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MLS Sporting Kansas City

Sporting KC Falls 1-0 at Portland in Season Opener

February 28, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City (0-1-0, 0 points) fell to the Portland Timbers (1-0-0, 3 points) on Monday at Providence Park in a 1-0 loss on the road in cold and rainy conditions to open the team's 2023 campaign. An early goal in the sixth minute would prove to be the difference in a tightly-contested Western Conference clash that saw both sides missing key players due to injury.

Manager Peter Vermes remained without Designated Players Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda as both continue rehab from knee injuries that sidelined them for the 2022 season, while Sporting was also missing club captain Johnny Russell (hamstring) and newcomer Nemanja Radoja, as well as defenders Kortne Ford (Achilles) and Logan Ndenbe (hamstring).

The opening 45 minutes saw a pair of scoring chances, each in short succession, for either side with the Timbers starting the match on the front foot. Jaroslaw Niezgoda pounced on an errant backpass in the fifth minute and attempted to round Sporting KC goalkeeper John Pulskamp. The 21-year-old would get the better of the 1v1 - taking the ball off the foot of the Polish striker - then recovered to make a strong save to keep out Marvin Loria's follow-up attempt.

Undeterred, the home side took an early 1-0 lead moments later as Colombians Juan Mosquera and Yimmi Chara combined on a give-and-go. The 20-year-old Mosquera would strike for the fastest goal of the young MLS season, taking a touch before turning and firing low beneath Pulskamp for his first career MLS goal on an assist from Chara - who would be forced to exit the match injured in the 32nd minute.

Sporting Kansas City's defense did well to respond - not allowing a shot for the remainder of the first half - while the team's attack nearly leveled the score with back-to-back opportunities in the 24th minute from Designated Player Erik Thommy. Wearing the captain's armband in the absence of Johnny Russell, Thommy connected with a cross from Khiry Shelton for a first-time effort that was turned away by David Bingham then forced a fingertip save from the Portland goalkeeper on a blind chip that was tipped over the crossbar.

Thommy would continue to be a spark for Sporting and his service from a corner kick in the 60th minute found Roger Espinoza at the near post. The 14-year MLS veteran rose high to flick a header toward the far post however the effort was directed just wide of the target.

In the 73rd minute, German left back Tim Leibold made his debut for Sporting Kansas City as a second-half substitute and was immediately involved as the Timbers worked their way down the right channel. Nathan Fogaca's played a clever backheel into the path of Marvin Loria, whose shot was stopped by Pulskamp from close range.

Sporting Kansas City pressed forward in the final 15 minutes in search of an equalizer and on three separate occasions came close to finding the breakthrough goal. Shelton did well to force a save from Bingham in the 76th minute on a well-weighted pass from Marinos Tzionis before Bingham was called into action again a minute later. Zusi's ball into the box was headed down by Willy Agada and settled by Salloi, who placed a volley on target but Bingham dove to his right to keep it out.

Sporting's final look to level the scoreline came in second half stoppage time as Felipe Hernandez delivered a corner to the top of the six-yard box, where Agada muscled off his mark only to see the header fly inches past the near post.

Pulskamp would produce his third and final save of the night as Fogaca - who had attempted to delay a Sporting restart only to then be immediately sprung on the counter - carried the ball 40 yards at full speed. The 23-year-old Brazilian had scored twice against Sporting on his debut in 2022 but could not add to the scoresheet this time around as his shot was turned away by the outstretched left arm of Pulskamp.

Sporting Kansas City will continue the 2023 campaign with a road trip to face the Colorado Rapids at 8:30 p.m. CT on Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. The match will stream live on Apple TV for MLS Season Pass subscribers and will be shown at the club's official watch party at No Other Pub (1370 Grand Blvd.) in the Kansas City Power & Light District -- highlighted by a happy hour starting at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday -- as well as other pub partners in the Sporting Pub Network.

QUOTES

Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes

General thoughts on the match...

"Obviously we were all over [Portland] in the second half. We created some good chances in the first half, as well as the second half. We couldn't find it, but the effort, the desire, the passion, everything was there in the game. Other than the mistake on the first goal, I thought we had it. Outside of that, the team played well. The subs came on and were energetic and had an impact for sure."

On creating chances against Portland's defense...

"[Portland] is always a good team defensively, for sure. They matched up pretty tough against our guys up front. Like I said, we created some really good chances. We did a good job. Again, the goal that they scored, outside of that, John [Pulskamp] had I'm not counting the last play of the game there that they had. The ball should have been called back. They had two guys standing three yards away from the ball when [Graham Zusi] hit the ball. They should have both got yellow cards, but neither here nor there. Outside of that, there wasn't a ton of chances on their part. We were all over their goal, all over them. Just unfortunate we couldn't put one in."

On the substitutions made in the second half...

"Yes, and also there's other guys that can come in and bring an impact on the game. So, we moved the team around the way we did. As I said to you, I thought all the guys played well and I think the guys that came on had a real impact, especially going forward. My only criticism might have been, there's a few times we probably could have served the ball into the box a little bit more. [Kansas City players] were trying. They were trying. They were doing everything they could to try to do it and get back in the game. Great desire by the group."

Sporting Kansas City forward Dániel Sallói

On the team's performance...

"I thought we had some really good moments. Obviously, we made some mistakes that led to the goal as well. I think we need to correct those, but overall, I think we reacted very well, and we pushed really, really well in the second half and we had our chances. We need to score them and then we'll be fine. I thought we could get away with a point, but it is what it is. It's a tough environment. It's tough to start your season like this, but I thought we did well, and we showed lots of positivity."

On not being able to connect the final pass...

"We missed a couple players and I think once we have a full squad, we can be more and more creative. I thought we had our chances, and we could have easily put one away. It's soccer. If you're not going to score, then you can't hope for the other team to make mistakes and miss their chances too. It's something that we'll need to work on to finish our chances, but other than that, overall, as a team we did well. Some guys came into the game who are new, so I'm very hopeful for the season and I'm excited to bounce back next week."

2023 MLS Regular Season | Match 1

Providence Park | Portland, Ore.

Attendance: 22,925

Weather: 39 degrees and rainy

Post-Match Links:

Full match highlights

Score 1 2 F

Sporting Kansas City (0-1-0, 0 points) 0 0 0

Portland Timbers (1-0-0, 3 points) 1 0 1

Sporting Kansas City: John Pulskamp; Graham Zusi, Robert Voloder, Andreu Fontas, Ben Sweat (Tim Leibold 73'); Remi Walter, Roger Espinoza (Felipe Hernandez 70'), Erik Thommy (C) (Marinos Tzionis 71'); Khiry Shelton, Willy Agada, Daniel Salloi

Subs Not Used: Kendall McIntosh, Robert Castellanos, Kayden Pierre, Chris Rindov, Jake Davis, Cam Duke

Portland Timbers: David Bingham; Dario Zuparic, Justin Rasmussen, Zachery McGraw, Juan Mosquera; Eryk Williamson (Cristhian Paredes 80'), Evander, Diego Chara (C), Yimmi Chara (Santiago Moreno 33'), Marvin Loria (Diego Gutierrez 80'); Jaroslaw Niezgoda (Nathan Fogaca 62')

Subs Not Used: Claudio Bravo, Eric Miller, Pablo Bonilla, Aljaz Ivacic, Larrys Mabiala

Scoring Summary:

POR - Juan Mosquera 1 (Yimmi Chara 1) 6'

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Erik Thommy (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 16'

POR - Dario Zuparic (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 26'

POR - Eryk Williamson (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 73'

POR - Evander (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 89'

Stat SKC POR

Shots 12 7

Shots on Goal 4 4

Saves 3 4

Fouls 9 12

Offsides 0 1

Corner Kicks 11 3

Referee: Tim Ford

Assistant Referee: Mike Rottersman

Assistant Referee: Kevin Lock

Fourth Official: Mark Allatin

VAR: Edvin Jurisevic

AVAR: Tom Supple

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 28, 2023


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