Sporting Kansas City is expected to sell out its 100th consecutive MLS match on Saturday when FC Dallas visits Children’s Mercy Park. On the precipice of this special occasion, SportingKC.com is revisiting the club’s greatest goals, saves and comebacks since the sellout streak began on April 7, 2012.
Our first look at a century of sellouts consists of the greatest goals scored at Children’s Mercy Park since April 7, 2012 — when the first of 99 straight capacity crowds descended on the stadium. The list below consists of goals in MLS home games only, since U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League matches don’t count toward the sellout streak.
After reliving the 11 goals below — notably scored by 11 different players and listed chronologically — vote for your favorite by ranking them in this poll.
Benny Feilhaber – Aug. 31, 2013
A majestic strike off the outside of Benny Feilhaber’s right boot ignited wild celebrations as Sporting Kansas City caught fire during the stretch run of the 2013 campaign, setting the stage for an unforgettable playoff run.
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Seth Sinovic. The Sporting KC left back saved his second career goal for the most opportune time, sending a laser into the far corner before celebrating in style. Sinovic’s stunner sent the second leg of the 2013 Eastern Conference semifinals into extra time, where Sporting KC would ultimately upend the New England Revolution.
Aurelien Collin – Dec. 7, 2013
Arguably the most important goal in Sporting Kansas City’s existence came in the 76th minute of the 2013 MLS Cup Final. Aurelien Collin rose above the rest to nod Graham Zusi’s corner kick into the back of the net, drawing Sporting KC level against Real Salt Lake amid arctic temperatures. The rest, as they say, is history.
A moment of magic from World Cup veteran Graham Zusi gave Sporting Kansas City the win it needed to reach the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs. His left-footed curler in the late stages of a feisty encounter with the Chicago Fire will go down as one of his greatest strikes in a Sporting KC uniform.
Paulo Nagamura – Aug. 15, 2015
A remarkable fightback saw Sporting KC erase a two-goal deficit in the final 15 minutes of a late-summer matchup against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Grizzled veteran Paulo Nagamura displayed his penchant for coming up big in the clutch, sealing a jaw-dropping victory with 94 minutes on the clock.
Dom Dwyer’s left-footed thunderbolt in the 2016 home opener was seemingly in the net before it left his foot. His venomous hit from distance screamed past a pair of defenders and rattled the crossbar before nestling beyond helpless Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted.
Sporting Kansas City’s hometown hero bagged a rare goal in the most dramatic of circumstances, heading home in the 91st minute of a pulsating 3-2 win over Columbus Crew SC last summer. The match-winning play was manufactured solely by defenders, as Jimmy Medranda’s diagonal ball was headed back across the face of goal by center back Ike Opara for Besler to finish.
Jacob Peterson – July 24, 2016
A dominant drubbing of the eventual MLS Cup champions was highlighted by Jacob Peterson’s sensational effort, which was named Sporting KC’s Goal of the Year at season’s end.
Roger Espinoza – Sept. 9, 2016
Roger Espinoza’s lucky left foot was responsible for this absolute banger last September against rivals Houston Dynamo — his lone goal of the 2016 season.
A picture-perfect counter-attack culminated with a textbook finish from Gerso in a 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids this spring. Gerso’s first goal in a Sporting KC uniform kick-started his fine run of form, as the newcomer would net a historic hat-trick just a month later.
On the stroke of halftime in Minnesota United FC’s first MLS trip to Kansas City, Ike Opara carried the ball into an open pocket of space 35 yards from goal. With few other options available, the center back pulled the trigger and sent a bomb just inside the near post, leaving Minnesota goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth rooted to the spot.
