him.

After the goal, in a wildly dangerous play, San Jose won the ball with a nasty foul that went uncalled and nearly got another goal. The non-call looked to be at least orange, despite not getting even called as a foul. Luckily Ndenbe was able to play on after Harkes crushed him.

Harkes crushes Ndenbe. Not even a foul given. This is AT LEAST a yellow card. #SportingKC #SJvSKC

— KC Soccer Journal (@kcsoccerjournal.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T04:32:03.920Z

Five minutes of stoppage time was announced, and the scoring wouldn’t stop. San Jose found themselves in the box and Pulskamp tripped Martinez to give a penalty kick to the Quakes (and Pulskamp got a yellow card). Arango stepped up and drained it leaving Pulskamp’s record saving PKs at an imperfect 100 percent allowed. The lead dropped to two, as SKC were up 5-3.

Pulskamp gives up the PK and gets a yellow.Arango takes and finishes. Pulskamp has never saved a PK in MLS play. 5-3 #SportingKC #SJvSKC

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-04-20T04:37:39.023Z

That would finally be the end of the scoring after eight goals made it into the net. The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak on the road for Sporting Kansas City. It was only the third time in club history that they scored five goals on the road. The last time? September 15th, 2018, against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Sporting KC are back in action next Saturday against FC Cincinnati.