SKC is eliminated from the playoffs by Minnesota

Sporting Kansas City fell to Minnesota United and were eliminated from playoff contention. It was a disappointing 2-0 loss for Sporting KC to the Loons.

Sporting KC dominated most of the stats, possession, passes, shots and XG. Lack of clinical finishing, including set pieces and penalty kicks, doomed the home side. It was perhaps even more discouraging after a dominate four goal performance midweek over Colorado.

The game had a two-hour delay at half time that saw many of the local fans head home, leaving small pockets of vocal fans from both teams.

After the scoreless first half and a lengthy weather delay with lightning peppering the area, the two teams resumed as they had in the first half. SKC dominating but unable to find the net. That changed in the 65^th minute when Robin Lod played a ball out to Kelvin Yeboah. The Minnesota attacker’s run prompted Dany Rosero to cover him while Jake Davis moved more centrally. Yeboah turned and caught the two SKC defenders in an awkward spot, shooting between them and into the far corner.

“We deserved a lot more than we got, a lot more,” Vermes told media after the match. “Forget about the second goal. On the first goal, obviously we have two guys there. One doesn’t go to pressure. The other one doesn’t cover. They both stand back and the guy gets a shot off and scores. Unfortunately, in regards to that goal, that’s happened way too many times. That’s why we’re in the position that we’re in this season.”

Sporting KC had an excellent chance to at least take a point in the 90^th minute when in the 90th minute when Memo Rodriguez was tripped inside the penalty area. William Agada took the resulting penalty. His shot clattered off the crossbar and out to safety.

Minnesota doubled their lead in the 90+4 minute when Bongokuhle Hlongwane cut through the SKC defense as they were looking to get forward.

When asked about Agada taking the penalty, Vermes answered, “He took it and he missed. There’s nothing else to say about it.”

Captain Johnny Russell was more verbose when asked about the same subject. “That’s on me. I should have taken it. Willy (Agada) and Alan (Pulido) grabbed the ball and I didn’t want it to turn into a bit of a ugly scenario that you can tend to see at times. So that’s on me as a captain. I should step up and take it. Willy said he was feeling it so I allowed him to take it but that’s definitely on me. I should have taken the ball.”

“There shouldn’t have been any doubt and I should have taken the penalty,” Rusell continued. “That’s my job as a leader of the team. You have to lead. I just wanted to obviously let a guy who is in good form (take it). He’s feeling confident and he wanted to hit it. Unfortunately for us, it didn’t go in. Willy has scored a lot of important goals for us this year and the season is not finished either. We need him so we just need to get behind him and rally around him and make sure this doesn’t sort of linger for him. It sucks. I’ve missed penalties. I missed a penalty this season to tie a game as well. I know how it feels. I’ll speak to him and let him know that happens. We just need to bounce back from it.”

Sporting KC has no time to lick wounds or dwell on missing out on the playoffs. They have a quick turnaround and head west to face LAFC in the U.S. Open Cup final on Wednesday.

Sporting Kansas City: Tim Melia (C); Khiry Shelton (Memo Rodriguez 46′), Dany Rosero, Robert Voloder, Tim Leibold; Jake Davis, Remi Walter; Stephen Afrifa (Johnny Russell 46′), Erik Thommy, Daniel Salloi (Alan Pulido 46′); William Agada

Subs Not Used: John Pulskamp, Zorhan Bassong, Robert Castellanos, Andreu Fontas, Logan Ndenbe, Alenis Vargas

Minnesota United FC: Dayne St. Clair; Carlos Harvey, Michael Boxall (C), Jefferson Diaz (Miguel Tapias 78′); Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Hassani Dotson (Franco Fragapane 61′), Wil Trapp, Joaquin Pereyra (Sang Bin Jeong 61′), Joseph Rosales; Tani Oluwaseyi (Robin Lod 46′), Kelvin Yeboah (Devin Padelford 90+3′)

Subs Not Used: Alec Smir, Anthony Markanich, Teemu Pukki, Samuel Shashoua

Scoring Summary:
MIN — Kelvin Yeboah 5 (Robin Lod 13) 65′
MIN — Bongokuhle Hlongwane 11 (Robin Lod 14, Wil Trapp 3) 90+4′

Misconduct Summary:
SKC — Jake Davis (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 36′
MIN — Miguel Tapias (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 79′

Referee: Ismir Pekmic
Assistant Referee: Logan Brown
Assistant Referee: Tyler Wyrostek
Fourth Official: Matthew Thompson
VAR: Greg Dopka
AVAR: Claudiu Badea