With the 2020 MLS season on temporary hold, SportingKC.com is taking daily strolls down memory lane with an "On This Day" web series that celebrates memorable moments in team history. As one of Major League Soccer's proud charter members, Sporting has a decorated past full of thrilling victories, amazing goals, momentous off-the-field developments and more. "On This Day" pays tribute to these specific instances, turning back the clocks while treating fans to nostalgia and club history lessons. To catch up on the series as it unfolds, visit SportingKC.com/OnThisDay.
Five years ago today, two fierce foes set the bar high for Major League Soccer’s game of the year in 2015.
This particular installment of the Sporting Kansas City vs. Houston Dynamo rivalry contrasted everything that fans had come to expect when the sides met.
Departing from the usual low-scoring, cagey playoff battles that had characterized the matchup, the instant classic on April 25, 2015, at BBVA Compass Stadium served up golazos, lead changes and late drama suitable for a Hollywood script.
Indeed, Sporting’s thrilling 4-4 draw in Houston, the third-highest scoring match in Kansas City history, won't soon be forgotten—unless, of course, you were one of the two goalkeepers that night. Luis Marin and Tyler Miller combined to make a total of zero saves.
Manager Peter Vermes' men bookended the scoring, drawing first blood really early and salvaging a tie really late. Krisztian Nemeth’s low drive in the second minute was the team’s second-quickest road goal ever. Conversely, Benny Feilhaber’s spectacular in the 95th minute was the team’s second-latest road goal all-time.
The stoppage-time stunner from Feilhaber likely sealed his Man of the Match performance. With Sporting down 3-1 entering the final 20 minutes, Dom Dwyer pounced on an errant back-pass to cut the deficit in half before Feilhaber buried a penalty to restore parity at 3-3. Houston thought they had stolen all three points when Raul Rodriguez headed home shortly thereafter, but a jaw-dropping effort from Feilhaber—something MLSsoccer.com described as a "plasma rocket"—pulled Sporting level once more.
Feilhaber enjoyed a banner year in 2015, setting regular season career-highs in goals (10) and and assists (15) en route to an MLS Best XI selection. The MLS MVP finalist had a club-record 20 assists in all competitions, helped Sporting to a U.S. Open Cup title and became just the third player in Kansas City history to hit double-digit goals and assists in a single regular season. In 2018, Scottish forward Johnny Russell became the fourth Sporting player to accomplish the feat.
