KANSAS CITY – Nine days after an extra time 3-1 loss in the US Open Cup Final, Sporting Kansas City was presented with an opportunity for revenge when they hosted LAFC. The recently-crowned champions came in expecting a hostile Blue Hell in SKC’s last home game of the year and were served everything they anticipated. A Saturday matchup in front of a sold-out crew proved to be the setting between the two clubs who came in both eliminated from the playoff picture, yet still went out in pursuit of the valuable three points.
Sporting’s defense collapsed in the preceding matchup, but not until the extra time was placed on the clock. In the second of these two matches, the defense faltered early. LAFC came out quickly forcing pressure on the backline of Kansas City, setting the table for a matchup that would place the ball on Sporting’s portion of the field for the majority of the match. No scores yielded in the initial pressure, but as the clock moved to double digits Denis Bouanga was tripped in the box, resulting in a penalty kick and the Los Angeles game plan paying off. Bouanga set up to send the ball toward the blue wall, capped by their leader Tim Melia who stood out like a sore thumb in his yellow goalkeeper kit for SKC. His two-step drop preceded the centered kick that was initially blocked by Melia. The ball ricocheted off his hands, but David Martinez was already well into the box after the initial kick and was able to bloop in the go-ahead goal on the second attempt. Melia picked up the ball and sent it into the night sky in frustration, but that was not the end of his frustration.
The offense obtained a few good looks, but poorly placed balls and intervention from the referees prevented anything of value. The defense made up for the lack of offense with a few highlighted moments, including a Remi Walter chase-down that featured a full-out sprint tackle that not only ended the attack but also helped Sporting regain possession.
LAFC carried their 1-0 lead into extra time of the first half and channeled some of their inner extra time magic that has proved to be so fruitful against the Kansas City squad over the last two weeks. Bouanga, who missed on the initial penalty kick, dribbled the ball on the left side of the box after a methodical attack and sent it across to Cristian Olivera who knocked it in to go up two scores. The 2-0 deficit for Sporting is what they had to work with coming out of the half, but very little changed.
With the exception of a few turnovers, Peter Vermes, who was making his 600th consecutive appearance as manager of the Kansas City club, did not make any adjustments to the offense. At least none that added to Sporting’s total.
In the 69th minute, LAFC Captain Aaron Long sent in the backbreaker for a Los Angeles club that was playing for bragging rights. They won that and more in a 3-0 sweep of Sporting Kansas City. Another home loss meant the total wins in front of the home crowd remained at six on the season. A disappointing result for a team that has had so many exciting ends to seasons over the past few years.
Regardless, Sporting will now head to Dallas for their final matchup of the 2024 campaign on October 19th. LAFC, after grabbing a trifecta of points, prepares for their final two matchups of the season. The first is an October 13th matchup against Vancouver, before they head home for a final match against San Jose.
