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MLS Sporting Kansas City

Sporting KC Falls 1-0 to Vancouver

May 29, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City (3-8-4, 13 pts.) saw their five-game home unbeaten streak in all competitions come to an end tonight with a 1-0 setback against Vancouver Whitecaps FC (4-7-2, 14 pts.) at Children's Mercy Park. Vancouver star Lucas Cavallini scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the 24th minute as Sporting were unable to find a way back into the game.

Sporting made one change from the team's last MLS match - the 1-1 draw at San Jose last Sunday - as Andreu Fontas came in at center back in place of Robert Voloder. With 2021 MLS MVP finalist Daniel Salloi suspended, Cypriot winger Marinos Tzionis coming off a knee injury and five other attacking options sidelined through injury, Sporting once again started with versatile midfielder Cam Duke and central midfielder Remi Walter on the wings, either side of captain Johnny Russell.

Sporting almost went ahead just 58 seconds into the match, as Ben Sweat met Felipe Hernandez's corner kick at the far post but thudded his header over the bar with Vancouver goalkeeper Cody Cropper stranded.

The first major flashpoint came in the 22nd minute when Vancouver earned a penalty kick after Uri Rosell brought down Lucas Cavallini on the edge of the area just moments after producing a spectacular sliding challenge to deny Cristian Dajome a run at goal. Cavallini stepped up himself and dinked a composed penalty into the back of the net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

In the 31st minute, Vancouver spurned a golden opportunity to add a second as substitute Deiber Caicedo sprung in behind the Sporting backline and with only Tim Melia to beat, Caicedo lobbed a bouncing effort inches wide of the post.

Sporting threatened to equalize in the 35th minute when Walter cut away from his man 20 yards from goal but struck his curling effort over the bar.

Sporting's best chance of the first half fell to Russell in the 41st minute when Duke found a nice pocket of space down the left wing and cut the ball across the face of goal for Russell, but the Scotsman couldn't add to his recent goalscoring form as he skewed his effort well wide of the post when well positioned.

Russell continued to threaten in the early stages of the second half, heading over the bar from inside the six-yard-box after being picked out expertly by Walter's free kick wide on the right wing.

Hernandez created a turnover high up the field in the 63rd minute and fed Russell on the edge of the area, but the Sporting captain could only muster a tame effort straight into the arms of Cropper in the Vancouver goal.

With the game ticking into the latter stages, Hernandez tried his luck from 20 yards with a first-time effort in the 81st minute, but it sailed over the bar.

Sporting almost found a last-gasp equalizer in the 94th minute when Hernandez's corner found substitute Nicolas Isimat-Mirin who thundered a header on frame, but Vancouver's Javain Brown was on hand to clear the ball off the line and clinch three points for the visitors.

Saturday's match concluded a stretch of seven games in 22 days, with Sporting now having a break in the schedule and returning to action on Saturday, June 12 when Sporting hosts 2021 MLS Supporters' Shield winners the New England Revolution at Children's Mercy Park in a nationally televised contest on ABC. Kickoff for that match is set for 2 p.m. CT with tickets available via SeatGeek.com.

QUOTES Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes

Thoughts on the match...

I think we tried everything we could. We tried everything. I just don't think we had enough in the game.

On the team being shutout...

Too many guys we have to move in and out of positions and no routine. It was tough from that perspective, but the guys gave everything. I appreciate that.

On concluding a stretch of seven games in 22 days...

It'll be good for us to get a break and get ourselves reset and hopefully get a few guys back. That will help with the rotation of players at the moment.

On the difference in tonight's match...

We had a couple of chances. They had the penalty kick. They scored. We had a couple of chances, and we didn't.

On what went wrong in the match...

They had a penalty kick and they scored. We had a couple of chances, and we didn't score them. The guys did the most they could based on the situation and players playing all over the place. They tried at the end.

On what he hopes the players get out of the international break...

Hopefully get some rest and we'll start accumulating some points.

On how the players looked after playing the midweek match...

I don't think we were flat. I don't believe we were at all. I actually think we were doing fine. Unfortunately, Uri [Rosell] makes a play and then when he's getting up the other guy is following the ball, gets to the ball and he doesn't really see him, causing the penalty. They get the goal. But we were in the game. I don't know the stat sheet, but I'm not sure if they had a true shot on goal. No, I don't think we were at all. I don't think that was the case in the game.

Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia

Thoughts on the match...

We were starting to build into the right direction after the Portland game. We got a win, a tie, an excellent comeback result in the Open Cup and then we let this opportunity slip. We have got to look that in the face. We're down guys, but they're down just as many guys. We're in our own house here. Ultimately, we need to just kind of shut it down. We need guys back. We need to get healthy. But this isn't over yet. We're not even close to over yet. We have so much season left. We have got to use this break to our advantage, get everyone back, and then come out flying.

On what piece was missing in the final third...

Our combination wasn't great, but I think it was a little bit of fatigue for sure. Guys have been running themselves into the ground. Our combination play wasn't great. We weren't putting our attackers in the best situations. We weren't supplying extra numbers coming up in the back. But none of that is important. The thing that we have to do right now is give ourselves a little bit of a mental break and come back flying because we're not out of this. We're not even close to being out of this yet.

On the performances from players who have stepped up this past month...

We can make this so positive because we can come back from this break and start accumulating points, climbing up the ladder and start getting some other guys back. And now we've gotten all these young players really good minutes in stressful situations, which is really good for your professional growth. So ultimately it will make us stronger. We have just got to come out flying.

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Roger Espinoza

Thoughts on the match...

It's tough. It was a tough game for us, but we have got to keep our heads up. We work very hard. I wish we would have won, but I'm very proud of the guys for the hard work they're giving. We need to keep working hard. It's a long season and we have just got to keep our heads up.

On Vancouver's defense after they went up...

They were defending very well. They defended very well and props to them for coming in here and doing that. We were trying to find a way. We created some opportunities and we just needed to finish them. That's how the game goes sometimes, and you've just got to keep fighting.

On reaching 300 career regular season appearances...

Hard work. Hard work. Every day, every game, every training, I come and play very hard. Thank you to Sporting for drafting me in 2008. It all started there with them giving me a chance and an opportunity to become a professional. Everything is due to Sporting, and I'm very thankful and grateful for this. I haven't taken anything for granted at this club from the first day I came here. I keep working hard for this club, and I can only have gratitude for the opportunity they gave me.

Score 1 2 F

Sporting Kansas City (3-8-4, 13 points) 0 0 0

Vancouver Whitecaps FC (4-7-2, 14 points) 1 0 1

Sporting Kansas City: Tim Melia; Ben Sweat (Kayden Pierre 46'), Kortne Ford, Andreu Fontas (Nicolas Isimat-Mirin 69'), Logan Ndenbe; Uri Rosell (Marinos Tzionis 46'), Felipe Hernandez, Roger Espinoza; Remi Walter, Johnny Russell (C), Cam Duke

Subs Not Used: John Pulskamp, Kaveh Rad, Robert Voloder, Jake Davis

Vancouver Whitecaps FC: Cody Cropper; Marcus Godinho (Luis Martins 79'), Javain Brown, Ranko Veselinovic, Jake Nerwinski, Cristian Gutierrez (Erik Godoy 60'); Florian Jungwirth, Sebastian Berhalter (Ryan Raposo 79'), Leonard Owusu (Michael Baldisimo 46'); Cristian Dajome (C) (Deiber Caicedo 27'), Lucas Cavallini

Subs Not Used: Isaac Boehmer, Caio Alexandre, Pedro Vite, Tosaint Ricketts

Scoring Summary:

VAN - Lucas Cavallini 4 (Penalty Kick) 24'

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Kortne Ford (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 13'

VAN - Sebastian Berhalter (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 27'

SKC - Andreu Fontas (yellow card; delaying a restart) 44'

VAN - Cristian Gutierrez (yellow card; delaying a restart) 52'

SKC - Johnny Russell (yellow card; dissent) 58'

Stat SKC VAN

Shots 15 9

Shots on Goal 2 1

Saves 0 1

Fouls 11 13

Offsides 2 1

Corner Kicks 4 5

Referee: Ted Unkel

Assistant Referee: Kyle Atkins

Assistant Referee: Ryan Graves

Fourth Official: Elton Garcia

VAR: Alejandro Mariscal

AVAR: Robert Schaap

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 29, 2022


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