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Sporting Kansas City

Sporting KC Earns 0-0 Draw on Road at Houston

October 10, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City solidified their place in the Supporters' Shield race with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. The result pulls Sporting KC within one point of MLS leaders New York with two games left in the regular season.

Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen tied a season-high with four saves in the match, including three in the game's first eight minutes.

The reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year used his feet to stop Houston Dynamo forward Will Bruin from close range in the second and sixth minutes. Defender Corey Ashe attempted to beat Nielsen with a long-range strike in the seventh minute but the Danish goalkeeper tipped the shot over the crossbar.

Sporting KC's best opportunity came in the 12th minute when Chance Myers played a long ball into the box. Ike Opara, who earned another start with Matt Besler away with the U.S. Men's National Team, headed the ball to Dom Dwyer in the middle of the penalty box. Dwyer brought the ball down on his chest but his side-volley sailed over the target.

The Dynamo had an opportunity to take the lead before halftime on a set piece. Brad Davis curled the ball over the wall but Aurelien Collin alertly stayed on the goal line and headed away the attempt.

Bruin tested Nielsen again in the second half, but the Sporting KC captain stood his ground and used his body to block the forward's shot attempt in the 68th minute.

Wednesday's shutout was the 12th of the season for Nielsen, tying the Philadelphia Union's Zac MacMath for most in MLS. Sporting KC improved their League-best road record to 7-5-4 and remained one of two teams in MLS with a positive road goal differential (+2).

Sporting KC has the weekend off as they prepare for their regular season home finale on Friday, Oct. 18 against D.C. United. The nationally televised match kicks off at 7 p.m. CT on the NBC Sports Network. Limited tickets are available and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.

FAST FACTS

With the draw, Sporting Kansas City remains in second place in the Eastern Conference with 52 points. Sporting Kansas City is currently tied for second in the MLS Supporters' Shield standings with Real Salt Lake, one point behind Eastern Conference leaders New York Red Bulls with two games remaining. Sporting Kansas City can secure a berth in the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs on Saturday if the Chicago Fire lose or draw at FC Dallas, or if the Philadelphia Union lose or draw at D.C. United. Sporting Kansas City secured a postseason berth in the team's 33rd regular season match in 2011 and 31st regular season match in 2012. Sporting KC is 227-216-116 all-time and 78-136-66 on the road all-time. Sporting KC's 116 all-time ties are most among all MLS teams. Sporting KC is 4-6-8 all-time against Houston and 2-3-4 on the road in the series.

Since Peter Vermes became head coach, six of the 12 regular season meetings between Houston and Sporting KC have ended in a draw.

Wednesday's match was the third and final meeting of the regular season after the teams played twice in May. Sporting KC posted a 1-0 victory at BBVA Compass Stadium and then earned a 1-1 draw at Sporting Park. Houston has not conceded more than one goal in any of their last nine MLS games against Sporting KC. Houston has scored five goals in the last eight regular season matches against Sporting KC. Sporting KC has lost only once in their last nine regular season match-ups with the Dynamo.

Sporting Kansas City was held without a shot on goal in the first half on Wednesday, marking only the second time this season that the club did not record a shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes and first time since March 9 at Toronto FC. Sporting Kansas City set a season low for shots on Wednesday with four, three fewer than the team's seven on March 2 at Philadelphia. Sporting Kansas City also matched the team's season low for shots on goal with one. Five players missed Wednesday's match due to international duty. Sporting KC will be without Graham Zusi (USMNT), Matt Besler (USMNT) and Erik Palmer-Brown (US U18's), while Houston will be without Boniek Garcia (Honduras) and Jermaine Taylor (Jamaica). Paulo Nagamura missed his fourth straight match with a left ankle strain. Sporting Kansas City Designated Player and leading goal scorer Claudio Bieler missed Wednesday's match with a groin strain. With the clean sheet, fans can take advantage of the Shutouts for Slices promotion to receive 50% off all regular price online menu orders at local participating Papa John's locations on Thursday or Friday by using the code SPORTINGKC online at PapaJohns.com. Wednesday's shutout snapped a streak of six straight losses for Sporting KC when the team was held scoreless (0-6-3). It also snapped a nine-game winning streak when the team kept a clean sheet (9-0-3). Sporting Kansas City has played in four scoreless draws this season. In 2012, the team drew 0-0 four times and in 2011, three times. Sporting Kansas City earned a draw for the first time in 14 games dating back to a 1-1 draw with Vancouver on July 3. Sporting Kansas City's 29 goals against this season are the fewest in MLS. Sporting Kansas City's +15 goal difference is tied for the best in MLS in 2013. Sporting Kansas City's 7-5-4 road record is the best in MLS this season and the team's +2 goal difference away from home also leads all MLS clubs. Houston has conceded the fewest goals at home (14) among Eastern Conference teams. Tally Hall and Jimmy Nielsen have played every minute in goal for their teams this season. Jimmy Nielsen broke his tie with Tony Meola for most games played and games started by a goalkeeper in club history (126) on Wednesday. Jimmy Nielsen has the best goals against average on the road in MLS history (1.03) among goalkeepers with a minimum of 500 road minutes played. Nielsen broke a tie with Matt Reis for the second longest complete consecutive regular season games played in MLS history on Wednesday with his 89th straight complete game played. Tally Hall's 1.21 career goals against average is tied for eighth best in MLS history among goalkeepers with a minimum of 4,500 minutes played. Jimmy Nielsen's 0.99 career goals against average is best in MLS history among goalkeepers with a minimum of 4,500 minutes played. Jimmy Nielsen's 0.91 goals against average is the best in MLS among goalkeepers with a minimum of 750 minutes played this season. His 11 shutouts are tied for most in MLS this season. His 34 clean sheets since 2011 are the most among all MLS goalkeepers. Jimmy Nielsen's 44 shutouts and .568 winning percentage are best for goalkeepers in club history. Nielsen matched his season high with four saves on Wednesday. Sporting Kansas City leads MLS with 477 shots this season. Sporting KC also leads MLS with 283 shots against and 97 shots on goal against. The Houston Dynamo are unbeaten in their last five MLS matches, tying their longest unbeaten streak of the season. The Dynamo have only trailed for a total of 12 minutes in their last five MLS games combined (3-0-2). Sporting KC is unbeaten in five of the team's last six MLS matches. Peter Vermes .553 winning percentage is the best for a Sporting KC manager all-time. Seth Sinovic has started and played the full 90 minutes in each of the team's last 14 MLS matches, the longest active games played streak on the team. Sinovic leads Sporting KC in minutes played (2,953) in all competition this season. Sinovic and Oriol Rosell are tied for most games played (34) and games started (33) in all competition this season. Oriol Rosell leads MLS with 122 interceptions. Rosell's seven interceptions were the most among all players on Wednesday. Sporting KC has conceded just one second half goal in their last seven MLS games. Houston leads the league in successful crosses/corners (203). Chance Myers' six total open crosses led all players on Wednesday. Sporting Kansas City leads MLS in chances created from set play (82). Sporting Kansas City leads MLS in duels (3808), duels won (1915), aerials won (680), interceptions (743) and headed clearances (628). Sporting KC is 5-5-5 when tied at halftime in 2013. C.J. Sapong won 12 of 13 aerial duels on Wednesday, most among all players. He was involved in 27 total duels, most among all players. Sporting KC is 4-2-6 when tied at the 75-minute mark in 2013. Sporting KC was outshot by an opponent for the sixth time (3-1-2) in 32 games this season on Wednesday. Sporting KC is 12-6-5 against teams from the Eastern Conference this season. Sporting KC is 1-0-1 in October this season and 15-10-13 all-time in the month. Aurelien Collin's 12 cautions in 2013 are most by a player in a single season in club history and tied for fourth most by an MLS player in a single season in League history. Collin will miss Sporting Kansas City's regular season home finale on Oct. 18 against D.C. United due to caution accumulation, his third such one-game suspension this season. Aurelien Collin is now tied with Mo Johnston and Jack Jewsbury for the sixth most cautions in club history (28). Collin leads MLS with 195 headed clearances. He ranks second in MLS in aerials (204), aerials won (135) and duels won (232). Ike Opara's 18 clearances led all players on Wednesday, two more than Aurelien Collin. Lawrence Olum set a single-game career high with three fouls committed on Wednesday. Wednesday's match was the final regular season broadcast on KSMO-TV. Sporting Kansas City's final two regular season matches will be nationally broadcast on the NBC Sports Network. Sporting KC is 13-5-5 on KSMO-TV this season. Seth Sinovic made the 100th regular season appearance of his MLS career on Wednesday, becoming the seventh active Sporting KC player to hit the milestone. Federico Bessone was in the gameday 18 for the first time since signing on Sept. 13.

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