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Sporting Kansas City

Sporting Closes out 2019 MLS Season with Defeat at FC Dallas

October 6, 2019 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City (10-16-8, 38 points) suffered a 6-0 defeat at the hands of playoff-bound FC Dallas (13-12-9, 48 points) at Toyota Stadium on Sunday afternoon to close the book on the side's 2019 MLS campaign. Dallas scored twice early before adding another four goals in the second half to extend Sporting's winless streak to six games as the regular season concludes.

Sporting, who were without regulars Roger Espinoza and Ilie Sanchez due to suspension after receiving red cards last Sunday against Portland, created a new piece of club history as the side trotted out four Homegrown players to start a competitive game for the first time ever.

Sporting KC Academy products Jaylin Lindsey, Gianluca Busio, Felipe Hernandez and Daniel Salloi each found themselves in the Starting XI - with Lindsey making his first MLS start of the season following a torn meniscus in March, and Hernandez earning his first-ever start for the club.

In addition, goalkeeper Eric Dick made his debut between the pipes after representing the Swope Park Rangers extensively in 2018 and 2019, making 23 appearances in the USL Championship after being selected 13th overall in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft out of Butler University.

Following an even opening, Dallas took the lead with relative simplicity. Bryan Acosta lofted a ball from deep within his own half over the top of the Sporting backline, and forward Zdenek Ondrasek raced onto it before slotting beyond Dick for his sixth goal of the campaign to make the score 1-0 in the ninth minute.

Three minutes later, it was two for the home side. Santiago Mosquera found himself in acres of space inside the Sporting area following a recycled corner, and his low cross picked out center back Matt Hedges to tap home from close range and double the lead.

Busio almost dragged Sporting back into the game when he cut his way inside of Reto Ziegler in the Dallas area, but his low effort was deflected narrowly wide of the post in the 23rd minute. Moments before halftime, Jesus Ferreira had the opportunity to make it three with an open chance in front of goal after being found by Reggie Cannon, but the 18-year-old skied his attempt over the bar.

As the clock ticked into first-half stoppage time, Busio's excellent challenge high up the field won Sporting possession just outside the Dallas area, but Krisztian Nemeth's effort took a wicked deflection and spun wide of the post.

Four minutes into the second half, Luis Martins kept Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez honest with a swerving effort from distance, but Gonzalez did well to get his chest in front of the ball and redirect it out for a corner kick.

Instead, the hosts went right up the other end and made it 3-0. Dallas winger Mosquera dribbled at the Sporting backline and tried his luck from 20 yards, and his speculative shot took a heavy deflection off Botond Barath which wrong-footed Eric Dick as the ball bounced into the net.

Dallas continued piling on the pressure and made it four in the 54th minute. Following a Sporting giveaway, Ferreira picked out Barrios on the right side of the area and the Colombian lashed a low effort into the bottom corner beyond Dick to make the score 4-0.

Dick made his first save as a Sporting KC player in the 63rd minute, and it was an impressive one too. Following a poor giveaway by Sporting, Ferreira dribbled through one-on-one with Dick, but the Sporting gloveman spread himself well to deny the Dallas man his second of the game.

Moments later, Sporting almost pulled a goal back as the high-pressure saw substitute Gerso Fernandes win a ball deep in Dallas territory, but while his low effort beat Gonzalez, Hedges was back on the line to deflect the ball away.

Dallas made it five in the 68th minute as Reggie Cannon's cutback from the right wing was converted from close range by Ondrasek for his second goal of the game.

Sporting's leading scorer Felipe Gutierrez almost scored a consolation moments later, winning a ball on the edge of the Dallas area and firing a thunderous attempt on goal that was beaten away by Gonzalez.

Dallas Academy product Ferreira finally got his goal to make it 6-0 in the 73rd minute, picking up a loose ball on the edge of the Sporting area and striking a rasping effort into the side-netting.

Dick prevented the score from getting worse late in the day as he showed sharp instincts to deny Ferreira from distance before tipping away Brandon Servania's effort from 20 yards out.

Sporting Kansas City concludes the 2019 campaign with a 13-20-8 record in all competitions, posting a 10-16-8 mark in the MLS regular season while going 3-3-0 in the Concacaf Champions League early in the year and 0-1-0 during a short-lived Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup bid in June.

QUOTES

Sporting Kansas City Manager and Sporting Director Peter Vermes

On the team falling behind early...

Simple goals early on (that) the team doesn't have the ability to recover from. There's a total lack of confidence in the group and once the first goal went in, we just never found ourselves again.

On the defensive lapses...

The first two goals were ridiculous, the first goal especially. It should never happen...It's a big letdown. We were in the game. They had nothing up to that point and they got something. They turned something out of nothing...Those kinds of goals have happened quite too often this year. I said that last time. I've said that many times. It's not anything new. We don't deserve to make the playoffs so it's good that we're not in them.

On the introduction of new faces into the lineup...

It was a great experience for them because they got their butts kicked. Now they understand what it takes to be at this level. Whether they had good performances or not, it really doesn't matter because a good performance doesn't mean anything. You have to get results at this level. This was a very, very good lesson for those guys.

On the conclusion of the season...

I did not want the season to be over before. I remember when we were starting with the homestand with Colorado and we were up 2-0. I really felt that we were in a good place. Next thing you know, we get a guy thrown out and we lose the game. I think that really put a fork in the team and I think they, at that point, didn't believe that it was possible to happen. It's been a struggle from the staff's perspective to try to keep the guys motivated for the length of time that we've had to. Now we have to look forward to an offseason where we have changes to make and that's what we'll do.

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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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