Photo Credit Graham Green
With the final whistle Sporting found themselves 2-0 winners and facing off on Thursday away for the third consecutive playoff season in the knockout round of the playoffs, this edition against Seattle Sounders FC.
For the match against the Earthquakes during the first half the biggest opening was on the right flank as Jordan Stewart was opened up continuously by Graham Zusi, Roger Espinoza, and Benny Feilhaber.
Peter Vermes and company had found themselves an avenue of which to exploit and with little to play for it did seem that the impetus was on the side of the hosts.
While pushing forward Sporting was left open to the counter attack. Multiple times during the first while there was effort by KC in finding the opening to get the first goal and put to bed worries about the ongoing playoff situation on the break Tim Melia was called upon to make big stops. Fact is that will not always be an option should any progress be desired.
The break through for Sporting is accredited to San Jose defender Cordell Cato. His arm hung out and made contact with the ball in the box, a straight forward penalty for center referee Drew Fischer. Feilhaber stepped up and put the ball away and with the goal for the briefest of moments, with results at that time, Sporting was looking to be hosting a knockout round match.
As it came out the hosting of the knockout round did not come to fruition but what happened after still lends hope that the playoff match against the Seattle Sounders will not be a lost cause.
During the course of the match Sporting played confidently and decisively and by way of their good work they were rewarded as Zusi scored on a quick strike as the match was drawing to a close.
For Sporting Kansas City this was a match where they had little going against them and at any one time there was nothing beyond a shadow of a doubt who was the better team on the day.. Question is whether that will be brought to Seattle on Thursday.
