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Sporting’s return to Kansas City derailed against Houston Dynamo

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After four home matches without a win and five in MLS in total, Sporting Kansas City (2-4-5 at the start of the evening) needed a victory. Enter rival Houston Dynamo (4-4-2) for a Saturday night match at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, KS. And after Daniel Sallio’s equalizer in the second half, hope was bright.

Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes, handcuffed by injuries to central defender Dany Rosero and midfielder Remi Walter (and midfielder Erik Thommy absent for personal reasons), presented the following lineup for matchday 12 of the SKC:

Forward Alan Pulido – on track in two of the last three league matches and Wednesday in Sporting’s 2-1 overtime victory in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup – took the nickname #10/2.sd striker.

Early on, Sporting struggled to get into Houston’s final third due to poor touches, while Houston slalomed through the host’s midfield with relative ease.

However, with Agada and Pulido close behind, Sporting began to break through Houston’s defense from the left wing. Two combinations with Agada and Pulido by 12th minute resulted in a healthy weekend crowd.

Kansas City launched several searches in Houston for a cove. Wingers Daniel Salloi, Johnny Russell and Agada sometimes formed the three-way front. At other times, while Pulido made a penetrating run, Agada moved between the lines to create space for the Mexican striker.

However, it was Memo Rodriguez who almost broke through. Intercepting a touch from Houston’s Artur, the midfielder rushed into the Dynamo box in the 16th minute.th minute, grinding his fast roll wide left.

Kansas City would soon carve out two more chances as they played with strong desire and a fast pace. In the 20th Minute, Agada had his only mark pushed back from a cut, but took another and the chance dissolved. Then Russell drove deep into the Dynamo box after an errant pass, but his volleyed cross found no one.

Left back Tim Leibold played the role of defensive hero in the 30th minute after an inbounds ball fancied its way to the surprised feet of a Houston attacker. Leibold rushed from behind to sweep away the danger. But a Houston corner would come.

Dynamo talisman Hector Herrera received a short corner, headed to the upper left corner of the Sporting box and fired a curling shot that bulged the upper net to the left of the Kansas City keeper, Tim Melia. Although Sporting Kansas City had most of the offensive momentum, Houston took advantage.

Six minutes later, Salloi hit a menacing punch over Houston goalkeeper Steve Clark from 24 yards out. Clark punched him away, giving up a corner. The cross from the corner fell just beyond Agada and Sporting’s push ended.

Long balls were an effective tool for Sporting throughout the half. However, it was Rodriguez’s play that brought the roar the Texas native came to play. Intercepting another pass, the attacker broke through the middle of the field and fired a shot. Although the shot slipped past Clark, the save was made.

At the break, Sporting had outshot the visitors 8-6, although they were outshot by eleven percent.

For the first ten minutes of the second half, Sporting was in “bend but don’t break” mode, fending off Houston incursion after incursion. Then Russell found Agada for another run behind the Houston backline. This time, Agada shouldered his next defender before shooting wide of Houston’s left post.

It would be Rodriguez who would provide at least part of the solution. After a push from Rodriguez to the top right of the Houston box in the 61st minute, Salloi collected a loose ball, turned and hit inside Clark’s right post to tie the game. The winger’s first goal of the season could prove vital in stemming Kansas City’s poor run of form.

Six minutes later, Rodriguez would prove vital. As a Herrera corner was nodded in, Rodriguez teamed up with Melia to prevent Houston from taking a lead. It was Memo’s foot that last touched the attempt on the goal line.

Herrera would soon leave the game for former Sporting player Latif Blessing in the 70th minute, followed by a Sporting substitution four minutes later with Marinos Tzionis for Pulido.

But there is no submarine to monitor your backpost. Houston’s Ibrahim Aliyu sneaked in behind Russell and right back Jake Davis on a Houston break in the 78th minute. Aliyu collected a diagonal ball and slipped it past Melia and inside his left post to regain the lead.

Shortly after, Alenis Varga entered the game for Russell.

Sporting tried hard, an Agada header in the 89th minute stirring the crowd, only to be brilliantly saved by Clark, then declared offside.

Zorhan Basson and Stephen Afrifa came on for Russell and Agada before five minutes of extra time were signalled.

A series of corners fiercely attacked by Sporting Kansas City bore no fruit and the match ended in Houston’s hands.

Sporting will skip midweek matches and resume at Austin FC next Saturday.

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