MLS Sporting Kansas City

Sporting Falls 2-0 to Montreal

Published on April 30, 2023 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City (0-7-3, 3 points) fell 2-0 to CF Montreal (3-6-0, 9 points) on Saturday night in the 200th regular season match at Children's Mercy Park. The visitors collected their first win in Kansas City since 2013 behind first-half goals from Bryce Duke and Mathieu Choiniere, condemning Sporting Kansas City to their fourth straight MLS defeat.

Sporting Manager Peter Vermes made two changes to his starting lineup from last weekend's trip to New England as 21-year-old Jake Davis-earning his first career MLS start-replaced Cam Duke at right back and 21-year-old Robert Voloder replaced the suspended Andreu Fontas in central defense. Between the posts, goalkeeper Tim Melia notably eclipsed 250 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Fresh off a goal in Tuesday's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup victory over Tulsa Athletic, Sporting striker Alan Pulido put Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois to the test in the 13th minute. Receiving a clever square pass from left back Logan Ndenbe, the Mexican international took a touch to create separation from his marker on the edge of the box before seeing his left-footed blast saved.

At the opposite end, Melia did well to keep Montreal off the scoresheet in the 20th minute by diving right to snag a well-struck effort from Choiniere. He spared Sporting's blushes again five minutes later, thwarting striker Chinonso Offor at point-blank range with a stop that drew healthy applause from the Children's Mercy Park faithful.

A back-and-forth spectacle continued to unfold with Daniel Salloi-another player to score in Tuesday's 3-0 triumph over Tulsa-next to threaten at the half-hour juncture. His seething strike at the top of the penalty area had the makings of a wondergoal but was touched over the crossbar by a leaping Sirois.

Duke, who was acquired by Montreal in a lucrative trade from Inter Miami CF earlier this month, lifted the visitors ahead in the 35th minute, applying a cool finish into the far left corner following an incisive attack through the middle involving Choiniere and Sean Rea. It was Montreal's first road goal of 2023 after the club had failed to find the back of the net in its first five away games this season.

Montreal compounded Sporting's woes in first half-stoppage time, going ahead 2-0 when Choiniere tucked home from 10 yards off an Aaron Herrera cross with Rea picking up another secondary assist.

Sporting were on the front foot after halftime and almost grabbed a goal back in the 52nd minute. Salloi dashed onto Dany Rosero's long ball over the top, muscled off a challenge from Herrera and uncorked a right-footed shot that lacked the direction to beat Sirois. Salloi then turned provider in the 58th, clipping a delectable ball to the back post for Russell, but Sirois produced an excellent save to deny the Scottish winger and keep Sporting at bay.

Sporting midfielder Gadi Kinda, who made his long-awaited return to the pitch in the Open Cup win against Tulsa, came off the bench at the hour mark for his first MLS appearance since November 2021. His introduction preceded another sterling effort from Salloi, whose 25-yard curler was palmed over the bar by an in-form Sirois.

With the game out of reach and Sporting seeking a consolation goal deep into added time, Russell thought he had provided exactly that by finding the far corner with a right-footed finish through traffic. Much to the hosts' dismay, however, the offside flag was raised and the contest ended 2-0 in favor of Montreal.

Sporting will look to bounce back next Sunday, May 7, visiting Seattle Sounders FC in a nationally televised clash at Lumen Field. Kickoff is slated for 3:55 p.m. CT with live coverage beginning at 3:30 p.m. CT on FOX and Apple TV.

QUOTES

Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes

Thoughts on the match...

I think we gave up, again, two goals in the first half. I don't think we created enough quality chances in the game. And I just don't think that we are sharp enough (with) the different players that are out there at the moment. Look, I understand. It's not good enough. The responsibility is on me. I get it.

On the need to create better chances...

I think we've had good service in the box. I think there's a lot of things that happened in and around the box. We just never had the numbers. We talked about it at halftime. We had to get more numbers in the box. We have one guy, maybe two. There's got to be three or four at least. With one and two, you have to be pinpoint accurate with your pass and you're expecting that the other guys aren't going to be there and they are. You just need more players in the box.

On the team's first 10 games of the regular season...

We're not playing well. We haven't won a game. Like I said, we haven't created high quality chances here in the last couple of games. We've had opportunities in the first six or seven games. I think we're in and around the box quite a bit. Those we aren't finishing and right now I think, as was stated, I think that a lot of our shots are coming from further out and we just don't get numbers in the box at the moment. We turned them over in the first half quite a few times in their half of the field, but I think just our speed of play to get to goal was too slow.

On the fans' frustrations...

I don't necessarily listen to what goes on. How do I respond? It's not for me to make that decision. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is.

On if the first goal deflated the team...

No, I don't think so. Every game you watch, there are goals scored all the time. Teams come back. It happens all the time. So I don't see it that way.

On if the team's issues are fixable...

I'm a person that always thinks it is. You've got to come up with solutions. Obviously, it's a tough situation that we're in but the only way you do it is you've got to keep working towards it.

On bringing Robert Castellanos on for Robert Voloder at halftime...

It's just a decision. I just think that it was a better game for Castellanos to come into. I just felt it was good. I think he did a good job in the second half.

On the play of Gadi Kinda...

Gadi is a player that's very important to our team. He's needed. He's played 30 minutes, but is that really a high 30 minutes? I don't know, meaning was it intense? But you can see he's got different things in the game that other players don't. He's unpredictable. He can improvise in situations. He gives final passes. But he's still off. Having been over a year out, he just needs time and I'm not necessarily saying we have it.

On if more SKC II players will get opportunities moving forward...

You can't do it because of the roster situation. You're not allowed to do it. It's just league rules. You can't do that. You can only do that in (U.S. Open) Cup games.

On if he feels his job is at risk...

The first day when you enter into this business, you always have got to know that your job is always at stake. It's the way it is. I've always known that. I have never thought differently in any of the time I've been here.

Sporting Kansas City captain Johnny Russell

On turning around the team's slow start...

I don't know how you fix it. I'm going to be completely honest. We just don't look anything like the team that we were. I don't know. I genuinely don't know how to fix it.

On if it's mental or tactical...

I don't have the answers for you. I really don't. I try and analyze it every week, sit back and watch the games and I just can't understand what's going on, what we're doing, who we have become out there. And it's troubling because that's a problem in itself, not being able to find answers and find a way out of it.

On the fans' frustrations...

I mean, they've continued to support us. Unfortunately, it's not always good times. They've always stuck by us. I hope they still do. Even tonight, you see them still there at the end. That's credit to them because it can't be fun for them going through this. They're hurting as well. It's not just us in here. They feel it. I thank them for continuing to stick with us, but it's up to us to show them something. Right now, none of us deserve to be wearing the jersey. We need to figure it out and we need to figure it out fast or this is going to spiral out of control.

On the most frustrating part...

Leaking goals, not being able to score goals, constantly losing games. We start well. Something happens. We make a mistake and everyone's heads go down. You just feel it. Confidence drains immediately. It's just so hard to get yourself out of that when you're in that situation. We don't seem to be creating anything going forward. Obviously, that's on me. We just look like we lack imagination, creativity, final product, all of it. We just don't look anywhere near it right now.

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gadi Kinda

On his first regular season game since 2021...

I feel good. I wish we can win but to be honest, I feel good. I've just got to keep going and build myself to be ready and get into shape.

On creating better chances as a team...

I don't know. I think we play the same. We have to do our thing, just better. We need to score more goals and create more good chances. I believe this will come.

On how to turn things around...

Just believe in ourselves and to understand that we can do it better. Every person needs to think (about) what they can do better for the team just to get points and start to build up wins.

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Major League Soccer Stories from April 30, 2023


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