Sporting KC Falls 4-2 to Dallas
June 14, 2025 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City (4-10-4, 16 points) fell to a frustrating 4-2 loss against FC Dallas (5-6-6, 21 points) on Saturday night at Children's Mercy Park.
Shapi Suleymanov fired the hosts ahead in spectacular fashion with a long-range strike inside eight minutes before Dallas striker Petar Musa conjured a quick equalizer. In a contentious, hotly contested second half laden with questionable officiating decisions-including a mystifying second yellow card issued to Sporting defender Khiry Shelton-Dallas bagged three consecutive goals to secure victory against a 10-man Kansas City side that scored in second-half stoppage time through lively substitute Santiago Munoz.
Sporting's three-game homestand will continue on June 25 and 28 with fixtures against Charlotte FC and Real Salt Lake, respectively. Tickets for both matches are available via SeatGeek with live coverage on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.
Suleymanov drew first blood with Sporting's earliest goal of the season, receiving a back pass from striker Dejan Joveljic-who entered the night on a four-game scoring run-and curling brilliantly into the far left corner from 22 yards for his second tally of the campaign. Joveljic now has a goal contribution in five consecutive matches, the longest active streak in MLS, and Sporting's last seven goals have all come from 2025 newcomers dating back to May 24.
Dallas responded in the 11th minute, finding space down the right channel as Shaq Moore's low cross was driven home on the doorstep by Musa, who has scored in four of his last five appearances against Sporting.
In the 19th minute, Suleymanov could have gone from scorer to provider when his in-swinging corner kick was met by Joveljic at the far post, but his header from a tough angle lacked the direction and power to beat Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes. The first half also saw Suleymanov flattened to the turf under a challenge from defender Sebastien Ibeagha inside the penalty area, but referee Sergii Demianchuk wasn't convinced of a foul and VAR did not intervene on the play.
On the opposite end, the visitors went close to surging ahead prior to halftime as Anderson Julio ran onto a long ball and rounded Sporting goalkeeper John Pulskamp, but his goalward strike was blocked heroically by sliding center back Jansen Miller.
Chaos plagued the entire second half, ushered in near the hour mark when Dallas talisman Lucho Acosta took a spill inside the box and Demianchuk pointed to the penalty spot. Replays showed little to no contact between Acosta and Miller, who had been penalized for the foul. Acosta promptly buried the ensuing spot kick to give Dallas the 2-1 lead.
Another tragic decision came in the 62nd minute when Shelton was ejected for his second yellow card offense, the victim of Pedrinho's embellishment as the Dallas midfielder flailed to the ground despite Shelton not touching him on an attempted tackle near the sideline.
Down a man and down a goal, Sporting suffered further bleeding in the 69th minute when Musa's low shot was saved by the outstretched Pulskamp, only for substitute Bernard Kamungo to clean up the rebound and make the score 3-1.
Eager to get back into the game, Sporting brandished a pair of chances with a quarter-hour remaining. Substitutes combined in the 76th minute with Memo Rodriguez's backheel pass finding Daniel Salloi for a shot that dragged wide and Joveljic forcing a save from Paes following Stephen Afrifa's clever set-up pass.
Acosta put the contest to bed on 82 minutes, racing onto Nolan Norris' long ball and cutting past a defender before dribbling past Pulskamp and slotting into an empty net for his fifth goal of the campaign. Dallas then had a late chance go begging as Kamungo cut centrally from the right side and hammered the woodwork.
Munoz tallied his second substitute goal in three games with 91 minutes on the clock. Settling a killer through ball from Manu Garcia, Munoz slithered into the box and sent a clever side-footed finish into the right corner to cut Kansas City's deficit to 4-2.
QUOTES
Sporting Kansas City interim head coach Kerry Zavagnin
Thoughts on the match...
Just backing up to the beginning of the game, I thought we started off really well. We got a fantastic goal from Shapi (Suleymanov) and Dallas pushed back a little bit, which we expected they would. But I think we actually started the second half right off the kickoff in a good way and we started putting pressure. I talked to the guys on a regular basis about, 'Let's control the things that we can control and understand the things that we can't control. And by knowing that difference, we can focus on ourselves.' And I gave the same message to the guys tonight because there were a lot of things that were not in our control, but that happens all the time. What I'm reflecting on right now is less so what happened in the second half and first myself in the decisions that I took in the game and how I prepared the team. We, as a group, will move on. This has been a fantastic couple of months with the group. Success isn't a linear progression. You're going to have a little dip. I'm a little disappointed for the stadium, the fans and the players who put so much into it that the result didn't reflect the preparation and the commitment that the guys have given to the game.
On the controversial calls...
I've been in a lot of games and when you look at a replay and you think you are so absolutely certain that it was this and it turns out to be that. It's really hard for me to get every angle that would show that it was, as you say, contentious or incorrect. I feel like there's a lot of games where things like that happen. And tonight those calls didn't go our way. But I also think we could have done a lot of things that would have potentially impacted the result in a different way.
On the goal from Shapi Suleymanov...
I want the guys to take the opportunities when they see him. Obviously, we took the shot from outside the box. They were packed in. This was one of the games in recent weeks that I think we had a lot of the ball in the final third. They really crowded the box so a credit to Shapi for the recognition of that. That was outstanding. I think it was really good circulation of the ball that led to the first goal. Those things I'm really excited about, because those things we have been intentional about working on. To see those things come to fruition in the game is a positive thing, but we've got a lot of things that we need to get better at.
On the team's mentality...
The mentality of the group, since day one, has been outstanding. It's the one piece that I'm not sure we can really improve upon because the intensity and the commitment that they give to each and every day, and each and every game, I can't ask for more. We've been down before in multiple games and we found a way to come back. We were down 4-1 and I thought, maybe (we could come back) with this group because they will never give up. We put every attacking piece we had on the field, because I thought just maybe we might be able to do it. When you have a group like that that will play to the final whistle regardless of what the conditions are, that's something that every coach should be proud of.
On the goal from Santiago Munoz...
The two goals that he has scored, he scores weekly in training. When he found the ball in that area, I had a pretty good feeling it was going in. That ability to finish in such a clinical way is a really positive, not just for him, but for us. I'd like to see him more in the games. We want to get him more in those positions. As he's integrating himself both to the League and our team, there are so many bright spots with him. I think he's going to find a very successful second half of the season.
On if the referees can do better...
I know I'm going to dodge it, but everyone can do better. Again, going back to the things that I can control. I can't control the referees. I can control my thoughts and my attitude of how I prepare the team for the game and I try to project that onto the players. I think as a League, we are all trying to get better. I can include the referees in that because we're all in this together. It's not us against them. I think all of us can be better at what we do. When mistakes are made and they're always made -- I make mistakes, our players make mistakes, the referees make mistakes -- it's not about pointing those things out and making excuses for what actually transpired in the game because there are things that happen. There are key moments and key decisions that do impact or turn the game in a different way. There are also decisions that we took tonight that turn the game in a different way.
On if Santiago Munoz is working his way into the XI...
There's a great competition within the group. We have some really good attacking players with Santi being one of them. I'm personally very excited about his progression and integration into the team and Major League Soccer. I think it's always a healthy competition when you have great players that are trying to get into that first XI. And he's one of them.
Sporting Kansas City defender Jansen Miller
On the frustration of the match...
It's just the emotions of the game. I'm a fiery guy. I want to win. When you're losing by multiple goals, it's frustrating. It was a frustrating game and that's all I have to say about that.
On his set piece chance...
I don't think the ref on the field has to give me an explanation because they have people looking at it. If they didn't think it was then that's fair.
On if he committed a foul on the Dallas penalty...
I don't think I did. In the moment, I thought Joaquin (Fernandez) did. That's how much I didn't even know that it was me that it was getting called on. Again, I'm sure the camera saw something. It's frustrating, but it's part of the game.
On his goalline clearance...
I see John (Pulskamp) coming out so as soon as he's coming out, I'm running to the goal line. Obviously we've given up quite a few goals, but I think we have built a little bit of chemistry. If he's going to come out, I'll cover the goal. That was a moment where I knew he was coming out and if he touched it around him, I was there.
On the physicality...
I play the same game. I think it's a little more intensity. That's just how it works in a game like this. Nothing dirty, just maybe an extra foul or two here and there.
Sporting Kansas City defender Khiry Shelton
On being sent off...
I don't know what to say. I didn't have the greatest game today and I take accountability for that. That is all I will say on that.
On if he made contact with his opponent...
I think if you look back at it, the guy took two steps after and then went down so he knew. I barely nicked the outside of his boot and I did get contact on the ball.
On if the referee told him why he was sent off...
No. I think from the first minute, the first yellow too, I think everyone was confused. So was I. I have nothing to say on that.
On trying to focus on what the team can control...
I think we just have to get together. We had our meeting already. We did go straight to that, that there are some things out of our control and those things can be very frustrating but we have to let those things go and focus on what we did right and what we did wrong.
Referee Sergii Demianchuk (via MLS pool reporter)
Why was Khiry Shelton's challenge a yellow card in the 62nd minute despite there being no contact with the FC Dallas player at all?
There was contact to the foot of the opponent and given the speed of the challenge, this tackle was deemed to be reckless in nature and he was shown a yellow card.
Why did the VAR not believe there was a clear and obvious error on the penalty kick awarded to FC Dallas in the 56th minute?
The VAR confirmed that a tripping foul was committed against Dallas player #10 Luciano Acosta resulting in a penalty kick.
-- SportingKC.com --
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