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 Sporting Kansas City

Sporting KC Falls 2-1 to Colorado

April 14, 2016 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City fell to the Colorado Rapids 2-1 on Wednesday at Children's Mercy Park. Dom Dwyer moved to second on the MLS scoring charts with his fourth goal of 2016, but Colorado struck late in each half through Luis Solignac and Shkelzen Gashi to claim the road win.

Wednesday's match commemorated the 20th anniversary of Sporting Kansas City's inaugural game, a 3-0 win over the Rapids on April 13, 1996, at Arrowhead Stadium. A 74th consecutive sellout crowd at Children's Mercy Park saw Colorado (3-2-1) move within two points of Sporting Kansas City (4-2-0) in the Western Conference standings.

Manager Peter Vermes made four changes to the Sporting Kansas City lineup from Saturday's 2-0 triumph over the New York Red Bulls. Center back Ike Opara earned his first start in more than a year after overcoming an Achilles injury, while 22-year-old Designated Player Diego Rubio spearheaded the attack.

Rubio was on the end of Sporting Kansas City's best first-half scoring chance in the 40th minute. Graham Zusi spread a diagonal pass to Connor Hallisey, who flashed a low cross into the six-yard area from the left wing. Colorado goalkeeper Zac MacMath failed to corral the ball, and though Rubio was forced to react quickly, he poked the rebound wide of the post.

Sporting Kansas City would rue the miss a minute later. Colorado midfielder Marco Pappa squeezed a through ball into the path of Luis Solignac, who hammered home just inside the near post. Pappa tallied his third assist of the season on the play, entering tie for second in MLS.

The match burst to life after the break as Vermes wielded offensive firepower from off the bench, introducing Dwyer, Benny Feilhaber and Brad Davis over the course of the second stanza. Sporting Kansas City nearly grabbed an equalizer in the 47th minute when Rubio beat Burling along the left endline, prevented the ball from rolling out of play, and smashed a right-footed blast onto the crossbar.

The hosts stayed on the front foot, with Lawrence Olum firing narrowly wide off Zusi's cross in the 54th minute. Shortly thereafter, Zusi was on the receiving end of Hallisey's precise pass into the box, but the U.S. international's one-time shot was blocked by the sliding Marc Burch.

Colorado survived another scare in the 67th minute when Opara latched onto the end of Feilhaber's corner kick. The center back's header was bound of the back of the net, but Gashi was positioned to nod the ball off the goal line.

Dwyer provided the long-awaited equalizer in the 77th minute. Hallisey curled a left-footed delivery into the penalty area from the right channel, where Dwyer glanced a header past MacMath to take sole possession of fourth place in club history with 40 career regular season goals. Hallisey and Saad Abdul-Salaam each recorded their second professional assists since joining the club out of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft.

Sporting Kansas City appeared to be in the ascendancy - outshooting the Rapids 12-6 with a 78 percent edge in possession in the second half - but it was Colorado who grabbed the late game-winner. Dillon Serna's swerving attempt from 35 yards rattled the woodwork, but Gashi was on hand to bury the rebound past Melia in the 82nd minute for his first MLS goal.

Davis came agonizingly close to salvaging a point for Sporting Kansas City in the 94th minute. Nuno Andre Coelho sent a long, looping ball into the penalty area that skipped once and eluded MacMath's grasp before reaching Davis at the far post. The veteran's thunderous strike pelted the crossbar before bouncing out of play. Referee Robert Sibiga whistled an end to the game a minute later.

A quick turnaround awaits for Sporting Kansas City, who begin a three-game road swing Sunday at FC Dallas (4-1-2, 14 points). The Western Conference clash will kick off at 6 p.m. CT with national television coverage on FS1 and FOX Deportes.

FAST FACTS

Sporting KC Team Facts

Sporting Kansas City lost to the Colorado Rapids 2-1 on Wednesday in a match that commemorated the 20th anniversary of Major League Soccer in Kansas City.

Twenty years ago today, the Kansas City Wizards defeated the Colorado Rapids 3-0 at Arrowhead Stadium in the inaugural match for both teams.

"‹Sporting KC was unbeaten in 11 games versus the Colorado Rapids before losing the last three matches between the clubs.

Sporting KC is now 18-5-5 at home versus the Rapids in the regular season.

The loss was just the second for Sporting KC in their last 17 home games versus the Colorado Rapids in all competitions.

Sporting KC hits the road on Sunday to face FC Dallas at 6 p.m. CT on FS1 and FOX Deportes.

Sporting KC Player Facts

Peter Vermes made four changes to Sporting KC's starting XI as Saad Abdul-Salaam, Ike Opara, Jordi Quintilla and Diego Rubio earned starts.

Opara made his first start since April 11, 2015, after overcoming an Achilles injury.

Sporting KC's 22-year-old designated player Diego Rubio made his first career MLS start on Wednesday.

Dom Dwyer scored the lone goal for Sporting KC. He is tied for second in MLS with four goals.

Connor Hallisey and Saad Abdul-Salaam each picked up an assist on Dwyer's goal.

Abdul-Salaam collected his second assist of the season, marking a new career high for the second-year professional.

"‹Colorado Rapids Team Facts

The Rapids are now fifth in the Western Conference standings with 10 points (3-2-1).

Colorado Rapids Individual Facts

Colorado goalkeeper Zach MacMath is 4-0-1 in his last five regular season games at Children's Mercy Park.

Luis Solignac scored Colorado's first goal on Wednesday.

Shkelzen Gashi notched the game-winner in the 82nd minute, the first goal of his MLS career.

General Facts

Former Kansas City Wizard Digital Takawira was in the stadium on Wednesday and led the "I Believe That We Will Win" chant.

Children's Mercy Park featured discounted concessions until 7p.m. CT on Wednesday: $4 hamburgers, $2 hotdogs, $5 25-ounce beer.

Sporting KC warmed up in throwback jerseys and wore the all-white kit with special rainbow numbers.

Sporting Kansas City announced the club's 20th Anniversary Best XI, presented by Bud Light at halftime of Wednesday's match.

QUOTES

Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes

On tonight's performance...

I would tell you it's simple. We were nonchalant on the first goal. Other than the ball in the beginning of the first half where Ike [Opara] had to run and make a slide tackle to the goal at the Cauldron, other than that they didn't have anything. We gave them everything. We gave them the first goal. Lawrence [Olum] turned and was nonchalant. Guy picked his pocket and they broke us on the play. And then Benny [Feilhaber] gave away a square ball in the midfield and again, both goals all us, all on us. We gave them both goals.

On the first half performance...

It wasn't good. It wasn't good enough. The game was too slow. The game was way too slow. Our way of pushing the game and driving the game was terrible. I thought the second half was much different. We were going after the game and putting them under pressure. There were times they couldn't get out of their own half. That's the way the game should have started and that's one of the biggest reasons I made the changes I did at halftime and throughout the rest of the game.

On whether or not there is an element of luck with balls off the post...

I don't think so. I think there were other balls within the game itself. Other situations that dropped in the box and if we were a little more hungry and moving more, we would have found more. I knew when we scored the goal to tie the game, my feeling was we had more than enough time, we had 18 or 19 minutes still, and I felt like the tides were turning. And then again, we just shoot ourselves in the foot. When you gives up balls like that, you are going to get crushed. But you deserve to. When you give up those kinds of balls, and we talk about it all the time, that's what is going to happen to you.

On the group's performance in the second half...

I thought in the second half we were very good. I think we ran them into the ground and were all over them. But, again you do all that work and get yourself back into the game and give up another square ball in the midfield and then the other team goes and sticks another goal in on you. When you make silly mistakes, teams are going to capitalize on them.

Sporting KC midfielder Benny Feilhaber...

Thoughts on the match...

I thought we played reasonably well in the second half and got back in the game. Once you tie it, I think you feel pretty good about scoring another. I lose a bad ball in midfield, not even midfield, more defensive third and from then on it hits off the crossbar and they get the rebound. So this one is on me.

On the first half...

It wasn't a good half, but at the same time, if we don't give up that goal at the end of the first half, we come in with a little different mindset. Colorado makes it tough. Especially when you play them at home, they are a smart team with the way they tactically defend and make it tough for you. A lot of times you lose track of what they are offering up front. I actually didn't get a clear picture on their goal. I was just starting to warm up so I'm not 100% sure what happened. We all know it wasn't a great half. The second half was better, but a bad mistake by me cost us some points today.

Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia

On the team's second straight loss at home...

There really isn't an excuse for it. We have to knock this out early in the season. Hopefully, this is the last of a slow start and that will be the end of it.

On what went wrong tonight...

Individually, we have to be better. They prepare us perfectly. They set everything up for us. We have everything we need and come game time, we have to do better. And we have to do much better, especially at home.

Colorado Rapids Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni

On being successful with Sporting KC's breakdown in the back...

We are facing a lot of adversity this point in the season with fourteen guys over in this game. (I couldn't figure out what he was saying here) For me it's not about the tactics. It is about the heart and the spirit of a bunch of guys that will work hard for each other. We come to a very difficult place, against a very good team, and I think today those players showed what its all about. This is why we play this game, why we coach, and why we are involved in professional sports. It's all about the moments like this.

On how proud and happy he is with the result...

One of the focal points of this game was on defensive consideration. Whether you are defending high or whether you are defending in the middle or the back of the field, I think the guys really absorbed a lot of pressure and did a good job at getting balls in a dangerous area. They defended well. Guys like Gashi, Marco and Luis were fantastic in the attack and I think they showed their class. They had a fantastic goal breaking from a deeper position with a good shot. The finish was fantastic.

On Gashi's goal of the game...

I think Gashi is a very good soccer player. You can't teach soccer intelligence that is something that you earn, learn, and process that you go through in your career as a young footballer to an experienced footballer. He has a knack for scoring goals as he has proven in the past. That is not by accident. He finds the moments and capitalizes. He was opportunistic on his movement to get to the ball. The finish is class and again you can't teach that. That is talent and hard work from him.

On situations and luck of the game...

I ask the same question of what we are doing on this planet. It is spinning a million miles an hour and how are we not feeling it. It is a crazy phenomenon and that is why the game of football is so beautiful. We can talk tactics, and talk this and that, but it is really about the intangibles and the momentum. It's the belief and the chemistry. It is all these little things and the fortune. You must be opportunistic and capitalize on them. If Gashi is not in the position and it just hits the woodwork and then is like everything else and that is why this game is crazy. I don't know how to explain it, but I think there is a lot to this game that statistics can't answer, that tactics can't answer, and human being can't answer. Tonight was a fantastic win of spirit, heart, and stones.

Colorado Rapids defender Dillon Serna

On how it feels to get the win against Sporting KC...

Obviously it feels great coming off a loss in Salt Lake. Three games in seven days is obviously tough. And we have some injuries, so we've only got 14 or 15 players. So to come in here and get three points is amazing.

On playing outside of his normal position at right back...

Like I said, we have some interviews right now, so some guys needed to step up and I think they did tonight. I thought I did all right. Right back not my position. I've never really played there. There was no pressure on me. I just had to go out there and do my best, and I think I did pretty good.

On how this will improve Colorado's confidence moving forward...

It's massive. Kansas City has been one of the best teams in the league so far, and to come on the road and get three points - now we're going to go back home confident.

On dealing with Sporting KC's increased pressure in the second half...

They brought in their top guys for the second half, and we kind of felt their pressure. But I think in the moments we needed to be sharp, we were and we capitalized.

Colorado Rapids forward Shkelzen Gashi

On how it feels to take home three points at Sporting KC...

The victory was very important for everyone because the last game we played very good and we lost, and now we said we are a good team. We worked very hard tonight, so I think for everyone it was good to win.

On scoring his first goal for Colorado...

I am more happy for the team, because the three points were very important. There's always a chance the ball will go in. Sometimes it goes in and sometimes not. And tonight it did, and I scored. But first I want to say good job to the team.

On being in the right place at the right time...

I'm just a player. Everyone on the bench and on the field wanted to win. So I did a good job on the line, but we did a very good job on defense tonight, so I think everyone was happy.

On gaining confidence from the match...

We are in good form. Last game was not easy for us because we lost the game, but after the loss we said, "Come on, guys. Stand up. Heads up. Next game we will win." And it was true. And now everyone is happy. We are one team.


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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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