August 25, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City (7-14-6, 27 points) returned to MLS action with a sizzling 3-0 win over Orlando City SC (9-10-7, 34 points) on Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park.
A brilliant opening goal from Jake Davis vaulted Sporting ahead just before halftime, setting the table for Daniel Salloi and Remi Walter to put the result out of reach with strikes of their own in the second half as MLS regular season play resumed Saturday after a five-week pause for Leagues Cup.
With an emphatic victory in the bag-and with MLS Cup champion Benny Feilhaber inducted into the Sporting Legends hall of honor as part of a momentous evening-Sporting will now prepare for a pivotal home tilt against USL Championship side Indy Eleven in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals on Tuesday at Children’s Mercy Park. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. CT with tickets available via SeatGeek and live coverage on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.
German midfielder Erik Thommy wasted literally no time asking questions of Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, unearthing a 50-yard bomb straight off the kickoff that carried only a foot off the crossbar. At the opposite end, Sporting goalkeeper Tim Melia-who jumped to fourth in club history with his 292nd career appearance for Kansas City-was seldom tested against Orlando but did well to cast aside an early effort from Lions striker Ramiro Enrique as a breathless start to proceedings saw both teams commit numbers forward.
The hosts threatened twice near the half-hour mark. Davis sprayed the ball down the right side to Afrifa, who slipped a pass through to Thommy inside the box. The midfielder’s near-post effort was destined for the back of the net, but Gallese reacted impressively to keep the game scoreless. Three minutes later, Salloi’s 25-yard sledgehammer was punched away by the Lions keeper.
Sporting’s go-ahead goal came a minute shy of halftime, but not before Thommy dragged a shot inches-wide from the edge of the area and Agada saw his lunging effort go begging after Afrifa curled a teasing cross to the back stick. Davis then lifted his side into a deserved 1-0 lead, showcasing his dogged work rate by winning possession at the top of the box, taking a few dribbles to his left and rifling a phenomenal finish into top right corner for his third goal of the season.
Seven minutes into the second period, Sporting doubled their advantage on a superbly worked team goal…
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