February 28, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City (0-1-0, 0 points) fell to the Portland Timbers (1-0-0, 3 points) on Monday at Providence Park in a 1-0 loss on the road in cold and rainy conditions to open the team’s 2023 campaign. An early goal in the sixth minute would prove to be the difference in a tightly-contested Western Conference clash that saw both sides missing key players due to injury.
Manager Peter Vermes remained without Designated Players Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda as both continue rehab from knee injuries that sidelined them for the 2022 season, while Sporting was also missing club captain Johnny Russell (hamstring) and newcomer Nemanja Radoja, as well as defenders Kortne Ford (Achilles) and Logan Ndenbe (hamstring).
The opening 45 minutes saw a pair of scoring chances, each in short succession, for either side with the Timbers starting the match on the front foot. Jaroslaw Niezgoda pounced on an errant backpass in the fifth minute and attempted to round Sporting KC goalkeeper John Pulskamp. The 21-year-old would get the better of the 1v1 – taking the ball off the foot of the Polish striker – then recovered to make a strong save to keep out Marvin Loria’s follow-up attempt.
Undeterred, the home side took an early 1-0 lead moments later as Colombians Juan Mosquera and Yimmi Chara combined on a give-and-go. The 20-year-old Mosquera would strike for the fastest goal of the young MLS season, taking a touch before turning and firing low beneath Pulskamp for his first career MLS goal on an assist from Chara – who would be forced to exit the match injured in the 32nd minute.
Sporting Kansas City’s defense did well to respond – not allowing a shot for the remainder of the first half – while the team’s attack nearly leveled the score with back-to-back opportunities in the 24th minute from Designated Player Erik Thommy. Wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of Johnny Russell, Thommy connected with a cross from Khiry Shelton for a first-time effort that was turned away by David Bingham then forced a fingertip save from the Portland goalkeeper on a blind chip that was tipped over the crossbar.
Thommy would continue to be a spark for Sporting and his service from a corner kick in the 60th minute found Roger Espinoza at the near post. The 14-year MLS veteran rose high to flick a header toward the far post however the effort was directed just wide of the target.
In the 73rd minute, German…
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