May 13, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City (2-7-3, 9 points) secured its first MLS home win of the season in emphatic fashion on Saturday, prevailing 3-0 against regional rivals Minnesota United FC (3-5-3, 12 points) at Children’s Mercy Park.
Defender Dany Rosero lifted the hosts ahead after nine minutes, forward Daniel Salloi doubled Sporting’s advantage midway through the first half and substitute Gadi Kinda struck late to cap a dominant, wire-to-wire performance versus a Minnesota side that saw its winless skid hit six matches. Sporting veteran Tim Melia also saved a first-half penalty kick from Jeong Sang-bin before exiting with an injury and splitting the clean sheet with fellow goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh.
Riding a two-game winning streak after last Sunday’s breakthrough victory at Seattle Sounders FC, Sporting has improved to a perfect 8-0-0 in regular season home meetings with Minnesota dating back to 2017, outscoring the Loons 22-2 while posting five wins by three goals or more.
Sporting will look to continue its winning ways with a pair of pivotal road matches next week, visiting reigning MLS Cup champion LAFC (6-1-3, 21 points) at 9:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday and expansion rival St. Louis City SC at 8:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 20. Both contests will be shown live on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV and the St. Louis clash will also air nationally on FS1.
Presiding over his 449th regular season match as Sporting Kansas City manager, Peter Vermes made one change to the starting lineup from last weekend’s road win over Seattle as Nemanja Radoja-overcoming a hamstring injury for his first MLS appearance since April 1-replaced Kinda in midfield. Veteran center back Andreu Fontas notably played his 100th game for Sporting in all competitions, while captain Johnny Russell eclipsed 150 regular season appearances and 150 starts for the club across all competitions.
The hosts had an immediate stranglehold on proceedings, dominating possession and territory against Minnesota’s new-look 3-5-2 formation. Sporting’s early superiority was rewarded in the ninth minute when Rosero rose above the rest to nod Salloi’s in-swinging corner kick past Minnesota keeper Dayne St. Clair for his first MLS tally and the 21st goal of his career. It was both Sporting’s first goal from a center back and first goal off a corner kick since Sept. 13, 2022, marking the fourth time that Vermes’ side has scored before the 12th…
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