Scoring Summary
RSL: Emiliano Bonfigli (penalty kick) 61
Disciplinary Summary
RSL: Jamison Olave (caution, reckless tackle) 6
KC: Jon Kempin (ejection, denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity) 58
KC: Neven Markovic (caution, dissent) 58
Real Salt Lake: Kyle Reynish; Jamison Olave (Terukazu Tanaka* 69), Carlos Salcedo, Chris Schuler, Kenny Mansally (Ive Burnett* 72), Enzo Martinez, David Viana* (Nico Muniz 80), Sebastian Velasquez, Luis Gil, Justin Braun, Emiliano Bonfigli
Subs not used: Scott Angevine, Antonio Murillo
Sporting Kansas City: Jon Kempin; Kevin Ellis, Konrad Warzycha, Neven Markovic, Michael Harrington (Trialist 2 46); Oriol Rosell (Soony Saad 46), Jacob Peterson (Kyle Miller 46), Michael Thomas, Eduardo Moreno (Jacole Turner* 60), Korede Aiyegbusi, Dom Dwyer (Trialist 1* 46)
Academy player
Guest trialist
*League pool goalkeeper
Sporting Kansas City fell 1-0 to Real Salt Lake in Reserve League action at the Sporting Club Training Center in Swope Park on Tuesday. The lone goal was scored off of a converted penalty kick from Emiliano Bonfigli in the 61st minute. With the loss, Sporting Kansas City’s record in MLS Reserve League action moves to 2-5-2, while Real Salt Lake’s record improves to 2-5-1.
Sporting Kansas City opened strong, with two rapid-fire chances in the 12th minute. Jacob Peterson had the first when he took a crack that breezed over the crossbar. His shot was immediately followed by an arching, angled shot from Michael Thomas that rattled the far right post.
While Sporting KC kept the action in Salt Lake’s end for much of the first half, the visitors fought back with a chance of their own in the 28th minute when David Viana sent in a well-struck shot from distance that breezed over the left post.
Four minutes later it was Sporting Kansas City on the attack as Dom Dwyer snatched the ball at midfield, turned and made a run on goal, finding Sporting KC Academy player Eduardo Moreno on the overlap. Moreno played the ball across the mouth of the goal to Thomas, but his close-range shot was saved by goalkeeper Kyle Reynish.
A minute later, it was Real Salt Lake on the counterattack. Sebastian Velasquez and Luis Gil moved the ball up the field through combination play before finding Justin Braun whose strike was wide of the right post.
Sporting KC saw the last chance in the half on a free kick. Oriol Rosell created a diversion as he ran over the ball before Dwyer whipped it into the box. Peterson redirected the cross towards the goal with an expert flick, but his effort skimmed the frame.
The second half did not see quite the range of chances of the first. Salt Lake nearly bagged a goal in the 57th minute when Braun made a diving header that nearly sailed past Kempin.
A minute later, Kempin was shown a red card for denying Bonfigli a goal-scoring opportunity. Academy player Jacole Turner was brought in to play keeper and face Bonfigli as he converted the penalty into Salt Lake’s decisive goal in the 61st minute.
ive minutes later, Sporting KC nearly equalized when Soony Saad’s well-placed corner found the feet of Kyle Miller, who scrambled to find room to score, but his shot was jumbled to the hands of Reynish.
The final minutes of the match saw little action from either side. Real Salt Lake had the last say when Ive Burnett served in a bending shot that was expertly blocked by Turner.
Sporting Kansas City will travel to FC Dallas Stadium to face FC Dallas at 7:30 p.m. CT on September 25 in the team's Reserve League finale. Real Salt Lake will host the Houston Dynamo at 11 a.m. CT at America First Field.
