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MLS Sporting Kansas City

Sporting KC Back in First Place with 5-1 Road Win

September 16, 2018 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City (15-7-6, 51 points) is back atop the Western Conference following a 5-1 road win over the San Jose Earthquakes (4-16-8, 20 points) on Saturday night at Avaya Stadium. Manager Peter Vermes' side occupy first place, where they spent 15 consecutive weeks until relinquishing the spot at the start of July, thanks to a two-goal, two-assist performance from Gerso Fernandes, along with goals from Felipe Gutierrez, Ike Opara and Krisztian Nemeth.

Sporting KC now have six wins in the club's last seven matches as the squad scored five goals in a regular season road game for only the second time, the last coming on April 29, 2000. The offensive outburst increased the team's attacking haul to 54 goals in 2018 - the most since KC's first two seasons (61 in 1996, 57 in 1997) -- with six games still remaining.

Saturday's rout started in the 18th minute as Gutierrez struck for a second straight match and seventh time this season. Fernandes did well to break free from Nick Lima on the left flank and delivered a delightful cross to Gutierrez for a first-time finish at the near post with his left foot.

The goal, Sporting Kansas City's 400th away from home in the team's regular season history, would be the first of three first half road goals, a feat the team last accomplished in 2007 and had pulled off only three times prior.

Within five minutes of opening the scoring, Sporting Kansas City's lead doubled and it was once again the duo of Fernandes and Gutierrez teaming up for what proved to be the game-winning goal. Gutierrez, from inside the center circle, picked out the perfectly-timed run of Fernandes, who raced onto the pass and clipped a clever chip over the outrushing Andrew Tarbell that settled inside the far post.

Sporting Kansas City were inches from finding a third goal in the 32nd minute when Tarbell sprung to his right for a superb fingertip save to keep out Yohan Croizet's effort from the edge of the penalty area. Tarbell was called into action again in the 41st minute on a beautiful buildup by the visitors that culminated with Gutierrez nearly scoring his second of the night if not for a sprawling stop by the 6-foot-3 goalkeeper.

Nevertheless, Sporting Kansas City would secure the coveted 3-0 lead on the ensuing corner which was kept alive inside the box by Seth Sinovic. Roger Espinoza unleashed a left-footed shot from near the penalty mark that was too hot to handle for Tarbell and Opara was first to pounce on the rebound for his second goal of the season and 14th of his career.

A first half that produced three goals and not a single foul committed by either side - a first in MLS history - would be followed by a second half with three more goals in the cards.

Gutierrez and Fernandes played their part yet again in the 67th minute, with the Chilean international pinging a pass into the path of Fernandes behind the Earthquakes' backline. Fernandes astutely spotted the parallel run of Nemeth to his right and unselfishly set up his fellow forward to officially re-open a scoring account that had 16 goals in 2015 prior to Nemeth returning to Sporting Kansas City last month.

Fernandes would then put an exclamation point on his man of the match performance in the 86th minute with the help of two second-half substitutes fresh off international duty. Johnny Russell and Diego Rubio came off the bench and combined on the right channel, allowing Rubio -- who now has a goal or assist in eight straight appearances -- to float a cross met by the outside of Fernandes' left foot with a volley that nestled into the back of the net.

On the opposite end of the field, reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Tim Melia recorded four saves in the victory and was 10 minutes from a League-leading 13th clean sheet on Saturday. After surviving a scare when Jahmir Hyka's right-footed attempt hit the crossbar in the 58th minute, Melia was finally beaten by Danny Hoesen in the 80th minute with a bender from distance to spoil the shutout.

Sporting KC will remain on the road next Sunday when they visit the Philadelphia Union (12-12-4, 40 points), the lone opponent Sporting KC is yet to face in 2018, in a nationally-televised match-up on ESPN.

QUOTES

Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes

On the match overall:

"I think from the opening whistle to the final whistle, I thought that we were good. I think we were dominant in the game. We thought this was going to be a really dangerous game. When a team is out of the playoffs, there's all different things that they could be playing for, and I think that San Jose is a team that fights hard, always. We were on tonight and I think we were very clinical in and around the box which is a big part of the game. Had some great finishes, we were very confident in our buildup play, which actually created a lot of opportunities for us. And so, both defensively and offensively, we were solid tonight."

On Gerso Fernandes' performance:

"It was probably one of his best performances of the year. A lot of it had to do with his movement off the ball, it was just tremendous. Obviously he scored and all that, but just his movement in the game was great. I think he caused a lot of problems for their back line and a lot has to with the fact that he's working very hard in training every week and I'm a big believer that if you do well in training it usually translates to the game. And that's one of the reasons why he's playing so well at the moment, he's in good form."

On not letting up after two early goals:

"We talked about it not only leading up to this week, but a lot last night and today as were getting prepared for the game. Coming over here, one of the big things was we wanted to make sure that we kept the foot on the gas pedal because they have some very good players here. I mean, Wondo [Chris Wondolowski] is not close to breaking the [all-time MLS goals] record because he doesn't score goals. [Danny] Hoesen is a very good player, I was kind of glad he didn't start, that was a good thing. But again, they have a team that they find chances in and around the box and they're very busy and they take risks. And so we knew that we were going to have to be very attentive to the game and more importantly to their movement in and around the box. And I think we were pretty good for most of it, other than the goal they scored."

Sporting Kansas City forward Krisztian Nemeth

On the match:

"I think we controlled the whole game. Maybe in the second half, the first 15 minutes, they played a little bit better, but in the first half we scored three goals and in the second half we tried to keep the result. I did the fourth goal for the game, and we won. We are happy, first in the table, so it is a good night tonight."

On scoring his first goal for Kansas City since his return to the club:

"I have been waiting for this moment. I got the chance, so I tried to add for the team, and Gerso [Fernandes] gave me a great ball, so it was an easy goal."

On maintaining the lead:

"It is a dangerous result always. We tried to be organized, tried to keep the zero - that was most important - and we knew we were going to have some chances and score goals, so that was the main idea."

Sporting Kansas City forward Gerso Fernandes

Thoughts on the match:

"The whole team made it easy because we knew that it would be a hard game because they were in a hard position and they want to do something to show their supporters that they can keep doing something. We knew it would be hard for us playing a team like that, and playing in their home, so we had to be very focused and do our job."

On his two goals and two assists:

"Especially because the whole team helped me with scoring and assisting, because they had to be there to score. So I'm happy that we got the three points and the team had a great team job."

On the performance overall:

"I think we were almost perfect, we just need to keep doing the same thing because we know what are our goals and need to keep working to accomplish them."

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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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