MLS: Improving Sporting KC hold off last-place Earthquakes

Date:

Share post:


Striker Alan Pulido snapped an 11-match league goalless drought and visiting Sporting Kansas City held on for a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night.

Erik Thommy opened the scoring with his fifth goal of the season for Kansas City (6-13-5, 23 points), which completed its first back-to-back MLS wins of the season and has four wins in its last five games in all competitions.

Nemanja Radoja assisted both goals for SKC, which moved up one spot to 12th in the 14-team Western Conference table and snapped an eight-match away losing streak.

Last-place San Jose (4-17-2, 14 points) pulled a late goal back through an own-goal off SKC defender Khiry Shelton.

But the Quakes failed to produce another moment of real danger in the final stages and fell to 1-3-0 under interim manager Ian Russell.

Starting in part because fellow striker William Agada had started in Kansas City’s 2-1 U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal win over FC Dallas on Wednesday, Pulido was the most active attacker for either team before halftime.

He forced William Yarbrough into his first save on a well-struck effort from the edge of the area in the 44th minute, and had an apparent goal ruled offside in first-half stoppage time.

But it was a moment of magic from Thommy that opened the scoring in the 48th minute.

After taking a pass from Radoja with his back to the goal, Thommy turned and angled his dribble to the right toward the penalty arc, cut back on his left foot to evade a defender, and then drove a low finish that beat Yarbrough to the bottom left corner.

Eight minutes later, Pulido had his fourth goal of the season when he timed his run to remain onside, sprinted onto Radoja’s perfectly weighted throughball, and finished low and hard past Yarbrough and inside the left post.

Shelton redirected the ball into his own net in the 83rd minute when he was trying to intercept a cross inside the 6-yard box.

San Jose had one clear look to level the game, but Preston Judd did not connect cleanly, sending his shot well wide of the target from about eight yards out.

–Field Level Media

spot_img

Related articles

NWSL: Trinity Rodman returns, lifts Washington Spirit to win over Portland Thorns

Trinity Rodman punctuated her return from a back injury with the game-winning goal two minutes into second-half stoppage...

NWSL: Sophie Schmidt helps Houston steal point against Bay FC

After over a month away from league play, NWSL veteran Sophie Schmidt entered as a late-match substitute and...

NWSL: Aggressive Wave settle for scoreless draw with Courage

San Diego's aggression didn't fully pay off as the Wave settled for a 0-0 draw with the North...

MLS: Leagues Cup roundup: Lionel Messi injures hamstring as Inter Miami top Necaxa

Lionel Messi left injured in the 11th minute with hamstring discomfort, but Inter Miami earned a 5-4 penalty...

FREE

Get the most important breaking news and analyses for Free.

Thank you for subscribing

Something went wrong.