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Sporting KC Strike Late for an Epic Comeback Win over Charlotte FC

Sporting Kansas City pull off the epic comeback very late against Charlotte FC in the first meeting between the clubs.

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5 months ago

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Credit: Thad Bell

Kansas City – If you wanted a summary of Sporting Kansas City 2025 campaign, tonight’s matchup against Charlotte FC might just be the perfect fit. Children’s Mercy Park played host to the first ever Major League Soccer meeting between Sporting KC and Charlotte FC. The game had a little bit of everything from entertaining soccer to blood being drawn, but SKC pull out a late 2-1 victory over Charlotte!

Sporting KC started off slow in the first 15 minutes of the match, which found them with zero shots to Charlotte with five. CLTFC’s best opportunity early came from former marksman for Crystal Palace, Wilfried Zaha.  

It was in the 20th minute that SKC found their footing and took control of the game. After a promising attack from Salloi off a big touch carrying him into the penalty area, he laid it off to Shapi who could not apply the finishing touch.  

Closing out the first 30 minutes before the hydration break, SKC just could not find the back of the net, with close misses coming from Thommy and Shapi around the 26th and 28th minute.  

It was in the 34th minute that Idan Toklomati found the back of the net against the run of play off an attack that saw Doumbia hit a cross from the left-hand side. Toklomati found a little behind the back touch to get it just around Pulskamp.  

Miller slips and it almost feels like a lucky deflection for the Charlotte goal… 0-1 #SportingKC #SKCvCLT

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-06-26T01:16:52.790Z

That’s how it would go into the half, with Charlotte up 1-0.

Daniel Salloi found himself in the best position of the evening (up to that point) to tie the game up in the 60th minute, when SKC found Salloi wide open with no one but the goalkeeper. Salloi elected to go around Kahlina allowing the trailing defender to recover and erase an easy Salloi goal chance that ultimately led to no shot. 

As the second half wore on things got chippy and intense with Wilfried Zaha extracurricular activities led to the Cauldron’s “Palace reject” chant after he narrowly avoided a second yellow for dissent.

The @KCCauldron is chanting "Palace Reject" at Wilfried Zaha. #SportingKC #SKCvCLT

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-06-26T02:14:22.673Z

Beyond Zaha, three players were carded, all being yellows and even some blood from Manu Garcia head.  

Looks like a gash on Manu's eye they are trying to close. #SportingKC #SKCvCLT

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-06-26T01:57:19.892Z

While it was SKC who controlled the 2nd half, having the better end of the attack they were still scoreless 75 minutes in, trailing by one heading into the second hydration break. 

A save from John Pulskamp in the 86th minute kept some of the dying hope alive SKC, as they looked for an equalizer that never came.  

Pulskamp keeping SKC in it! Massive save! #SportingKC #SKCvCLT

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-06-26T02:27:27.169Z

In the final 10 minutes SKC almost answered with a goal of the week contender for Santiago Munzo, who had a brilliant scorpion kick attempt from Jake Davis’ cross. 

With just under eight minutes left, SKC switched to what looked to be a 4-2-2-2 Diamond wide in EA FC terms, with Toye and Dejan leading the attack and Santi Munoz underneath them since all three center forwards were on the field. But they just could not find that final push or touch to get through, what felt like a web Charlotte had built in front of its goal.  

That is, until Mason Toye found a way! He continued the nights’ theme of firsts with his first SKC goal coming in the 90 +4 minutes, to pull back a point.

But it was Dejan Joveljic’s late game winner in the 90 +6 minute that stole the show. Where Dejan found the classic #9, tap in off a sweat pass from Santigo Munoz. Both goals were set up by DP #10 Manu Garcia dropping lovely passes over the top.

After the dust fell after eight minutes of stoppage, SKC found themselves with a 2-1 victory over Charlotte. With goal contributions coming from Zavagnin’s late changes and substitute Santigo Munoz with the assist and Mason Toye first ever SKC goal.  

As said in Charlotte’s Web, “Never Hurry and never worry” SKC found three points to in the second game of their home stand. And who else but SKC biggest signing this offseason in Dejan Joveljic to win it for SKC in the dying moments of stoppage time. Next up for SKC is Real Salt Lake at home where Matt Besler will go up on the wall as a Sporting Legend. 

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Stu

Joveljic and Munoz need to be playing together every game

5
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ar_jhawk

Perhaps we finally found a way to put Salloi on the bench?

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Stu

Maybe, I’d love to see a 4-2-4, we have no defense so screw it just focus on scoring as much as possible

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Gumby

I took my kids to the game. That’s the kind of game that breeds fandom. Excellent fight on a hot night when it was just as easy to pack it in.

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KCOutsider

That’s the kind of game SKC loses earlier this season.

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ar_jhawk

That’s likely true, but they also have had some weird crazy comebacks. I was at the Minnesota “snow game” where they were down 3-0 and looked listless and then, a few good minutes and they tied. There was another game like that that I can’t remember the opponent now.

I want to say this shows there is something there to build on, but then they’ll throw a stinker in. But, showing some fight was all we were asking for at the beginning of the year and they are doing that.

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