July 23, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City (5-13-5, 20 points) fell 2-0 to Supporters’ Shield leaders LAFC (14-4-3, 45 points) on Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park. The visitors did their damage in the second half as Cristian Arango bagged his team-leading ninth goal of the campaign in the 56th minute and four-time UEFA Champions League winner Gareth Bale opened his MLS scoring account with seven minutes left, condemning Sporting to a club-record fourth consecutive home defeat.
Sporting will now shift gears as they prepare for a pivotal Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal showdown against USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC on Wednesday in the California capital. Kickoff at Heart Health Park is slated for 9:30 p.m. CT with live coverage on ESPN Plus. Manager Peter Vermes’ men have reached the Open Cup semifinals for the sixth time in club history and In each of the last four instances-in 2004, 2012, 2015 and 2017-they went on to win the prestigious competition.
With temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, newly acquired German midfielder and MLS debutant Erik Thommy headlined a Sporting Kansas City lineup that featured five changes from last weekend’s road loss to Real Salt Lake. The 27-year-old was joined in the center of the park by Felipe Hernandez, who was making his 50th career MLS appearance, while forward Khiry Shelton stepped into a three-man attack alongside captain Johnny Russell and fellow winger Daniel Salloi.
Sporting’s defense, meanwhile, was boosted by the return of two previously injured veterans in goalkeeper Tim Melia and right back Graham Zusi. Midfielder Roger Espinoza served a one-game suspension for caution accumulation, while Kayden Pierre, John Pulskamp, Uri Rosell and Marinos Tzionis dropped to the substitutes bench.
Thommy, who amassed nearly 100 appearances in the German Bundesliga prior to his arrival in Kansas City, ignited Sporting’s first chance inside three minutes by galloping into the final third and spreading the ball left to Salloi, who cut centrally and unleashed a shot that deflected marginally wide with LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau rooted to the turf. Shortly thereafter, Thommy tried his luck with a dipping 35-yard free kick that forced Crepeau into his first save.
Thommy’s vibrant start to life in MLS continued in the 15th minute when he almost opened the scoring. Hernandez did brilliantly to beat an LAFC defender, win a tackle along the…
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