March 23, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City (1-1-3, 6 points) surrendered a two-goal lead for the club’s first loss of 2024 in a 3-2 setback to the LA Galaxy (2-0-3, 9 points) on Saturday at Children’s Mercy Park.
In a wild battle between unbeaten Western Conference teams, Sporting rode a dominant first half to a 2-0 cushion behind goals from Nemanja Radoja and Willy Agada. However, the Galaxy struck back in the late stages with three goals in a fatal eight-minute span that gave LA just its second win in Kansas City in 16 years.
Manager Peter Vermes made two changes to the Sporting lineup from last weekend’s 2-1 home win over San Jose. After recovering from a minor ankle problem, Remi Walter returned in place of injured midfielder Memo Rodriguez, while Agada entered for injured captain Johnny Russell. The new-look XI was deployed in a 4-2-3-1 formation with fellow striker Alan Pulido underneath Agada, marking the first time the duo had started together for Sporting. Between the posts, goalkeeper Tim Melia notably tied current assistant coach Kerry Zavagnin for fifth in club history with his 237th regular season start.
The hosts threatened thrice within the first 12 minutes as Daniel Salloi-making his 57th straight regular season start, the fifth longest such streak in club history-curled a shot inches over the bar before Agada and Pulido forced saves from LA goalkeeper John McCarthy, the latter with an acrobatic bicycle kick attempt.
Radoja fired Sporting ahead in the 34th minute. After the Galaxy failed to clear a searching ball into the box off a short corner kick, Salloi settled into possession on the left edge of the penalty area and centered the ball low into the path of Radoja, who slotted past McCarthy at point-blank range for his first professional goal since Nov. 2, 2019 when he scored for Levante in a Spanish La Liga win over Lionel Messi and FC Barcelona. Radoja almost added a second goal five minutes later but planted his header a foot high off another set piece delivery.
Sporting laid siege on the Galaxy goal in the final moments of the first half and were duly rewarded on the brink of intermission. A minute after Agada had a shot deflect marginally wide, the Nigerian opened his 2024 scoring account with a pinpoint finish into the left corner off Salloi’s teasing cross from the left wing. Agada bagged the 50th goal of his professional career on the play and now has 10 goals in 10 regular…
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