Tim Melia’s career arc took a sharp, upward turn on a fateful Sunday afternoon on May 3, 2015.
After spending his first five professional seasons as a perennial backup at Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA—and spending the latter half of 2014 as a League Pool goalkeeper—Melia was afforded his Sporting Kansas City debut against the Chicago Fire.
Needless to say, Melia seized the opportunity and never looked back. His debut resulted in a first career MLS shutout and his first of 57 regular season wins to date in a Sporting uniform.
Fast-forward more than four years, and Melia secured regular season victory No. 57 versus the exact same opponent and by the exact same scoreline on Saturday night at Children’ Mercy Park.
Sporting Kansas City 1, Chicago Fire 0.
With his most recent triumph in the books, Melia has tied club legend Jimmy Nielsen for the most regular season goalkeeping wins in Sporting history.
SPORTING KC: MOST GOALKEEPING WINS IN MLS REGULAR SEASON
<strong>Goalkeeper</strong> |
<strong>Wins</strong> |
<strong>W-L-T</strong> |
<strong>Matches</strong> |
<strong>Seasons</strong> |
Tim Melia<br>
Jimmy Nielsen |
57<br>
57 |
57-41-34<br>
57-38-32 |
133<br>
128 |
2015-present<br>
2010-2013 |
Tony Meola |
49 |
49-45-30 |
125 |
1999-2004 |
Bo Oshoniyi<br>
Mike Ammann |
33<br>
33 |
33-33-27<br>
33-26-0 |
96<br>
60 |
2000-2006<br>
1996-1998 |
Kevin Hartman |
30 |
30-35-25 |
90 |
2007-2009 |
Sporting has now won four straight home meetings over the Fire and extended Chicago’s road winless draught to 22 MLS matches dating back to May 2018.
More importantly, the result will give Manager Peter Vermes’ men momentum heading into next Saturday’s important away fixture at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, slated to kick off at 9 p.m. CT on FOX Sports Kansas City Plus and FOX Sports Midwest Plus.
