RECAP: SKC fall short in visit to rivals STL as MLS returns from break

Sporting Kansas City returned to regular season play by paying a visit to their rivals out East, St. Louis City SC. Despite goals from Capita and Dejan Joveljic, SKC fell short 3-2 after giving up a late penalty.

Defender Or Blorian, who joined the team during the break for the FIFA World Cup, made his debut along the Sporting KC backline.

[Editor: St. Louis also had a lineup.]

From the referee’s whistle, it looked like Sporting wanted to put the pressure on STL and it was evident by their kickoff mimicking PSG’s patented way of starting matches.

The first real chance of the game came for the home team in the 12th minute. Manu Garcia lost the ball on a bad touch in the midfield and the STL went on the counter and find Jeong Sang bin who shoots wide of Stefan Cleveland’s goal. It was a sign of things to come.

In the 21st minute, Cleveland was called into action as another counter from St. Louis saw Simon Becher find Marcel Hartel streaking into the SKC penalty box and effectively one-on-one with the Kansas City keeper. Cleveland stretches and deflects the ball into the post and out for a corner.

Not much later in the 28th minute, disastrous defending by Jansen Miller ends in a short clearance that lands at the feet of Tomas Totland inside the penalty area. His cross is first deflected by Cleveland but is spilled into the path of Sang bin who pushes it into the back of the net from close range. VAR spent a longer-than-expected amount of time reviewing the play for a possible attacking foul, but the goal was ultimately confirmed.

Conceding the goal seemed to wake up the Sporting KC attack who once again began to press their opponents and recover the ball in the attacking third, but no real chance came of it.

However, it didn’t take long for St. Louis to regain control. In the 36th minute, City won the ball in the midfield with a crunching tackle and Becher sprinted forward on the break. He found Hartel’s overlapping run and Hartel runs unimpeded into SKC’s penalty area and slots the ball under Cleveland to give the home team a 2-0 lead.

Just when it looked like Sporting were dead to rights, Calvin Harris found space down the left wing and passed to Dejan Joveljic who rips a shot from the top of the box. His shot was deflected but only as far as Capita who, out of nowhere, unleashed a beautiful outside of the box shot to the far post that find its way past Lundt who managed to get a hand on it.

Sporting took the 2-1 deficit into the halftime break, which would also be the end of shift for Ian James and Jayden Reid who were substituted by Jake Davis and debutant Emir Karic, respectively.

The second half started off much like the first with St. Louis enjoying spells of possession and Sporting KC pressing with limited success.

STL did create some chances but thanks to some clutch clearances from Bassong and Blorian, the deficit remained 2-1.

Blorian, who performed well in his debut, requested to be subbed off with an injury or possible cramping in the 74th minute. He was replaced by Ethan Bartlow and Kwaku Agyabeng entered for Zorhan Bassong in the same window.

Two minutes later, Sporting’s pressure finally paid off. Calvin Harris rushed the St. Louis goalkeeper who was forced to blindly clear the ball, but his pass was a nightmare that landed at the feet of Manu at the top of the STL penalty area. The Spaniard hit the feet of Joveljic with a filthy backheel flick and the Serbian used some fancy footwork to get onto his left boot and slot the ball past Lundt to make it 2-2.

But the SKC joy would only last so long. In the 81st minute, second half substitute Bartlow handles the ball in the box and after a lengthy visit to the VAR screen, the referee awarded a spot kick to the home team. Before the kick, Stephen Afrifa was subbed on for Capita who asked for a sub moments earlier.