Sporting KC II Earns Point against North Texas SC at Children’s Mercy Victory Field

September 29, 2024 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Sporting Kansas City II News Release

Sporting Kansas City II (9-12-6, 35 points) picked up a point against the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season Champions North Texas SC (15-4-8, 59 points) on Sunday afternoon at Children’s Mercy Victory Field after falling 4-1 in kicks from the spot following a 1-1 end to regulation. Beto Avila notched his ninth goal of the campaign, however it was not enough as a stoppage time leveler from Isaiah Kaakoush forced the match to a shootout.

Head coach Benny Feilhaber’s starting XI saw two changes from their match last Sunday with Ethan Bryant and Sebastian Cruz entering the midfield. Jacob Molinaro started in net while the usual back three of Leo Christiano, Chris Rindov and Carson Klein played in front of him. Bryant was joined in the defensive midfield by Danny Flores while Cruz played alongside Kamron Habibullah and Medgy Alexandre a line ahead of them. The goal-scoring Avila played in the final third with fellow nine goal-getter Maouloune Goumballe.

In the first half, Alexandre enjoyed a bounty of space along the left sideline, galavanting numerous times up and down the pitch. He had the honor of taking the first attempt of the match and ripped it on target right into the path of the charging Michael Collodi who made two regulation saves and two shootout saves. The North Texas defense survived a barrage of breakaways throughout the match, the first of which came four minutes in. Avila was played through the defense into the 18 where the ball rolled up on him and was cleared away by the back five of North Texas.

A minute later Cruz chipped a cross right into Collodi’s waiting arms. In the moments succeding that, the first effort from the guests was blasted well off target. Another terrific run from Alexandre resulted in a centering pass to Habibullah hit just off frame. Molinaro made one of his two saves in the 12th, playing it safe with a blocking motion on a short skipped ball in front of his net. SKC II defended the first corner of the game and moved back into the attack with a shot pulled just past the far post by Avila.

Molinaro was called into action again in the 17th, leaping off his feet to make an acrobatic save on a shot destined for the back of the net. The match slowed its pace until the 30th when, on the cusp of the first-half cooling break, Cruz crashed an effort over the crossbar and out. Right before the 40-minute mark, Molinaro was beaten to the ball inside…