Sporting KC played wild, wild match vs. rival St. Louis City. Here are the highlights

Sporting KC took the lead twice against arch-rival St. Louis City SC. But in something that’s becoming a familiar trend in 2024, Sporting coughed up the lead each time and settled for a point.

The sides played to a wild 3-3 draw at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night.

Sporting KC went ahead in the 17th minute. Tim Leibold picked up possession in the midfield and passed to Alan Pulido, who combined for a sweet give-and-go that put Pulido in on goal. He tucked his left-footed shot with power inside the far post.

St. Louis answered with goals that came on the back of physical 50/50 challenges. And Joao Klauss, St. Louis’ star man, was at the center of two chances.

First, Klauss won a one-on-one battle in the box with Jake Davis to get on the end of a cross. For the second goal, he won what the referee deemed a 50/50 challenge with Willy Agada. St. Louis took a few passes to get the ball to Celio Pompeu, who ripped a shot into the top corner, giving St. Louis a 2-1 halftime lead.

But Sporting KC responded in the second half, almost instantly with the substitution that brought on Johnny Russell.

Russell took a free kick that made its way to Daniel Salloi, whose shot somehow sneaked into the goal to tie it at two.

Erik Thommy made it 3-2, finishing a one-on-one chance, but then came the old storyline that has popped up for Sporting time and time again this year.

In stoppage time, St. Louis’ Tomas Totland somehow found himself in acres of space in front of goal, and Leibold’s tackle couldn’t bring him down. He finished his one-on-one chance against goalkeeper Tim Melia to send each team home with a point.

Next up: Sporting KC heads north to St. Paul, Minnesota. Kickoff against Minnesota United FC is set for 7:30 p.m. central on Saturday.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.