Kansas City, Kan. (February 21, 2019) – Sporting KC started off their 2019 season with a bang as they walked all over Toluca in the first leg of their Round of 16 Matchup in the CONCACAF Champions League. Gerso and Nemeth ran the show, capped by Ilie Sanchez’s stunning goal late in the second half.
Sporting KC Thrash Toluca [INSERT SCORE]
Sporting KC had made a lot of the fact that Toluca had already played 6 competitive matches before their Round of 16 clash. Sporting KC would be playing in their first. However, it didn’t seem to matter. Sporting KC dominated the night, winning the game in every major stat category, including goals.
Sporting KC took the lead in the 35th minute as Matt Besler played Gerso Fernandes over the top. After Gerso took the ball down comfortably, Nemeth took over, turned, and slotted the shot home. Gerso and Besler may have done all the work, but Nemeth finished the play off.
In the second half, it was Nemeth’s turn to play a bit of provider to Gerso. After a nice give and go atop the 18 yard box Gerso played the ball into Nemeth’s feet. As Nemeth tried to backheel the ball into the net, the keeper kicked it out into the 18 yard box, and Gerso drilled the shot with the outside of his left foot to make it a 2-0 lead.
The icing on the cake though came as Ilie Sanchez scored a stunner for his first goal from play. After a corner kick was cleared to the top of the 18 yard box, Ilie took the ball first time and rocketed a volley down off the bar to make it 3-0.
Sporting KC will take the aggregate lead into the second leg, as they play on Thursday, Februrary 28th down in Toluca. The question may be whether or not Sporting KC can hold onto the lead. But with a first leg like that, Sporting KC should be able to get the job done.
Sporting KC are the second American team has defeated a Mexican side by three or more goals, since the tournament started in 1968. That other occurrence was the 1997 LA Galaxy.
