Tonight’s match at Children’s
Mercy Park at Kansas City was an all-around shootout, as both squads played to
an even draw after a much-dominated lead by the local squad and later turnaround
by the visiting Houston chaps.
As a foggy evening
that threatened the course of this match, finally went under way as referee
Allen Kelly gave his OK for the show to go on.
Suddenly the SKC Boys
started causing havoc on the visiting Texas squad posts, with lots of pressure
and putting in practice their one of a kind football that has put the Midwest Boys
above the red line and always being a total contender, as we are all familiar.
The arrival of the
first goal became a reality in the 14th minute with a solid shoot by
an inspired Jacob Petersen showing of his all-around class and after a third
try-after a failed attempt by Dom Dwyer, who put the ball behind Houston keeper
for the early lead.
As the Kansas Boys
had the early lead, once again the prospects of scoring the second goal became
a reality after a steal from Roger Espinosa, the man from Honduras taking a
shoot outside the area and measuring 30 plus yards for the go-ahead goal in the
26th minute.
The score gave the Sporting
KC a 2-0 lead and with no danger in site from the visiting Orange Crush.
Still there was some
spark in the Houston initial eleven as well looking forward to put on a fight as
the match was with a lot of life and surplus time to mount an offensive display
to play the role of spoilers.
Indeed they did, as
the Orange-men started causing havoc and deciphering each move of the SKC
defense that at the end was responsible for surrendering to a cellar ridden
Houston the lead and three points of gold.
It is not that one
point is a bad thing but losing two, something that SKC could not afford to do
after being in a close race with their Western Conference foes the Portland
Timbers with a match pending tomorrow at Providence Park for the Rose City squad.
A win by their Western
Conference foes can compromise their work done all campaign to be above the red
line and in a comfortable spots when the league grand fete of the playoff
starts, as SKC will be rooting for RSL to beat the PTFC.
As I always state
that there is no such thing than an easy foe, the Houston Boys started causing
havoc and displaying a total resilience and perseverance that lead them to a
much deserved draw.
With Houston suddenly
taking over the affairs of this match and marking its boundaries, suddenly they
decided to test the SKC keeper abilities, it’s when Boniek Garcia with a simple
touch to Mauro Manotas who just push the ball for the comeback goal.
With the first half
giving the SKC the lead shortly to a 2-1 score, the hostilities in the second
half started with a plus for the Houston Boys, who came charging to the posts
of Alec Kann who saw his backfield belittled by a furious attack from the visitors.
No later than nineteen
minutes, it is when Alex tied the score with a nice shoot that exposed a weak
SKC defending to the frustrations of their boss Peter Vermes who saw his squad
lead surrendered and now seeing the whole turn of the match at an even score.
Nothing for nobody
until the 81st minute when Dom Dwyer finally broke the scoreless spell
his squad endured in the second half and after near misses, finally with his
score he put the whole of CMP in a mad frenzy for the 3-2 score.
Something that the
SKC followers in attendance thought that the final score was going to stay in
favor of their Boys, wrong they were when in injury time the Houston Dynamo with
a free kick found the opportune head of Raul Rodriguez through a nice kick from
Boniek Garcia.
Leaving the score at three
goals per squad for a well-deserved draw and point for the Houston Dynamo, for the
SKC putting in peril their fifth spot with a Portland win. For Peter Vermes squad
will be seeing their lead shrink to just one point to their west coast arch rivals.
At the end, the spectacle
became a one of a kind show of offensive might and display from both squads and
one that could not defend its leads and the other that his sheer persistence kept
them afloat in the shootout.
Post Contents and Property of Fern
Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
Photos Credit, Courtesy and Property
of © Kansas City Star and its Photographer John Sleezer 2016
Photos
Credit and Property of © Copyright Major League Soccer. com 2016
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