Sporting Earns 2-1 Win at Seattle
May 7, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
Designated Players Erik Thommy and Alan Pulido scored first-half goals as Sporting Kansas City bounced into the win column for the first time this season by claiming a deserved 2-1 victory over first-place Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday at Lumen Field.
Thommy struck inside four minutes and Pulido gave his team a 2-0 cushion on Thommy's assist at the half-hour mark, paving the way for Sporting to take three cathartic points back to Kansas City and condemn the Sounders to their first home defeat of the 2023 campaign. Seattle grabbed a goal back midway through the second half when Lodeiro converted from the penalty spot, but Sporting held on to secure its fourth regular season win in five visits to Lumen Field dating back to 2019.
With Sunday's much-needed result in the bag, Sporting has now won six of the last nine meetings against the Sounders-a perennial power in the Western Conference-and prevailed in the Pacific time zone for the first time since posting a 2-1 triumph over Seattle on Oct. 23, 2021.
Manager Peter Vermes made two changes to Sporting Kansas City's starting lineup from last weekend as Andreu Fontas returned to central defense after serving his one-match suspension and Gadi Kinda earned his first start since 2021 in the attacking midfield role. Sunday was also the first time since Nov. 28, 2021, that Sporting had all three of its Designated Players on the field together as Kinda, Pulido and Thommy were all part of the XI alongside former DP Johnny Russell.
Shortly after testing Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei from long-range within 50 seconds of kickoff, Thommy fired Sporting ahead by finishing off an incisive attack inside the penalty area. The German played Salloi into space down the right channel and continued his run into the box. Salloi sent a low cutback pass into the mixer for Kinda, whose deft touch near the penalty spot teed up Thommy to slot low into the left corner for his first goal of the season.
The strike snapped Seattle's 453-minute home shutout streak to begin the campaign as Kinda picked up his first assist since Nov. 3, 2021, the same date he logged his last regular season start after missing all of 2022 through injury. Salloi tallied a secondary assist on the goal and has now scored or assisted on a team-high five goals in all competitions this year.
Vermes' men remained on the front foot and asked further questions of Frei and the Sounders in the 16th minute. Russell's turf trimmer skipped through traffic and deflected inches wide of the far post before Salloi had his low drive saved at the near post.
The first half remained one-sided and Sporting doubled their advantage with conviction in the 31st minute. Turning from scorer to provider, Thommy spun around his defender 30 yards from goal and slipped a brilliant through ball into the path of Pulido, who was left with work to do as Frei advanced off his line. The Mexican forward made no mistake with the finish, tucking a shot low across the Seattle keeper and into the net for his first MLS goal since Aug. 14, 2021. Pulido now has 15 goals in 31 career regular season starts and Sporting have enjoyed four multi-goal games in their last five visits to Lumen Field dating back to 2019.
Tim Melia enjoyed a worry-free afternoon until the 34th minute, but Seattle forward Heber failed to beat the Sporting goalkeeper with a tame shot that resulted in a comfortable save. It was the final notable contribution of a turbulent first 45 minutes for the Sounders, who had conceded two first-half goals at home for the first time since falling 3-1 to Sporting on July 25, 2021.
The visitors showed no complacency entering the second period and went close on two occasions near the 55th minute. Fontas powered a header just over the crossbar off Logan Ndenbe's cross before midfielder Remi Walter-landing his 53rd consecutive regular season start-sent a curling effort marginally high off a clever feed from Salloi.
The Sounders finally gained a foothold past the hour mark, winning a penalty kick when Ndenbe was whistled for fouling substitute Fredy Montero just inside the box. Lodeiro stepped to the spot and buried the ensuing attempt into the left corner for the 49th goal of his heralded MLS career, ending Sporting's hopes of a shutout.
With momentum turning, Seattle went remarkably close to leveling terms in the 72nd minute. U.S. international forward Jordan Morris made a bursting run to the far post and appeared well-positioned to steer home off Albert Rusnak's teasing cross, but 21-year-old midfielder Jake Davis-deputizing at right back for the third straight game in all competitions-intervened superbly by sliding to get an all-important touch on the ball and thwart Morris.
The dying embers of the game unfolded in breathless fashion. The hosts created danger in the 90th minute when Morris was set free down the left flank and uncorked an attempted cross that Melia was forced to palm over the crossbar. Shortly thereafter, Seattle defender Alex Roldan-who was fortunate not to be sent off for a second yellow card moments earlier-unleashed a wayward shot from the top of the box.
At the opposite end, Sporting could have restored their two-goal lead in the fifth minute of stoppage time if not for a spectacular bit of goalkeeping from Frei. With acres of space to exploit on the counterattack, Russell swung a precise diagonal delivery to late-game substitute Roger Espinoza. The veteran midfielder chested the ball down, cut past Cody Baker and fired a curling shot on target from 15 yards, but Frei produced the stop to keep the score at 2-1 in the final flashbulb moment of the contest.
Sporting will look to continue their winning ways on Wednesday with a trip to rivals Houston Dynamo FC in the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32. Kickoff at Shell Energy Stadium is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT with live streaming on the U.S. Soccer YouTube channel.
QUOTES
Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
Thoughts on the win...
We had to make a change yesterday in the team so that was just another thing that we had to deal with. I thought the guys adapted really well. I thought Gadi (Kinda) being able to go 45 minutes was huge. I thought the effort from the opening whistle and the level of concentration and the ability to defend individually and then lines and as a team was excellent. I didn't expect two of the subs to happen as they did, which took a moment away from us. That's why we made the sub at halftime so we didn't lose a moment. But with (Erik) Thommy going down and Alan (Pulido), it only really allowed us a situation where we probably would have put on a couple more guys. But anyway, game wise, I thought we were good. Like I said, I thought we were focused, concentrated and this was a very good performance for us. The team played well, scored two great goals and maybe could have got a third. The final thing I would say is this is never an easy place to play, but a big three points for us anytime you're on the road. So that part's really good. And we got a win and that's good as well. But as I told you guys before, I believe in the team and I knew it was coming.
On the offensive performance...
I think there's a combination of things. I think that the guys are a little more free. At the same time, I also think that Gadi (Kinda) helps the group immensely when he's on the field. I also think that other guys are getting fitter and in form that have been playing for quite some time. I said this all along that it was going to take some time and I'm going to have to be the most patient person. I've been that and I continue to be that. I'll keep growing the group as best I can over the time that I'm here.
On the change that had to be made to the team...
It was (Nemanja) Radoja. He was in the group, but he got sick and so we had to scratch him for the roster.
On Alan Pulido's goal...
I have said this many times. He's got an incredible attitude. He worked incredibly hard to get back. He obviously had a very serious surgery and injury, and I don't think any of us knew, including him, on how that return was going to be. It's not short of work because he's put the time, the effort, the staff, everybody has worked with him and he loves the game. I think that's a big part of the reason why he's back and able to play like he does. And he helps our team immensely. We're starting to feel in the game what he does and how we should play off of it, because he's been out for us for a long time. That part is very good. I'm very happy for him. The goal was a great goal, but it's so typical of him: the run, the finish. He's always so clinical around those situations.
From the team's perspective, 10 games and we didn't have a win. And we know that we played a lot of games where we played very well. We just didn't get the result. But as I've tried to say many times, there's no doubt that the guys were dejected because of where we were and having not won. But they haven't given up or they're not in a place where they don't believe. So they continue to work very hard. As I've told them that, I personally believe that we have an excellent roster and we have the potential to be a really good team. So we just need to keep building towards that. And you have got to stay away from what everybody says about you. You have just got to keep thinking about how do we get better? And I think the guys are doing that.
On his message to the team at half and Gadi Kinda playing 45 minutes...
Gadi Kinda was either going to play 30 or 45, but I wanted to start him. I think it's easier to manage the guy in that situation. He's coming back. At the start of the game, a lot of guys like to get into the flow of the game from the very get go. So like I said, it was either going to be 30 or 45 and we were ready for both but he was never going to go longer than 45 at least from my point of view, especially being on turf.
Obviously, there were some things that we needed to be aware of with them because they already started doing towards the end of the first half and I thought we handled it well but I just wanted to make sure and emphasize with the guys that we were ready for that. And then the other would be is that we won the first half. We have got to be in a place where in the second half we have just got to stay focused, we have got to keep playing, and we have got to try to get a third at the same time. We have just got to keep ourselves compact and not give anything silly away.
On winning in Seattle...
It feels very good. We played them at home. We started out really well. We were up 1-0. In the first 20 minutes we were great and then just a couple of things happened and obviously we got the red card and that changed the game. But in this game, this was important for us. Obviously, we're getting more and more of our guys back out onto the field, as I said before, they're not all 90 minutes fit and they're not all in form. But to give the kind of effort that those guys gave, even if they played 45 or 30 minutes or what have you, it was very important. And I think each individual guy is now starting to understand how important each player on the roster is. And when they get their moment, they have got to come in and they have got to make a contribution. I thought all the guys did that today really well.
On the impact of this win moving forward...
I'm not going to make any predictions on that. All I know is, and I've said this before, I believe we have a really good team. I think that I've had to show a lot of patience as a manager based on the injury situation, because it'd be easy for me to be selfish and tell guys that they have to play 90 minutes and stay out there when they're not ready and then risk injury again. So I said from the beginning, I'm going to stick to that. I've done that and I'm going to continue to stick to that. What I do believe is that we are building towards who we can be and I think tonight was a very good representation of that. Is that it? No, not even close. There's so much more that we can do better, and we'll keep working towards that. We have to focus on Wednesday's game now that we won this one. It's going to be tough because it's very hot down there at the moment and we don't have and haven't really played in any heat yet so that's going to be an interesting thing for us to navigate.
On getting all three Designated Players on the field together for the first time since 2021...
It's a huge impact to the group and to the way that we want to play and what they can contribute to the game. It takes the pressure off the team in so many ways. Scoring as early as we did, getting the second goal, and playing with the ball moreso than we have in a lot of games has also helped. And again, as I said, we're building towards our best version of this group. I think that we have a ways to go, but we also have some more players to add into the group as well.
On the performance from Erik Thommy...
There's no doubt that having Gadi (Kinda) on the field helps our team. There's no doubt. There's no doubt that Alan (Pulido) continues to get fitter and also in better form week after week. There's no doubt. But I also think that Thommy doesn't have to do everything now because when he sees that Gadi can share the load on the other side from an offensive perspective or with the ball. And Gadi has got a great instinct of when to go and press the ball or pressure somebody, he's very good at that. And so that actually helps the rest of the players in and around him. So I think it was a combination of those things. And I also think playing him on the right in the first half helped immensely as well.
Sporting Kansas City forward Alan Pulido
On how the team feels after the win...
I think we are very happy about this game because we need this result: the first win for us in the season with a difficult team like Seattle and a difficult field also. We played very well. We are focused on the match and we have a very good result with the first victory for us.
On how tough it has been on the team...
The situation is amazing because we work all the week for this game and we spoke a lot about the situation with what has happened with the team and with the players because the last matches and the last result was not very good for us. This situation is amazing because we talked a lot, but sometimes when we play in the field it's not very good and the result is not with us. So the emotion is about this now. Today we played very good. We played well and we focused all the time and the result is very good. Three points for us. We are so happy for this game and we need to keep it going for the season because the season is long.
On celebrating with the medical staff at his goal...
It's only to say thank you for all the time he has worked with me about my injury. So I say to him if I score my first goal in the season, I will go (celebrate) with you to say thank you for all the time because this injury is not easy. We work like two or three times a day together. So only to say thank you for everything because I think the most important thing is when you say thank you for all the people that work with you.
On how much the goal meant to him...
I am very happy not only for my goal, because sometimes in the match maybe you can score, but if the team doesn't win than this is not an important goal. The most important thing is the first win for the team. And of course, the goals bring me a little confidence and I needed this goal. But I am more happy about the team winning. The first match winner. This makes me very happy because I scored, but also Erik Thommy scored. And I am happy for him because he needed his goal also. So this team is not focused with us and only with myself, it's focused on everybody together and we work about that. So I am happy for my goal, but I am happy for the result and the victory for the team.
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Erik Thommy
On the relief he felt from scoring...
I was happy, for sure, because the last couple of weeks I had a lot of opportunities to score. And today, finally, three points. It was a good day for us.
On the team creating more chances...
I think when we watched the games, especially the last couple of games, there were not enough numbers in the box. So when we crossed, if you're only with one or two guys in it's difficult to score. This time we did it better. With the first opportunity, we scored and this must be our goal in the next games as well. We have to keep going and we have to watch the game again and all the stuff we did good today, we have to do it in the future. I think that is, of course, one thing we have to take in the next couple of games.
On the team not forcing matters in the game...
I have to say, first of all, our mentality in our team is great. Even if we have not gotten the results we deserved in the last weeks. Everyone wants to do better and I think, especially in the first half, we did really good. In the second half, we struggled a little bit but the most important thing is that we got the result we wanted and that's everything. We have tough next weeks with a lot of games and I said before we have to take the good things with us and get the next three points or on Wednesday get one round further in the (U.S. Open) Cup.
On the team's confidence...
I don't think that we had a better mentality today. The mentality in the last weeks was good as well. But maybe the luck was on our side today, especially in the first half. We said that we wanted to play compact to make the field tight. If you can remember, a few weeks ago we lost against them at home. So there was an element of revenge and we wanted the three points. And at the end, I think we deserved it. And, I said it before, we have to take the good things with us. There were also a lot of things where we have to improve and we will do it in the future.
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