Sporting KC II Falls 2-1 at Home to Houston Dynamo 2

Published on April 26, 2026 under MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Sporting Kansas City II News Release

Sporting Kansas City II (1-6-2, 6 points) suffered a narrow, 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Houston Dynamo 2 (6-0-1, 20 points) on Sunday afternoon. Houston remains undefeated in 2026 and sits atop the Western Conference with 20 points.

Johann Ortiz came on as a second half substitute and scored a brilliant goal in stoppage time to make things interesting after Austin Brummett scored twice in the first half. The loss is Sporting KC II’s first since April 4 after the side earned two come from behind results in their previous two outings.

SKC II goalkeeper Jacob Molinaro was called into action early when he tipped a ball across his body toward the back post at full extension. Daniel Russo, who made his first start for Sporting, slid in to clear the loose ball over the endline and away from danger. On the other end of the pitch, Kashan Hines was unlucky to not find the opener when his one-touch shot off a cross from Ty Haas rattled the crossbar and drifted away from the goal.

Houston found the opener in the sixth minute off the left foot of Brummett after he was played into the box by Matthew Arana. Pedro Cruz kept the visitors on top with a save to deny a curled effort from Missael Rodriguez and another denial on an acrobatic, overhead kick from Hines. Brummett netted his second of the afternoon with a diving header from close range.

A chippy half that saw four yellow cards, two for each side, came to a close with the visitors taking a 2-0 lead into the break. Head coach Lee Tschantret made no changes before the start of the final 45, rolling with the same starting XI to start the second half.

Tschantret went to his bench in the 58th, bringing on Tega Ikoba and Zamir Loyo Reynaga for Hines and Blaine Mabie. He made another change in the 66th, swapping Zane Wantland for Russo. His final swaps came in the 72nd when Trevor Burns made his first appearance since the season opener alongside Ortiz. The duo replaced Gael Quintero and Haas.

Cruz got involved again in the 85th, denying Ikoba with an outstretched leg after the SKC II forward was played in behind the backline.

A superb solo effort from Ortiz halved Houston’s lead in the first of three stoppage time minutes. The midfielder carved up the Dynamo Dos defense before slipping a shot past Cruz into the back of the net. Burns set up the attack with a pass to Ortiz, giving him his first professional assist.

An…