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Sporting KC Comeback Falls Short to Real Salt Lake

Sporting Kansas City had all the chances, but not enough goals against conference leading Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night.

Published

4 months ago

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Credit: Thad Bell

Sporting Kansas City returned home after a tough road trip to Los Angeles to host their long-time rivals, Real Salt Lake.

While they never quit, the ultimately fell short 3-4, despite multiple comeback attempts.

The lineup had a few changes, both planned and unplanned. Alan Pulido popped up on the injury report and would miss the game entirely. Tim Leibold, who was on the original lineup graphic, was a late scratch due to an injury in warmups and was replaced by Zorhan Bassong at left back. Off his strong sub appearance on the weekend, Jake Davis earned a starting spot in the midfield next to Erik Thommy and Nemanja Radoja. Stephen Afrifa started over Alenis Vargas on the wing, after his goal over the weekend. Dany Rosero also returned to the lineup sending Robert Castellanos to the bench. And Kayden Pierre earned his second start of the season as he replaced Khiry Shelton at right back.

A surprise for Real Salt Lake’s lineup was that 16-goal scorer, Chicho Arango, was not in the starting lineup.

First Half

The game got off to a quick start with end-to-end action that lacked actual shots. Sporting KC had a 4th minute breakaway ball that Bassong fizzed just out of the reach of Willy Agada. Then Agada had a chance to lay it off to Johnny Russell, but Agada got that ball wrong as well taking away the chance to shoot.

Despite some early half chances from Sporting KC, it was Real Salt Lake who would strike first. A heavy touch from Radoja would fall to RSL to spring a counter. Bassong was up the field as his team had been in possession forcing Andreu Fontas to step out wide. Unfortunately, Fontas got it all long, stranding Rosero between two attackers. Close down the shooter and it’s a square ball tap in. Stay too wide and Andres Gomez would be one on one with Tim Melia. Gomez made easy work of him and ultimately slotted the ball into the side netting.

Shortly after, the ref would point to the spot for this heavy challenge from Ojeda on Thommy in the box.

There was a lengthy video review, but ultimately the VAR never asked the ref to take a look and the call was upheld as a penalty. Trouble is, Gavin Beavers did his best Melia impersonation and stopped Russell’s PK. RSL remained ahead 1-0.

It wouldn’t take long for Kansas City to right that wrong. A long build up led to a well worked pass to Afrifa who took a great touch and slotted it past the keeper. 1-1. Radoja was on the assist after his earlier gaff.

The game didn’t remain level for long. After Agada blocked a Russell screamer with his face, RSL went from goal kick to goal with relative ease. Moving the ball through the midfield, finding a ridiculously wide-open Diego Luna, who played a perfectly weighted through ball to Anderson Julio to put RSL up 2-1.

Salt Lake kept trying to let Sporting KC back into things in the first half. They had a series of turnovers either inside their own box or just outside it, but ultimately, Kansas City couldn’t take advantage. Perhaps the greatest of the chances came when Agada was passed the ball mere yards from the goal. He chested the ball down but got his second touch wrong. After a pass back, Thommy almost pulled off a bicycle kick, but he skied it.

The half would continue at its feverish pace. Afrifa would get a ball on the edge of the 18-yard-box and cut back to his right but drag his shot just wide of the post. RSL then immediately got deep in the KC box, slicing through the defense to leave Luna one on one with Melia who made a massive save. Six minutes of stoppage time popped on the board shortly after. Agada had a clean header in the box that he skied over the goal. Then, in the 45+3 minute, a second consecutive KC corner led to a near Brayan Vera own goal, with his touch sliding just wide of the net.

The half would end with RSL up 2-1.

Halftime Stats (SKC/RSL)

  • Shots: 13 – 8
  • SOG: 2 – 5
  • xG: 2.8 – 1.4
  • Saves: 3 – 1
  • Possession: 55.3 – 44.7
  • Fouls: 6 – 5
  • Corners: 7 – 0

But the only stat that really matters is goals. RSL have two and Sporting KC have one. And it turns out, that xG may have been wildly off.

Second Half

Salt Lake started the half a little shaky. First giving up a corner under minimal pressure from a bad touch. Then Thommy crossed a ball through the box and Bode Hidalgo, a halftime sub, nearly headed it into his own net.

However, it would be Sporting KC that would give up the first goal. Davis played a ball forward after a corner kick before KC had returned to their shape. The ball was turned over and, after a series of weird bounces in the midfield and Fontas overcommitting for a missed challenge, Gomez would chip home his second of the night.

In the 60th minute Peter Vermes went for the rare triple sub. On would come Robert Voloder, Alenis Vargas and Memo Rodriguez for Fontas, Afrifa and Radoja. Afrifa was playing pretty well and was really the only surprise. Memo isn’t a defensive midfielder, but he slotted in there having played the spot a little earlier this year. In the 67th minute, Pierre would come off for Khiry Shelton. Pierre had only played 70 minutes all season before this appearance, so fatigue was surely a factor.

Shortly after, the goal KC were chasing came. Bassong would perfectly place a cross to the chest of Agada who had to take a couple touches but found the back of the net! 2-3, RSL still ahead.

The first yellow of the game came in the 77th minute to Vera of RSL who was carded for time wasting. There had been some incredibly long goal kicks up to that point, so it felt deserved. Shortly after, Russell, who had flipped to the left wing, beat his man and sent a dangerous cross into the box that Vera tried to put in his own net to stop the diving header of Agada. Beavers came up big again and pushed it out for a corner.

In the 83rd, Bassong won a 50/50 ball and cut it back for Russell who just didn’t quite get enough on it and Beavers saved it again. A minute later, RSL would finish off Kansas City. After a really nice interception in the midfield, Memo would end up turning the ball over on an under-hit pass to Davis. The initial pass to Arango was long, but he gathered it and assisted Salt Lake’s fourth of the night to substitute Matt Crooks.

There would be six minutes of stoppage time, but it wouldn’t be quite enough. Though KC sure tried! Willy Agada would get his second of the night with a powerful downward header to send Beavers flailing to make it 3-4.

Then at the death Thommy put a shot off the post, off the back of the keeper, but it somehow stayed out of the net.

The final whistle blew moments later. Sporting Kansas City are on the road this Saturday against the defending MLS Cup Champions, Columbus Crew, at 6:30 PM CDT.

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I've been covering Kansas City soccer since 2014, including Sporting Kansas City, the KC Current, SKC II and more. I'm based out of Kansas City, MO, but got my start covering SKC while writing from Phoenix, AZ.

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