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Sporting Kansas City surfs a Rapids’ surge to gain home win

Sporting Kansas City needed a win. At home, nonetheless. With a brace and two solo goals, they got it over Colorado Rapids.

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6 months ago

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Thad Bell Photography

Sporting Kansas City needed a win. At home, nonetheless. Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas they got it over Colorado Rapids. A brace by Dejan Joveljic and solo shots by Daniel Salloi and Mason Toye saw Kansas City past a 2-1 Colorado halftime lead.

The match presented two sides in distinctly different positions. Sporting Kansas City (6-15-6, 13th in West), although not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, are likely playing for pride and jobs. Colorado Rapids (10-12-6, 7th in West), however, are playing for more. The Rapids sit in the 7th spot of nine playoff slots available in the West, yet only one point ahead of two clubs behind them and only four ahead of the 10th place team. One could argue, though, that Sporting – with their 3-6-4 home record – is battling for their fans as well.

Sporting Kanas City’s Interim Manager Kerry Zavagnin sent out the following starting eleven:

The standout is 17-year-old center back Ian James gaining his second start in his first season with the club. James will be tasked with, at least in part, containing Rapids’ forward Rafael Navarro (11 goals four assists) and recent $8 million-plus signee, American attacker Paxten Aaronson.

The mild Labor Day weekend crowd soon would rise to its feet. Off a 4th minute corner from the left wing that skied over everyone, right back Khiry Shelton touched and sent in a knee-high cross. Striker Dejan Joveljic, every ready to adjust, dipped to head and redirected the ball past US National Team goalkeeper Zack Steffen at the near post for his 15th goal on the season. The early lead was only the third Kansas City had established all season.

Colorado would not be floored with an early slap to the jaw. Six minutes on, left back Rafael Santos banged a drive off Sporting goalkeeper John Pulskamp’s crossbar. Then, Aaronson rode into Kansas City’s box in the 14th, literally. Riding a body challenge from Shelton, evading a slide from left center back Robert Voloder, and a coming Pulskamp, the young American shot for the net. Playing the last line of defense, James blocked the attempt, evoking roars of appreciation, after moments of fear, from the faithful.

It was Pulskamp’s time to play hero only two minutes later. As Aaronson burst into the right side of Kansas City’s box, Sporting midfielder Zorhan Bassong dragged him down in the box. No hesitation: penalty. Colorado’s Navarro stepped up to the spot and hit low to Pulskamp’s right. Pulskamp was able and pawed the attempt away, leaving a rebound. Despite Navarro pouncing, Pulskamp save a second time to keep Sporting on top.

The repeated breaches of Kansas City’s defense had a “just a matter of time” inevitability to them, however. And in the 22nd minute, Navarro gained his joy. Colorado midfielder Cole Bassett fed a precise through ball for the striker as he ran down Sporting’s gut with Voloder on his shoulder. Navarro paid no mind and lithely lifted the ball over Pulskamp for the leveler.

Sporting found repeated joy through midfield and the left wing as the half progressed. Joveljic was sent into the Rapids’ box or just outside for several half-chance moments. But none were made whole.

That is often all the reprieve an opponent needs. Playing in a recycled ball from deep on the left wing, Colorado’s Navarro dipped a ball into Kansas City’s box. No reaction from James, Pulskamp, nor Voloder on a bounce saw the ball find an open Keegan Rosenberry inside the back post: 2-1 visitors at the 31st minute.

Soon, Sporting would have a chance to draw back. Joveljic’s vision spied Salloi in space in the box. Off a skillful feed, Salloi shot for goal only for Steffen to block away. The rebound sat well for an unmarked Shapi Suleymanov at the back post. However, the Russian winger pushed his attempt wide right of the open goal.

Sporting’s perplexing difficulty in dealing with balls into their box continued in the ensuing minutes. The 40th saw  Pulskamp save twice, first robbing Darren Yapi and then Noah Cobb. Though inconsistent on the night, Pulskamp had saved his side in difficult moments.

The half ended with Colorado besting Kansas City on shots and shots on goal, but not in possession.

The sides continued to alternate rushes into the each other’s defensive third. Sporting came the closest early in the half at the 55th minute. Suleymanov cut in from the right wing across the box and fed for Joveljic. The striker turned to layoff for Bassong. The Canadien international hit low for goal, but Steffen got down just in time and left the ball sitting on the goal line before covering up.

Kansas City attacking midfielder Santiago Munoz went acrobatic moments later when he took down a pass deep into the box with defender tight goal side. Munoz chested the ball down then turned his back to his mark and flicked a shot towards goal. The defender blocked partially before Steffen corralled the chance.

Zavagnin was prompted by the 60th minute to inject three substitutions: Mason Toye entered for Suleymanov, Jansen Miller for James, and Jacob Bartlett for Bassong.

A plot of inches and goal line saviors thickened in the 67th minute. Joveljic sent a header goal bound, yet Rapid defender Calvin Harris blocked the attempt, nearly allowing the ball to cross the line after Steffen was beat.

Sporting Kansas City had enough. Weaving into the Rapids’ box from the right wing in the 73rd minute, Daniel Salloi beat one, then another as he nearly stumbled before unleashing a right-footed guided strike. The shot hit the net just inside the far post to pull the hosts level.

But wait. No forget that. No use waiting. Sporting pushed again two minutes later. Munoz drove centrally drawing the defense to him. The American-born midfielder played left for Toye who bounded his third goal of the season past Steffen and inside the far post. The mild-gone-wild crowd then became volcanic. It wasn’t often they had seen their club storm back in such fashion in 2025.

With so much, more seemed only a wish. A line-drive delivery from Bartlett off a right-wing corner meant more. Joveljic showed his instinct and guile once again in the 81st minute. Running near post, Joveljic beat his man to the ball and lowered himself to redirect the pace of the ball into the far netting for a 4-2 lead.

Another defensive mess in Sporting’s box almost led to Colorado getting one back, just before recent Kansas City substitute Logan Ndenbe (for Liebold) wound up a shot that rattled Colorado’s right post.

Sporting’s win was well-earned. As the final whistle blew after five minutes of stoppage time, the crowd, and surely the players, felt that joy that had been fleeting the latter half of the season.

Sporting Kansas City’s will go for back-to-back wins at home as they host Austin FC next Sunday evening at 6:00pm.

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Amid a successful club and high school coaching career, Robert began writing for Major League Soccer as a stringer in 2004, doing weekly coverage and being sent to MLS Cup and the SuperDraft in subsequent seasons. Since then, Robert has continued playing and writing about soccer, although he chose to stop coaching in 2015. Catch his tactical and humanity-based articles and his musings on the Shades of Blue podcast at KCSoccerJournal.com.

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kcwookie

One could argue, though, that Sporting – with their 3-6-4 home record – is battling for their fans as well.

Truer words have not been written. I’m probably not renewing my season tickets, it is cheaper now to buy them on the secondary market. I can watch every game on Apple TV and not have to pay for overpriced tickets and concessions. If SKC had put the fans first instead of PV we would not be in another rebuilding year. I can’t do it again. There isn’t enough benefits to subscribing.

Next year…

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jdkus11

Despite letting in two goals, it seemed like Pulskamp had a very good game. I’m glad he finally stopped a PK! At this point, I don’t care if we get scored on 5 times, as long as we end up scoring more. I was sad I couldn’t watch this, but the highlights were incredibly exciting to rewatch.

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