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Sporting Kansas City II

Recap: Rangers Rally for 2-2 Draw with Real Monarchs

August 19, 2017 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Sporting Kansas City II News Release


Recap: Swope Park Rangers rally for 2-2 draw

(August 18, 2017) - Nansel Selbol and Kharlton Belmar came off the bench to score second-half goals on Friday as the Swope Park Rangers (12-5-5, 2nd place) rallied for a 2-2 draw against Real Monarchs (16-3-4, 1st place) in a battle of the top two teams in the USL's Western Conference at Swope Soccer Village.

The visitors opened the scoring in the game's eighth minute with a well-taken free kick from Daniel Haber. His fifth goal of the year curled over the wall from 25 yards out and into the top corner past a diving Adrian Zendejas.

Though Mark Anthony Gonzalez and Felipe Hernandez each came close to responding for SPR, it was the Real Monarchs who made the most of their chances in the first half and doubled their lead in the 26th minute. Andrew Brody delivered a delightful cross for Kyle Curinga, who buried a header from the top of the six-yard box for his second goal of the season.

Despite the deficit, the Rangers would respond in impressive fashion. Defensively, SPR would hold Real Monarchs without another shot on goal until the 90th minute when Zendejas preserved the point with a fantastic foot save.

Offensively, Lebo Moloto twice threatened with attempts on target on both sides of the halftime intermission, and Gonzalez nearly pulled off a moment of brilliance in the 59th minute, but it was two substitutions by head coach Nikola Popovic that ultimately turned the tide. Fifteen minutes after stepping onto the pitch, the 20-year-old Selbol - a Sporting KC Academy product - pulled a goal back with his fifth goal of the season on a right-footed strike from distance.

Then with the clock ticking toward full time, Belmar capped off the comeback with his team-leading eighth goal of the season on a beautifully-worked goal from the left flank. Tyler Pasher's overlapping run produced a pinpoint pass into the path of Belmar for a first-time finish that gives the former USL Rookie of the Year goals in back-to-back games.

Selbol and Belmar each have three goals as substitutes in 2017, tied for third most in the USL along with Gonzalez. Friday's result - SPR's third straight draw - sees the Rangers move into second place in the West, 11 points back of Real Monarchs with 10 games remaining in the regular season.

Next Match

- The Swope Park Rangers will travel to California to take on Sacramento Republic FC (10-6-4, 5th place) at 10 p.m. CT on Wednesday, August 23. The match will be streamed live on SportingKC.com and in-game updates will be available from the team's social media channels on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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