June 11, 2022 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro) – Sporting Kansas City II News Release
Sporting KC II (5-5-2, 17 points) picked up a massive three points in a 1-0 road victory at Houston Dynamo 2 (7-3-1, 22 points) Saturday afternoon at PNC Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Rauf Salifu converted a 13th minute penalty for his second goal in as many matches and the lone first-team loanee, John Pulskamp made six crucial saves, lifting SKC II past Dynamo Dos.
Head coach Benny Feilhaber trotted out a new starting XI, with not one starter from last week’s match against MNUFC 2 starting today. Pulskamp was in net with Sporting KC Academy product Draven Barnett making his first professional start. Cole McLagan, Mikey Lenis and Joseph Addo Tetteh rounded out the rest of the backline.
The midfield was comprised of Cade Thomson, Curtez Kellman and Josh Coan while the front three that began the match consisted of TJ Fatah, Bakary Bagayoko and goal scorer Rauf Salifu.
As has been tradition for SKC II this season, the boys in blue came out hot. Salifu got on the end of a corner but glanced his header wide, the second corner in the first two minutes was cleared by Houston and Kellman pinged a shot off a defender in the fifth.
Pulskamp was called into action in the seventh minute when Papa Ndoye launched a Dynamo Dos counter by tip-toeing the sideline. He centered the ball to Jacob Evans in the box where the SKC II keeper slid in to make his first save of the night without spilling the ball.
In the 12th minute, Kellman sprung a counter for SKC II, winning the ball in the midfield and making a belline for goal. He slipped Salifu in and the striker was ripped down by a sliding Jon-Talen Maples. Salifu stepped up and cooly sent Michael Nelson the wrong way, giving SKC II the early lead.
Immediately following the goal, the match slowed down its pace. Ten minutes passed before the next attempt on either goal. Ndoye was played n aerial ball at the top of the 18 and lofted a header over Pulskamp’s goal. Another Dynamo Dos counter appeared lethal before Barnett and Tetteh combined to slam the door on the advancement.
Edwards sent a shot over the net and we entered our first hydration break. Nothing eventful transpired for the rest of the half as Pulskamp got a hand on a corner, watched two shots fly off target, caught a restart in the back of the six-yard box and made a routine save. Spencer Glass entered for Cade Thomson and halftime came with SKC II up by one.
To start the second half,…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at OurSports Central Outdoor Soccer News…