Sporting Falls 2-0 to Montreal

April 30, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Sporting Kansas City News Release

Sporting Kansas City (0-7-3, 3 points) fell 2-0 to CF Montreal (3-6-0, 9 points) on Saturday night in the 200th regular season match at Children’s Mercy Park. The visitors collected their first win in Kansas City since 2013 behind first-half goals from Bryce Duke and Mathieu Choiniere, condemning Sporting Kansas City to their fourth straight MLS defeat.

Sporting Manager Peter Vermes made two changes to his starting lineup from last weekend’s trip to New England as 21-year-old Jake Davis-earning his first career MLS start-replaced Cam Duke at right back and 21-year-old Robert Voloder replaced the suspended Andreu Fontas in central defense. Between the posts, goalkeeper Tim Melia notably eclipsed 250 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Fresh off a goal in Tuesday’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup victory over Tulsa Athletic, Sporting striker Alan Pulido put Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois to the test in the 13th minute. Receiving a clever square pass from left back Logan Ndenbe, the Mexican international took a touch to create separation from his marker on the edge of the box before seeing his left-footed blast saved.

At the opposite end, Melia did well to keep Montreal off the scoresheet in the 20th minute by diving right to snag a well-struck effort from Choiniere. He spared Sporting’s blushes again five minutes later, thwarting striker Chinonso Offor at point-blank range with a stop that drew healthy applause from the Children’s Mercy Park faithful.

A back-and-forth spectacle continued to unfold with Daniel Salloi-another player to score in Tuesday’s 3-0 triumph over Tulsa-next to threaten at the half-hour juncture. His seething strike at the top of the penalty area had the makings of a wondergoal but was touched over the crossbar by a leaping Sirois.

Duke, who was acquired by Montreal in a lucrative trade from Inter Miami CF earlier this month, lifted the visitors ahead in the 35th minute, applying a cool finish into the far left corner following an incisive attack through the middle involving Choiniere and Sean Rea. It was Montreal’s first road goal of 2023 after the club had failed to find the back of the net in its first five away games this season.

Montreal compounded Sporting’s woes in first half-stoppage time, going ahead 2-0 when Choiniere tucked home from 10 yards off an Aaron Herrera cross with Rea picking up another secondary assist.

Sporting were on the…