It’s clear that Sporting Kansas City are missing Ike Opara. The side put up a fight at the Stub Hub center Saturday night. but was unable to hold onto the 1-1 scoreline in the final minute of added time. LA Galaxy ended the stalemate with a deflected goal off a set piece in the final minute to be the definition of heartbreakers for Sporting KC fans. Sporting KC isn’t hopeless, but needs to tighten up.
Specifically, the backline needs to tighten up. Opara is out with a ruptured Achilles, and it’s unclear when/if he’ll return. Homegrown Kevin Ellis started in his place, but he’ll have work to do again this season. He cleared more than one ball to the feet of Galaxy players, but he also made some important scrambling saves.
Baggio Husidic’s goal for LA came from a critical defensive error. Stefan Ishizaki took a strike hurtling toward goalkeeper Luis Marin. Marin dove and knocked it out of danger, but couldn’t smother it. The Sporting KC backline, apparently mesmerised by Ishizaki’s strike, stood still facing the opposite direction as the rebound found the foot of Husidic. Jalil Anibaba turned toward Husidic too late instead of marking him at the back post.
The spark in the back line was Marcel de Jong. He had a foot in almost everything Saturday. Not only did he keep Sporting KC in possession from behind, he picked pockets, and pressed high. De Jong even took two consecutive shots on goal, both of which from distance and with enough power to light a small town. Jaime Penedo got a gifted hand in one, and the second ended wide.
Krisztian Nemeth’s goal was another bright spot for Sporting. Dom Dwyer pulled defenders toward him, slipped the ball through to Benny Feilhaber who sent it across to Nemeth with on crisp touch. The link up between the three was smooth and exactly what Sporting needs in their attack this season. Nemeth’s chip over Penedo was an example of the class everyone knew they’d see from the player.
Despite the contribution to the goal, Dwyer is still suffering. He won’t be in the race for the golden boot this year if he doesn’t get out of his own head and start scoring on a regular basis. In the 67th minute, Sporting KC had dominated possession when a cross from Roger Espinoza went straight to Dwyer as Anibaba led defenders off course. Dwyer was in perfect position in the center of the box with space. His chest control was clinical as he brought the ball to his feet, but his shot was a mile high.
Dwyer had a second great chance later in the game on a break. 2014 Dwyer would have taken a chance at beating the keeper to score, 2015 Dwyer attempted to pass to a well marked Graham Zusi and that’s the end of that. There’s been lots of speculation as to why it’s so hard for Dwyer to find the net this year, and many theories have merit. Regardless of the cause, Sporting KC’s future in the western conference are fairly reliant on Dwyer’s ability to stay onside and score.
With these struggles in striking for Dwyer, he did have a highlight on the opposite end of the pitch. LA had a corner kick in the 85th minute and Dwyer cleared it off the line. He looked reasonably pleased with himself afterward, as he should. He could quite possibly have a Save of the Week nomination coming before he gets a Goal of the Week nomination.
In the midfield, Feilhaber is still the epicenter for creativity and control. He’s constantly picking out the right passes and winning challenges left and right. Sporting could have been ahead in the 27th minute off a set piece taken by Feilhaber. It was a perfectly placed ball to Servando Carrasco, who couldn’t manage to control it with his head.
Marin might have conceded a goal early on in the game, but he made a series of spectacular saves throughout the game. In the 71st minute, Juninho booted the ball on target and Marin dove to knock it out. The rebound, again, headed toward white Galaxy shirts, but Marin had already learned from his earlier mistake and cleaned up. Having a goalkeeper that can learn that quickly is a check in the glass half full column for Sporting.
The game winner came at the very last minute of play. It was unexpected and took a deflection off sub Bernardo Anor, making it difficult for Marin to read. Sporting KC fought hard for a point off last seasons champions, but the champions fought hard too. The visitors will leave LA without any points, but Sporting KC isn’t hopeless. Looking forward, there are plenty of strong points for Peter Vermes to build on as they look ahead to Houston.
