Sporting KC II Comes Back Twice to Take Two Points Against Houston Dynamo 2 at Rock Chalk Park

June 7, 2024 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Sporting Kansas City II News Release

Sporting Kansas City II (6-3-3, 22 points) erased a single-goal deficit twice against Houston Dynamo 2 (2-5-4, 11 points) before defeating the Texas side in kicks from the spot on Friday night at Rock Chalk Park. A 2-2 tie at the end of regulation led to a 5-3 shootout win for Sporting KC II after all five kicktakers converted their attempts.

Sporting KC Academy midfielder Johann Ortiz bagged his first professional goal in the 32nd after a Houston penalty kick conversion and Maouloune Goumballe tallied his fourth finish of the season in the 86th to force penalties. Head coach Benny Feilhaber returned to the touchline tonight to coach SKC II and guided the team to its eighth result in their last nine matches.

His starting XI featured goalkeeper Ryan Schewe and defender Chris Rindov on loan form the Sporting Kansas City first team. Mason Visconti, an SKC Academy product, made his professional debut after missing the start of the season with an injury. Nati Clarke and Haris Alisah joined him on the back four with Jake Swallen and Cielo Tschantret linking up with Ortiz in the middle. Kamron Habibullah and Roberto Hategan started the contest wide of Sebastian Cruz in the front three.

The third and final meeting of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro regular season between SKC II and Dynamo Dos started eventful when a penalty was called on Schewe in the fifth minute. Ousmane Sylla strode to the spot and made his attempt, giving the guests a one-goal lead very early in the match.

A little under 10 minutes later, SKC II took their first crack at goal when Hategan dropped a shot wide right of the mark. Three minutes later, Habibullah had a look at net float wide of the target. MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchweek 12, Seba Cruz then took one of the better chances of the night, pinging one past Nico Hansen’s body, but off the outside of the far post.

The contest slowed its pace for a bit as the rain began to fall on the Rock Chalk Park pitch. The next chance for either team resulted in the leveler for SKC II in the 32nd minute. Cruz opted for a cross from inside the box, rolling the ball through traffic to Ortiz on the other side of the 18. The 17-year-old settled the ball and fired home for his first goal as a professional.

Neither Sporting KC II nor Houston had any more clear-cut chances to close the half. Swallen was the first player booked on the night after a tactical foul in the midfield….