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MLS Sporting Kansas City

Sporting Earns Thrilling 3-2 Win over Houston

May 29, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City (5-2-1, 16 points) scored three goals during a scintillating second half to secure a wild 3-2 comeback win over rivals Houston Dynamo FC (3-3-2, 11 points) on Saturday night in the first full-capacity match at Children's Mercy Park since March 7, 2020, when the club defeated the same opponent.

Facing a 1-0 halftime deficit, Sporting unleashed a devastating salvo as Gianluca Busio bagged a world-class free kick, red-hot striker Alan Pulido buried a penalty kick and Gadi Kinda added an impressive third to vault Manager Peter Vermes side within a point of first place in the Supporters' Shield standings.

Houston scored early and late through Matias Vera and Maxi Urruti but ultimately fell to a Sporting outfit that has now won three straight matches and scored three goals in three straight regular season fixtures for the first time since 2007. Furthermore, Sporting's four comeback wins through eight games this year are already one shy of tying the club record set in 1996 and 2007.

Two Sporting Kansas City defenders recovered from minor injuries to account for both changes to the starting XI from last weekend's 3-1 road win over the San Jose Earthquakes. Kaveh Rad made way for center back Andreu Fontas, while right back Graham Zusi replaced Jaylin Lindsey to make his record-tying 348th competitive appearance in a Kansas City uniform.

A festive crowd of 20,086 created an electric Children's Mercy Park atmosphere, which fueled Sporting's bright start. The hosts unleashed four shot attempts in the first eight minutes of action as Pulido, Kinda and Daniel Salloi all asked questions of the Dynamo defense.

Against the run of play, Houston surged ahead with their lone shot attempt of the first half in the 13th minute. Winger Fafa Picault won possession near the corner flag and squeezed a low cross to Urruti, who laid the ball into the path of Vera at the top of the box. The defensive midfielder picked out the bottom right corner for his first career MLS goal in his 57th regular season appearance.

Vermes' men dominated territory and possession for the remainder of the evening and manufactured a pair of well-worked chances close to halftime. In the 40th minute, Roger Espinoza's acrobatic side volley off a clever cutback from Kinda was parried away in impressive fashion by Houston goalkeeper Marko Maric, who produced another strong save a few minutes later after Khiry Shelton latched onto Salloi's teasing delivery.

Sporting stamped their name on the second period by scoring three times in the space of 15 minutes, but not before Houston defender Adam Lundqvist saved his team's blushes with a goal-line clearance after Kinda slipped a superb through ball to the feet of Salloi in the 50th minute. The 24-year-old Hungarian beat Maric from a tight angle but Lundqvist was there to prevent the ball from nestling into the back of the net.

Busio restored parity in the 51st minute on a sublime strike from 30 yards. One day past his 19th birthday, the Sporting KC Academy product became the youngest MLS player to score a direct free kick since the dawn of the Opta era in 2010 when his right-footed belter curled over the Houston wall, caromed off the left post and bulged the net. The play gave Sporting their first goal from a direct free kick since August 2019, when captain Johnny Russell kickstarted the club's current 19-game regular season scoring streak at home.

With momentum on Sporting's side, Houston nearly landed a counterblow in the 57th minute when Picault fed Urruti on the breakaway, but goalkeeper Tim Melia thwarted the Dynamo striker and Zusi scrambled clear on the rebound.

Pulido earned Sporting's penalty on the hour mark, suffering a foul from Houston captain Boniek Garcia, and promptly dispatched the ensuing spot kick with an inch-perfect finish into the right corner. The Mexican international leads MLS during the month of May with five goals, including four goals and an assist during Sporting's current three-match winning streak. Pulido now has 17 combined goals (11) and assists (six) in as many starts since joining Sporting ahead of the 2020 campaign.

Children's Mercy Park was in full voice when Sporting added a third in the 65th minute on an incisive and flowing attack that saw Shelton and Busio combine to set up Kinda, who slotted low inside the near post from the left side of the box for his third goal of the season. The tally proved pivotal, standing as the match winner after Houston snared a last-gasp consolation goal off the foot of Urruti in second-half stoppage time.

Russell impacted proceedings as a late substitute, dashing free down the right wing and squaring the ball to fellow reinforcement Remi Walter, but the Frenchman's shot under duress lacked the direction to beat Maric. Busio almost blew the roof off the stadium with another sweetly struck free kick, forcing another Maric save, before Melia saved his best moment of the night for the 89th-minute by getting his finger tips to Tim Parker's header.

The Dynamo cut into the deficit when Urruti notched his team-leading fourth goal of the season on the last consequential kick of the game.

Riding the waves of a successful start to 2021, Sporting is off next weekend and will return to action on June 12 when expansion club Austin FC visits Children's Mercy Park in a 2 p.m. CT kickoff on Univision, Bally Sports Kansas City Plus and Bally Sports Midwest Plus. Tickets for the contest are available at SeatGeek.com as Sporting battles for a fourth successive win.

QUOTES Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes

On facing Houston for a second time this season...

I think the difference is, in the first half in Houston, we didn't play all that well. But in the second half, we were a different team. Tonight from the opening whistle basically until the end, we were in control of the game. The way we dominated from that perspective and the number of chances and just our attitude and patience - it was tremendous.

On the play of Alan Pulido...

Alan has incredible street smarts for the game. He knows what the team needs at specific times and he always knows how to provide it. He was excellent tonight again...Overall in the game, he was very, very good. He was very active. He played in between the lines at a very, very high level.

On Gianluca Busio's goal...

What I'm happy about is that people are getting a chance to see what I see every day in that kid and that is that he is not only an incredible talent, but he's incredibly mature for his age. The things that he's able to pull off on a regular basis and do it consistently is incredible. He's just got a great attitude. I don't think he gets the recognition that he deserves. He is a fantastic player. He is a great kid. He continues to display what a great soccer player he is every time he steps onto the field.

On keeping the team's momentum over the upcoming break...

You always have to have a good balance between a little bit of rest and trying to keep the guys in rhythm with playing. You have to be careful. It's a fine balance. Usually when you come back after two weeks and having a week off, both teams are a little bit rusty. We'll try to do everything we can to keep the guys in form if possible but it won't be easy.

On playing in front of a full-capacity crowd...

If you're a fan and you came and watched the game today, you were incredibly entertained. So I applaud the players for that - a tremendous effort from that point of view. I said this from day one when everything shut down and we couldn't have fans in the stands: at the end, the game is about the fans. If they're not in the stadium, the environment just doesn't exist. Tab Ramos, the coach of Houston, is obviously a friend of mine and we go back a long way. Right before the match started, we both kind of came together and we both were saying the same thing to each other which is, 'It's great to have the fans here. It changes everything.' This is what we do this for. It's for the fans. It was a tremendous environment. They were great. They were loud. They were so energetic. They haven't lost their connection to the team. It was just rekindled tonight. It was exciting for us to be able to win the game, entertain and give them a good taste leaving tonight.

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gianluca Busio

On if he's ever struck a ball that perfectly...

It's tough to say. I take pride in taking free kicks. I think I've hit one close to that, but I think that was definitely my best one yet. That was the perfect spot and I'm happy that it when in like that. I definitely think it was my best one yet.

On playing in front of a full-capacity crowd...

The fans play a huge part. The feeling you get when you score a goal and the stadium goes crazy, you can't beat that feeling. It's great to have them back. We can't do this without fans. They give us another level to push. We want to give a treat to fans. We have the best fans in MLS. Thanks to them for coming out. We couldn't do anything without them. It's really special to have them back and it's a great feeling to be scoring goals like that in front of them.

On turning 19 on Friday and recording a goal and an assist on Saturday...

On my birthday, I was thinking about how I could make it an even better one. I wanted to get on the scoresheet and I did it in a really, really good way. I'm happy with that. I've had a good weekend so far.

On his goal sparking the team's comeback win...

I think it was really important. Obviously, getting that first one to tie the game that was going to be good for the team. No matter who scored it or how we scored it, we needed that goal. Players are going to have to step up and create moments of brilliance and that's what happened and it happened to be me today. That's what happens when we have teams who sit back; we're going to have to have moments like that. I knew once we got one, we'd get two and three and we did.

On his evolving role within the team...

Anywhere on the field, I want to help the team. Wherever they need me, I'm going to play. I've been playing really well at the 6 right now and I'll continue to play that way. I enjoy every position on the field, really. Stepping on the field is good for me right now. I think I've done really well at the 6 so far and I just want to help the team win games. That's what has been happening lately and I don't want to change anything right now. I'm happy where I'm at.

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gadi Kinda

On the team's comeback...

I would say that we have a good attitude. We play the same football if we have one goal more or less against us. I'm very happy with our second half. We showed our character. We played very good. I'm happy with the three points.

On the play of Gianluca Busio...

This guy is amazing. He plays every game better than his last game. I've never seen a 19-year-old play like this. I love to see him play. He's a top-level player.

On his goal...

I just shot the ball. I wanted to shoot on the first touch and I'm happy that it went inside.

On playing in front of a full-capacity crowd...

It's amazing. Last year, I played just one game with a full stadium. It was amazing. I'm happy that the fans are coming back. We need them. We just need to continue like this.

2021 MLS Regular Season | Match 8

Children's Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kansas

Attendance: 20,086

Weather: 65 degrees and sunny

Score 1 2 F

Sporting Kansas City (5-2-1, 16 points) 0 3 3

Houston Dynamo FC (3-3-2, 11 points) 1 1 2

Sporting Kansas City: Tim Melia; Graham Zusi, Ilie Sanchez, Andreu Fontas, Luis Martins; Gianluca Busio, Roger Espinoza (C) (Remi Walter 77'), Gadi Kinda; Khiry Shelton (Johnny Russell 74'), Alan Pulido, Daniel Salloi

Subs Not Used: John Pulskamp, Amadou Dia, Jaylin Lindsey, Roberto Puncec, Kaveh Rad, Felipe Hernandez, Wilson Harris

Houston Dynamo FC: Marko Maric; Zarek Valentin, Tim Parker, Boniek Garcia (C), Adam Lundqvist; Matias Vera (Mateo Bajamich 80'), Derrick Jones (Darwin Ceren 67'), Joe Corona; Fafa Picault, Maxi Urruti, Memo Rodriguez (Ariel Lassiter 67')

Subs Not Used: Michael Nelson, Jose Bizama, Maynor Figueroa, Alejandro Fuenmayor, Nico Lemoine, Christian Ramirez

Scoring Summary:

HOU -- Matias Vera 1 (Maxi Urruti 1, Fafa Picault 2) 13'

SKC -- Gianluca Busio 2 (unassisted) 51'

SKC -- Alan Pulido 5 (penalty kick) 61'

SKC -- Gadi Kinda 3 (Gianluca Busio 1, Khiry Shelton 3) 65'

Misconduct Summary:

HOU -- Derrick Jones (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 4'

HOU -- Matias Vera (yellow card; persistent infringement) 42'

HOU -- Boniek Garcia (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 82'

SKC -- Graham Zusi ( yellow card; unsporting behavior) 90+1'

Stat SKC HOU

Shots 21 10

Shots on Goal 9 4

Saves 2 5

Fouls 10 15

Offsides 0 0

Corner Kicks 11 2

Referee: Drew Fischer

Assistant Referee: Cory Richardson

Assistant Referee: Peter Balciunas

Fourth Official: Elvis Osmanovic

VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.

AVAR: Jonathan Johnson

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 29, 2021


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