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MLS Sporting Kansas City

Sporting KC Earns 3-0 Road Win at Montreal

May 10, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City claimed a 3-0 road win over the Montreal Impact on Saturday at Stade Saputo in record-setting fashion. Forward Dom Dwyer scored twice to move into fourth among MLS goal scoring leaders with six on the season and Paulo Nagamura added another as the Sporting Kansas City defense recorded the team's fifth shutout through nine MLS matches in 2014.

Manager Peter Vermes' side completed 739 of 803 passes, both MLS records since the statistic was first tracked by Opta in 2011, for a 92 percent passing accuracy percentage. Midfielder Oriol Rosell led all players with 160 successful passes out of the 166 he attempted, also setting-single game records by an MLS player since 2011.

The two teams entered Saturday's match on opposite ends of the Eastern Conference standings and Sporting Kansas City were quick to showcase their early season form, taking full advantage of a 17th minute red card to Impact midfielder Collen Warner for a handball on the goalline.

While it ended in a penalty kick for Sporting KC, their second of the season, the play began with a trademark long throw-in from Matt Besler. Montreal goalkeeper Troy Perkins made an initial save however Rosell earned the penalty when his follow-up effort was blocked by the outstretched arm of Warner.

Dwyer stepped to the spot and converted the eventual match-winner, calmly sending his penalty attempt low and to Perkins' right. The third-year forward had also scored on Sporting KC's only other penalty kick in 2014 during a 1-0 win over San Jose in March and continued a stretch of nine successful penalty kicks for the club dating back to 2012.

Nagamura then doubled Sporting Kansas City's lead in the 34th minute, putting the exclamation point on a 21-pass scoring sequence. Graham Zusi played the penultimate pass, sending the ball out wide where right back Chance Myers sent a first-time cross through traffic. Nagamura was stationed beyond the back post and skipped his shot over the sliding challenge from Jeb Brovksy with Perkins going the wrong direction.

The Brazilian native now has 11 goals in his 10 MLS seasons and Saturday's marked his first since 2012. Sporting Kansas City is 7-0-3 in the last 10 MLS matches (including postseason) with Nagamura in the starting lineup.

The shorthanded Impact were missing Matteo Ferrari, Eric Miller and Hassoun Camara -- three defenders who had each played in every MLS match this season prior to Saturday -- and were also limited in the attack without Designated Player Marco Di Vaio and former No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wenger. Held to only two shots on goal in the game, Justin Mapp was credited with the home side's first in the 43rd minute. He cut inside from the right flank and struck a left-footed attempt from outside the area that was covered by Eric Kronberg, who is yet to allow a first half goal in MLS play during the 2014 season.

The Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper was called into action again in the opening moments of the second half. Designated Player Heran Bernardello whipped a cross into the area that found teammate Wandrille Lefevre, whose header was re-directed into the arms of Kronberg from 15 yards out.

The team's second straight clean sheet lowers Sporting Kansas City's league-leading goals against average to 0.66 per game. As part of the club's Shutout for Slices promotion with Papa John's, all Sporting KC fans can receive 50% off any regular price online order at local participating Papa John's retailers over the next two days by entering the code 'SPORTINGKC' online at PapaJohns.com.

Two weeks after Dwyer scored twice in a 4-0 victory over Montreal at Sporting Park, the Englishman bagged a brace again versus the Impact with his second goal of the game in the 64th minute. Second-half substitute Antonio Dovale split the Montreal defense with a pass slipped to Dwyer, who took one touch to rush into the penalty area and a second touch to bury his shot beyond the reach of Perkins with a left-footed laser.

Dwyer now has nine career goals in MLS competition (including playoffs). As a result of the second half away goal, all fans can text BWWSKC to 72727 to receive a buy one, get one free snack size wing order at all Kansas City area Buffalo Wild Wings locations.

Sporting Kansas City nearly matched the scoreline from the season's previous meeting but were unfortunate not to find a fourth. Claudio Bieler's half-volley was blocked by Brovsky in the goalmouth in the 82nd minute and Seth Sinovic sent his shot from close range over the crossbar one minute later.

In sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference after the road result, Sporting Kansas City will now return home to host the Philadelphia Union at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday at Sporting Park. A limited number of tickets for the match, presented by Price Chopper, are available online at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL.

FAST FACTS

Sporting KC defeated the Montreal Impact 3-0 on Saturday at Stade Saputo.

Collen Warner committed a handball on the goal line in the 17th minute, resulting in a straight red card.

Dom Dwyer converted the ensuing penalty kick to give Sporting KC their first goal of the match.

Paulo Nagamura doubled the lead for Sporting KC in the 34th minute. The goal was Nagamura's first of 2014.

Nagamura's last goal for the club came on September 1, 2012 in a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC at Sporting Park.

Nagamura has scored 11 goals in his MLS career during the regular season. The goal on Saturday is only his second during the regular season since joining Sporting KC in 2012.

Chance Myers earned the assist on Nagamura's goal, his first of 2014 and 13th of his regular season career.

Dwyer scored the third goal for Sporting KC on Saturday, marking the second brace of his MLS career.

Dwyer's first career brace in MLS play came last month and was also against the Impact.

Dwyer has scored four goals against the Impact during the 2014 season.

Anonio Dovale earned the assist on Dwyer's second goal on Saturday. The assist is Dovale's first since joining Sporting KC.

Dwyer's six goals this season are the most scored by a Sporting KC player in 2014. The six goals scored this season moves Dwyer into a tie for fourth in the League for most goals scored with Will Bruin.

Dwyer's three game-winning goals are tied for most in the League with Houston's Will Bruin.

After nine matches in 2013, Sporting KC was 4-3-2. In 2014, Sporting KC is now 5-2-2.

Sporting KC and the Montreal Impact have played two of the three regular season matches scheduled for 2014. In the first meeting, Sporting KC earned a 4-0 victory at Sporting Park. The third regular season match is on July 12.

Sporting KC has the best goal differential in Major League Soccer, tied with the Seattle Sounders at +8.

With the victory and three goals scored on Saturday, Sporting KC and the Columbus Crew are the only two teams in the Eastern Conference with a positive goal differential on the road (+1).

Eric Kronberg leads the League with a 0.67 goals against average among goalkeepers with more than three matches played. Kronberg has allowed six goals in 2014, three of which have come from the penalty spot.

Kronberg leads the League with five shutouts in 2014.

Kronberg's five victories in 2014 are tied with FC Dallas' Chris Seitz for second most victories in the League.

Sporting KC is 2-2-0 on the road in 2014.

Sporting KC is 4-3-1 against the Impact all-time and 2-1-1 on the road.

The Impact was without Hassoun Camara on Saturday, as he was serving a mandatory one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation.

Oriol Rosell completed 160 of 166 passes. His passes completed and passes attempted are the highest by a player in an MLS match since Opta began recording MLS stats in 2011.

Sporting Kansas City recorded 803 passes on Saturday, highest ever since Opta began recording MLS stats in 2011. Sporting KC also set the record for passes completed with 739 on Saturday.

The team's 92.03 percent passing accuracy is second best in an MLS match since 2011, only trailing the Houston Dynamo on July 16, 2012 (92.96%).

Possession on Saturday was in favor of Sporting KC, by a 78.18 percent to 21.82 percent margin.

The 78.18 percent possession mark is the best in an MLS match since Opta began keeping track of MLS stats in 2011.

Saturday's match marked the 100th regular season game coached by Impact Manager Frank Klopas.

QUOTES

PETER VERMES - SPORTING KANSAS CITY MANAGER

On his side's performance...

I thought we did a tremendous job of being patient, having purpose to our build up with the ball in our possession and at the same time we stayed very disciplined and organized at the back to not give them anything. That's not easy, so it was a tremendous performance even though we were up a man.

On playing a defensive high pressure system...

We wanted to not give them too much time on the ball because they have a lot of players that can hurt you if you give them time and space. You look at McInerney, Felipe, Mapp, Nyassi, there's a lot of creativity, a lot of speed and a lot of hunger to get to goal.

On the penalty...

I thought the action that we built up into that was a very patient build up by us. It was a lot of stuff that we have been working on, so it was good to see that we created a chance from that.

GRAHAM ZUSI - SPORTING KANSAS CITY MIDFIELDER

On winning on the road...

Any points are good. Points on the road are especially good. I thought we did a good job of being patient after they got the red card early on. We kept the ball almost the entire game and really waited for our good chances and we put a few away.

On how the penalty changed the game...

It changed everything. We were able to keep the ball the entire game. They didn't have anything going forward. Going down a man is devastating for a team.

ORIOL ROSELL - SPORTING KANSAS CITY MIDFIELDER

On coming to Montreal and getting a win...

I think it was really good to come here and get a result because it is always difficult. Montreal always has a good team. I think this game gives us a lot of confidence because to win here and have a lot of possession was huge for us.

On their play after going a man up...

Sometimes when there's a red card, the game can get crazy. But, we kept composure and we were consistent in being able to keep the ball and we got our chances.

FRANK KLOPAS - MONTREAL IMPACT HEAD COACH

Was it frustrating missing so many players today...

It is but, there are a lot of games coming up and we have to be able to rely on our whole team and if we look at our back line today with Ouimette, Lefevre and Tissot ,three younger guys, I think they are gaining lots of experience, these are guys we can count on for the future. Karl really fought for his place today and I'm really happy seeing these three young guys that have a bright future in front of them that build continuity and will be active for maybe 10, 12 years.

On the game...

I think that the red card really changed the game for us, since we had some good moments. I give credit to my guys in the second half they worked extremely hard considering we had a game midweek and had some players injured. We have to focus on finding ways to improve now.

Should Warner have just let the ball go in instead...

It's hard to say because we had the set piece before that and we've talked about certain things in training that we've done and then we do the opposite in a situation where it's our ball. From the throw in we got a penalty kick and a red card and it's hard to see from the outside if it was the right call. Sometimes the referee will give a penalty kick and not a red card, so it was a quick reaction to the play. Going down a man early in the game, made it even harder for us.

TROY PERKINS - MONTREAL IMPACT GOALKEEPER

Thoughts on the game...

We have to chase the game, because it's not going well for us and because went a man down, but it's not coming from a lack of effort. It might be from a lack of ideas or lack of belief in ourselves, but certainly something is missing.

What is it going to take to jump start the team ...

We just have to keep going. When things are going bad, you don't stop, you don't quit, you have to keep going and put the effort in.

WANDRILLE LEFEVRE - MONTREAL IMPACT MIDFIELDER

Thoughts on losing a player early on...

I think it was absolutely harder to play with ten players today, but the fans come here to see a great game and I think we owe it to them to give them that game.

Is the team becoming used to these slip ups...

I think we have to look at this in more depth because if we aren't winning games, obviously something is missing. We need to pay greater attention to detail, for example we knew they are capable of long throw ins but we weren't ready and paid for it in the end.

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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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