Beyond the Box Score: Seth Sinovic shines as goals flow in 3-1 win over Colorado

Shrewd. Efficient. Ruthless.

Sporting Kansas City alleviated lingering concerns of a scoring draught on Sunday at sold-out Children’s Mercy Park, bagging three wonderfully worked goals en route to a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids.

All three scoring plays — coming against a typically stout Colorado defense that conceded a league-low 0.94 goals per game in 2016 — were flowing moves that involved build-up, incision and a deft finishing touch.

Seth Sinovic early blast came on the heels of a sweeping four-pass sequence. Gerso’s maiden MLS strike capped a devastating four-pass counter attack. Before the final whistle, a patient 10-pass assault culminated in Dom Dwyer’s first goal of 2017.

Said finishing touch had often eluded Manager Peter Vermes’ men through four games of the 2017 campaign, but that trend turned on its head Sunday as Sporting Kansas City turned in one of its most productive offensive displays at Children’s Mercy Park in recent memory.

For just the sixth time since the opening of Children’s Mercy Park in 2011, Sporting Kansas City scored at least three goals on 12 or fewer shot attempts in a home match. Against Colorado, the hosts netted three on exactly 12 shots.

This flies in the face of a narrative that has surrounded Sporting KC since the start of 2016. Last year, the team led MLS in shots (14.1 per game) but ranked just 17th in goals scored (1.24 per game).

“The way we played tonight is just the beginning,” Vermes declared postgame while alluding to the barnstorming nature of his team’s performance. “We have a lot more in us. I didn’t pay for a ticket tonight, but this is the kind of game that I would pay to see because this is what you want to see as a fan. Obviously, goals are important, but (also) just the way that we play.”

The chart below shows the six instances in which Sporting KC has converted 12 or fewer shots into three or more goals during their six-year stay at Children’s Mercy Park.

SPORTING KC: 3+ GOALS ON 12 OR FEWER SHOTS AT HOME
(REGULAR SEASON, 2011 - PRESENT)

On a night Sporting Kansas City’s offense snapped to life, veteran Seth Sinovic had one of the best games of his eight-year MLS career. The left back tormented Colorado down the left flank throughout the evening, netting his first-ever regular season goal in the sixth minute and delivering an inch-perfect assist to Dwyer in the closing stages.

Sinovic, who finally found the back of the net in his 158th career regular season appearance, became just the fourth MLS defender since the start of 2015 to record a goal and a primary assist in the same game. Homegrown center back Kevin Ellis notably accomplished the feat in a 4-0 dismantling of FC Dallas in May 2015.

“I don’t score too many goals, but every time I’ve scored a goal it’s just an adrenaline rush,” said Sinovic, who has scored two playoff goals in a Sporting KC uniform. “I think we had the build-up down the right side and Gerso got to the end line. We really stressed getting numbers in the box when we are going to serve balls in. I had the opportunity to sneak to the back post and luckily it fell to me. I hit it well and it went in.”

MLS DEFENDERS: ONE GOAL & ONE PRIMARY ASSIST IN SAME GAME
(REGULAR SEASON, 2015 - PRESENT)

While Sinovic reached an individual milestone on Sunday, Sporting Kansas City made history of its own. The 3-1 result extended their home unbeaten streak to 12 straight regular season matches dating back to June 2016 — a rampant run that ties the all-time club record, first set in 2015.

Sporting KC: Longest home unbeaten streaks
(All-time MLS regular season)