KANSAS CITY, KS—The Fire’s three-match unbeaten streak came to the end as they missed two golden chances in the first half and allowed the only goal in the second half as Sporting Kansas City won, 1-0, at Children’s Mercy Park.
The Fire won a penalty in the very first minute as Fabian Herbers intercepted Tim Melia’s pass. Melia took down Herbers in the area. Robert Beric took the penalty, but Melia saved it and the danger was cleared. Sporting KC again gave the ball away cheaply before halftime. Djordje Mihailovic had a golden chance, but his chip over Melia hit the crossbar and stayed out.
Those missed chances came back to bite them in the 67th minute as Winston Reid would head in Johnny Russell’s corner kick for the match’s only goal.
There were eight yellow cards in the match including one to Francisco Calvo that will cause him to miss Sunday’s match at home against DC United. That match will be at 6:30pm Sunday night on WGN-TV.
SCORING SUMMARY:
SKC-Winston Reid (Russell) 67
BOOKING SUMMARY:
SKC-Tim Melia (caution, tactical foul) 1
CHI-Francisco Calvo (caution, reckless tackle) 19
CHI-Fabian Herbers (caution, reckless tackle) 19
SKC-Roger Espinoza (caution, reckless tackle) 24
CHI-Boris Sekulic (caution, reckless foul) 58
SKC-Winston Reid (caution, tactical foul) 63
SKC-Johnny Russell (caution, reckless tackle) 77
SKC-Khiry Shelton (caution, simulation) 80
SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-3-3): #29-Tim Melia; #8-Graham Zusi (#26-Jaylin Lindsey 21), #4-Roberto Puncec, #22-Winston Reid, #13-Amadou Dia; #15-Roger Espinoza (#20-Daniel Salloi 46), #6-Ilie Sanchez, #17-Gadi Kinda; #7-Johhny Russell (#19-Erik Hurtado 87), #27-Gianluca Busio (#21-Felipe Hernandez 69), #11-Khiry Shelton
Subs not used: #24-John Pulskamp, #3-Andreu Fontas, #16-Graham Smith, #28-Cameron Duke, #12-Gerso
CHICAGO FIRE (4-2-3-1): #1-Bobby Shuttleworth; #2-Boris Sekulic (#9-CJ Sapong 73), #22-Mauricio Pineda, #5-Francisco Calvo, #3-Jonathan Bornstein; #13-Brandt Bronico (#4-Johan Kappelhof 73), #10-Alvaro Medran; #14-Djordje Mihailovic (#16-Micheal Azira 79), #21-Fabian Herbers (#11-Przemyslaw Frankowski 58), #7-Ignacio Aliseda (#28-Elliot Collier 79); #27-Robert Beric
Subs not used: #24-Connor Sparrow, #36-Andre Reynolds, #20-Wyatt Omsberg, #40-Brian Gutierrez
TOTAL SHOTS: SKC 13-10 CHI
SHOTS ON GOAL: SKC 3-3 CHI
FOULS: SKC 16-13 CHI
OFFSIDES: SKC 2-5 CHI
CORNER KICKS: SKC 7-4 CHI
SAVES: SKC 3-2 CHI
Referee: Marcos de Oliveira
Assistant Referees: Cory Richardson, Brian Poeschel
4th Official: Ismir Pekmiic
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez
Weather: Clear and 81º
Man of the Match: Winston Reid (SKC)
