Monday, July 25, 2016

Sporting Top Listless Seattle

Sporting Kansas City took advantage of a slumping opponent that looks to have quit on their coach and were able to walk away with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Sounders. From the first whistle Kansas City was on the front foot keeping the Sounders pinned back not allowing them to get forward much. Jacob Peterson almost put KC up 1-0 in just the sixth minute after running onto a deflected pass, but Stefan Frei palmed the ball away for a corner. The early pressing paid off for Kansas City in the 21st when they took a deserv3ed 1-0 lead thanks to Dom Dwyer. Dwyer got on the end of a cross by Roger Espinoza after some good passing by Kansas City through the middle of the field. Espinoza received the ball out wide and had plenty of time to take a touch and pick out the run of Dwyer who headed the ball past Frei to give KC the lead. It wasn't all good news for Kansas City in the first half though as Graham Zusi, who just returned from injury had to leave the game in just the 41st minute being replaced by Connor Hallisey. Hallisey had a great opportunity to make it 2-0 in first half stoppage time after a turn over by the Sounders off a throw in. Hallisey was played in on goal but couldn't beat Frei with the effort. KC did make it two before the break though as Saad Abdul-Salaam raced down the wing before playing the ball back to the top of the box to an unmarked Peterson who one touched a shot past Frei into the far post upper 90 to make double KC's lead right before the break.

Kansas City continued the pressure in the second half while the Sounders continued to almost sleep walk through the game, they rarely were getting forward in KC's attack and Tim Melia wasn't very busy at all in the KC net. KC had a number of chances to add to their lead as Dwyer forced a good save out of Frei in the 61st minute on a shot from distance. Then moments late Peterson set up Hallisey on the doorstep but he miss-hit his shot with only Frei to beat and pushed his effort wide. Peterson almost got a brace in the 67th but dragged an effort just wide of the post while one on one with Frei. Finally KC got their third in the 79th on a giveaway by the Sounders. After passing around in their own end a poor pass towards the middle was easily picked off by Dwyer who walked in on goal and beat Frei to make it 3-0. The Sounders defenders all seemed to quit on the hospital ball giving Dwyer the chance to go one on one with Frei. KC continued to go searching for a fourth goal to pad the lead further but were unable to. Seattle finally got their first shot in the 88th minute of the game, a slow roller that was well wide of Melia's goal.

Wizards Man of the Match - Dom Dwyer - A brace for the man linked with a move to Europe, Dwyer looked very good yesterday, was active and was really testing Frei even with the shots he didn't score.

Honorable mention: Roger Espinoza

Player Ratings: Melia 6, Abdul-Salaam 7, Opara 7, Olum 7, Medranda 8, Mustivar 7, Espinoza 8, Feilhaber 8, Peterson 8, Dwyer 9, Zusi 7. Subs Hallisey 7, Porter 5, Sinovic NR.

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