Recap: Kinda and Salloi on target as Sporting downs Dallas with 2-1 win

Goals in either half from Gadi Kinda and Daniel Salloi paced Sporting Kansas City (4-8-4, 16 points) to a 2-1 victory over FC Dallas (6-4-5, 23 points) on Wednesday night at Children’s Mercy Park.

Kinda opened the scoring in the 41st minute and Salloi doubled Sporting’s advantage on the hour mark, rendering Jesus Ferreira’s stoppage-time strike as inconsequential to a result that gives Sporting 13 points during the month of May, tied for the fourth most in a single month in club history. Manager Peter Vermes’ side finishes May with a 4-1-1 record and 12 goals scored, tied for second most wins and goals in MLS since the start of the month.

Winners of two straight and only two points below the playoff line in the Western Conference, Sporting will play for their third victory in a seven-day period on Saturday when they venture north of the border for a road game against Vancouver Whitecaps FC (5-5-5, 20 points) at BC Place. Kickoff is slated for 9:30 p.m. CT with live coverage for free on Apple TV, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM.

A 56-minute weather delay did nothing to diminish Wednesday’s battle as an unchanged Sporting side from Sunday’s 4-1 triumph over the Portland Timbers showed great verve out of the gates, creating a bevy of chances in the first quarter-hour. Forward Alan Pulido had two good looks in as many minutes by combining with Salloi, seeing his first attempt blocked through traffic before his well-struck curler was palmed over the crossbar by Dallas goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer. Pulido was then the intended recipient of Erik Thommy’s teasing cross from the right wing, but the German’s driven delivery narrowly evaded the foot of his teammate in the six-yard area.

The visitors, who handed MLS debuts to teenage starters Nolan Norris and Collin Smith, lacked no attacking initiative of their own. In the 11th minute, Sporting goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh did well to race off his line and snuff out a close-range shot from Jesus Jimenez, who had been played into the box by Jader Obrian. Shortly thereafter, Ferreira had a goal disallowed for offside, slotting home the rebound after McIntosh had saved and fumbled Alan Velasco’s low drive.

Dallas rued their luck once more in the 25th minute when Jimenez latched onto Velasco’s right-flank cross and side-volleyed his strike onto the post, much to the relief of McIntosh and Sporting. The fleeting opportunity came just before Pulido threatened again at the opposite end, cutting onto his left foot at the top of the box and dragging his admirable effort inches wide of the right post.

With 35 minutes on the clock, Sporting traded another jab as Kinda’s free kick into the mixer was nodded marginally wide by leaping center back Dany Rosero, who was making his 11th consecutive MLS start.

Sporting surged ahead during a breathless finish to the first half. Left back Logan Ndenbe powered down the sideline and slipped a through ball into space for Salloi, who galloped into the box and uncorked a low cross that fizzed across the face of goal and reached Kinda on the opposite side of the penalty area. The Israeli international made no mistake from there, pelting a right-footed shot into the back of the net for his second goal of the campaign and the 13th of his MLS career. An asinine stat-keeping rule prevented both Salloi and Ndenbe from receiving assists on the play, as Salloi’s pass took the slightest of deflections off the opposition en route to Kinda.

Dallas responded quickly and could have leveled terms in the 43rd minute, but McIntosh produced a clutch save to deny Ferreira on the breakaway before Sporting managed to scramble clear following a chaotic sequence near the goalmouth. Just when it appeared that both sides would hit the locker rooms without another flashbulb moment, Sporting center back Andreu Fontas nearly blew off the stadium roof by hammering an 18-yard blast off the crossbar.

Maurer delivered an important stop in the 54th minute to keep Dallas within one goal, jumping to palm away Thommy’s venomous free kick from 22 yards. He had far worse luck six minutes later, however, as Salloi extended Sporting’s lead in the 60th minute. Kinda had space in the central channel 40 yards from goal and spread the ball left to Sporting’s in-form winger, who squared up his defender on the edge of the box, cut centrally, and unfurled a low curler that skipped into the far corner for his third goal in as many home appearances at Children’s Mercy Park. Salloi has now scored or assisted on nine of Sporting’s 18 goals this season in all competitions with team highs in both goals (five) and assists (four). He also passes Davy Arnaud for fourth in Sporting history with his 53rd career goal in all competitions. Kinda, meanwhile, recorded his fourth MLS game with a goal and an assist.

Struggling to gain a foothold, Dallas managed their first shot attempt of the second half in the 80th minute, but substitute Jose Mulato dragged his shot wide at the top of the box. The Texas side would nevertheless grab a goal back in the first minute of added time, setting the stage for a tense finale. Facundo Quignon unearthed a long ball over the top that Ferreira chased down before rounding McIntosh and finishing at a difficult angle on the left side of the box from 15 yards.

The Children’s Mercy Park faithful breathed a celebratory sigh of relief with more than 95 minutes on the clock, as referee Guido Gonzales Jr. whistled an end to proceedings after Dallas failed to put another shot on target.

2023 MLS Regular Season | Match 16
Children's Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kansas
Attendance: 17,178
Weather: 76 degrees and mostly cloudy

Sporting Kansas City: Kendall McIntosh; Jake Davis (Graham Zusi 46', Khiry Shelton 71'), Dany Rosero (Robert Castellanos 63'), Andreu Fontas, Logan Ndenbe (Tim Leibold 64'); Nemanja Radoja, Erik Thommy, Gadi Kinda (Remi Walter 63'); Marinos Tzionis, Alan Pulido (C), Daniel Salloi

Subs Not Used: John Pulskamp, Roger Espinoza, Felipe Hernandez, Stephen Afrifa

FC Dallas: Jimmy Maurer; Collin Smith (Geovane Jesus 55'), Nkosi Tafari, Sebastien Ibeagha, Marco Farfan; Jader Obrian (Herbert Endeley 83'), Nolan Norris (Facundo Quignon 55'), Edwin Cerrillo, Alan Velasco (Bernard Kamungo 83'); Jesus Ferreira (C), Jesus Jimenez (Jose Mulato 71')

Subs Not Used: Maarten Paes, Sam Junqua, Amet Korca, Jose Martinez

Scoring Summary:
SKC -- Gadi Kinda 2 (unassisted) 41'
SKC -- Daniel Salloi 4 (Gadi Kinda 2) 60'
DAL -- Jesus Ferreira 9 (Facundo Quignon 1) 90+1'

Misconduct Summary:
SKC -- Logan Ndenbe (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 37'
DAL -- Edwin Cerrillo (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 90+3'

Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.
Assistant Referee: Andrew Bigelow
Assistant Referee: Peter Balciunas
Fourth Official: Elton Garcia
VAR: Daniel Radford
AVAR: Jennifer Garner