Sporting KC sits last in the West after 14 matches. Here’s what happened in Portland
The first matchup between the Portland Timbers and Sporting KC featured a plethora of goals, three in each half, as the teams played to a high-scoring draw.
Go figure, the first half of the reverse fixture on Saturday night ended up scoreless.
That is, until the regularly scheduled chaos resumed in the second half and left Sporting KC (11 points) at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Portland scored twice to defeat Sporting 2-1 at Providence Park. The match was Sporting KC’s fifth straight loss in MLS play.
Sporting has not won in league play since March 30, a stretch of eight matches. The club’s only wins during that time have come against lower-division opponents in U.S. Open Cup play. The club has 2 wins, 7 losses, 5 draws this MLS season.
Saturday’s match began poorly for the visitors.
Erik Thommy was subbed off with an injury after 17 minutes. Sporting had plenty of possession but wasn’t incisive or decisive enough finishing chances in his absence.
The club had one shot through 45 minutes.
The Timbers opened the scoring in the 51st minute. Portland’s Evander crossed the ball through multiple defenders — and seemingly Sporting goalkeeper Tim Melia’s hands — to Joseph Mora, who headed it in at the back post.
Memo Rodriguez leveled the score in the 62nd minute. Sporting’s Alan Pulido held the ball up inside the box and dished it back to Rodriguez, who ripped a shot past Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau. It was Sporting KC’s first shot on target.
Portland scored the winner in the 80th minute when Evander drilled a headed pass into the net past Melia.
Sporting nearly equalized in stoppage time when Crepeau made a stunning save on a Johnny Russell header.
Sporting’s attention now turns to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday night. Kickoff from Children’s Mercy Park is set for 7:30 p.m.
