Djordje Mihailovic had a goal and an assist, converting a penalty kick in second-half stoppage time, as the Colorado Rapids rallied for a 2-1 victory against Sporting Kansas City on Thursday night in Commerce City, Colo.
Oliver Larraz came off the bench and scored his first MLS goal for the Rapids (10-8-4, 34 points).
Johnny Russell tallied for Sporting Kansas City (4-13-5, 17 points), whose winless streak at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park was extended to 11 matches (0-6-5) since 2015.
The winning goal came after SKC goalkeeper Tim Melia was called for tripping the Rapids’ Darren Yapi in the third of eight minutes of stoppage time. Mihailovic put the penalty into the lower left corner of the net.
The Rapids scored the tying goal in the 69th minute. Mihailovic’s free kick from about 30 yards out on the left wing found Larraz near the penalty spot. His header took one bounce off the turf before settling in the far side netting, leaving Melia no chance.
SKC coach Peter Vermes made three halftime substitutions, bringing on Alan Pulido, Daniel Salloi and Tim Leibold, and they paid immediate dividends.
Pulido chipped the ball off the crossbar from 10 yards out in the opening minute of the half.
Three minutes later, Leibold sent a cross from the left wing to Erik Thommy in the middle of the penalty area. Thommy fanned on his shot, but the ball rolled to Russell, and he put a right-footed shot from the top right of the 6-yard box into the far side netting.
Colorado had a 9-2 edge in shot attempts in a scoreless first half, though only one of those was on goal. Omir Fernandez’s 12-yard try in the 22nd minute rolled straight to Melia for an easy save.
The best chance of the half came from Russell in the 16th minute. Russell intercepted defender Sam Vines’ header back to Zack Steffen on the right side of the penalty area and tried to chip the ball over the goalie, but the ball went just wide of the near post.
–Field Level Media
