Sporting Kansas City closed out the first leg of the club’s 2025 preseason with a 3-2 defeat against Charlotte FC in Miami on Wednesday morning.
Sporting controlled much of the opening 45 minutes and went close twice through Memo Rodriguez and a near own goal from Charlotte before finally finding the breakthrough in the 33rd minute. Jake Davis nipped the ball away from newly-signed Charlotte star Wilfried Zaha before sliding a perfect ball into the path of Mason Toye who finished with aplomb.
Daniel Salloi set up Erik Thommy two minutes later but his effort went just the wrong side of the near post before Charlotte had a chance to tie the game up in the 45th minute, as Bill Tuiloma’s goal-bound free kick was denied by a spectacular diving save from John Pulskamp, tipping the ball onto the crossbar.
While Sporting made a line change at halftime, Charlotte kept their starters on and scored two quickfire goals from recent USMNT debutant Patrick Agyemang to flip the game on its head.
Undeterred, a young Sporting group fought back as Alenis Vargas drew a penalty in the 59th minute and Homegrown midfielder Jacob Bartlett stepped up to fire the spot kick beyond reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Kristijan Kahlina, making the score 2-2.
Both sides sought a late winner and Stephen Afrifa first went close with an ambitious bicycle kick before Homegrown goalkeeper Jack Kortkamp made an excellent stop from close range to deny Tyger Smalls. However, it was Charlotte who would find the go-ahead goal as Bartlett was adjudged to have handled in the area and Brandon Cambridge stepped up to fire home the penalty in the 86th minute to give Charlotte a 3-2 win.
Sporting will now return to Kansas City for the remainder of the week before heading to Palm Springs, California on Sunday for the second leg of preseason and the Coachella Valley Invitational from Feb. 2-12.
Sporting Kansas City vs. Charlotte FC
Jan. 29, 2025 – FIU Soccer Stadium (Miami, Fla.)
Sporting Kansas City 2, Charlotte FC 3
Scoring Summary:
SKC – Mason Toye (Jake Davis) 33’
CLT – Patrick Agyemang 52’
CLT – Patrick Agyemang 56’
SKC – Jacob Barlett (Penalty Kick) 59’
CLT – Brandon Cambridge (Penalty Kick) 86’
Sporting Kansas City Lineup (First Half)
John Pulskamp; Jake Davis, Jansen Miller, Robert Voloder, Logan Ndenbe (Leo Christiano 19’); Nemanja Radoja, Memo Rodriguez, Zorhan Bassong; Daniel Salloi, Mason Toye, Erik Thommy
Sporting Kansas City Lineup (Second Half)
Jack Kortkamp; Jan Jurcec, Khiry Shelton (Carson Klein 87’), Ian James, Leo Christiano (Anthony Samways 87’); Jacob Bartlett, Cielo Tschantret, Johann Ortiz; Alenis Vargas (Dyson Clapier 85’), Sebastian Cruz, Stephen Afrifa
