Sporting Kansas City completed the first leg of the club’s 2024 preseason with a 2-1 loss to Nashville SC at Palm Beach Atlanta University on Tuesday.
The game began in a frenzy as Nashville took a ninth minute lead through an unlucky Jake Davis, who accidentally diverted McKenzie Gaines’ cross into his own net.
Sporting responded quickly and equalized just five minutes later through Alan Pulido. After Davis’ cross had only been half-cleared, Tim Leibold picked up the ball on the left wing and clipped a pin-point cross to Pulido who showed all his composure by chesting it down and lashing a volley into the back of the net.
Sporting rolled the changes at halftime with a brand new group taking the field for the final 45 minutes. Nashville retook the lead in the 53rd minute as Gaines knocked the ball across goal for Tyler Boyd to redirect his header beyond John Pulskamp and into the back of the net to clinch a 2-1 win for the Tennesseans.
Sporting will now head back to Kansas City for the remainder of the week before returning to Miami on Sunday for the second leg of preseason which will run from Feb. 4-17 with a pair of matches against USL Championship side Miami FC on Feb. 10 and MLS outfit Atlanta United FC on Feb. 17.
Sporting Kansas City vs. Nashville SC
Jan. 30, 2024 – Marshall & Vera Lea Rinker Stadium (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Sporting Kansas City 1, Nashville SC 2
Scoring Summary:
NSH – Own Goal (Jake Davis) 9’
SKC – Alan Pulido (Tim Leibold) 14’
NSH – Tyler Boyd (McKenzie Gaines) 53’
Sporting Kansas City Lineup (First Half)
Tim Melia; Jake Davis, Robert Castellanos, Andreu Fontas, Jake Davis; Nemanja Radoja, Remi Walter, Erik Thommy; Johnny Russell, Alan Pulido, Stephen Afrifa
Sporting Kansas City Lineup (Second Half)
John Pulskamp; Kayden Pierre (Jacob Bartlett 61’), Ian James, Robert Voloder, Zorhan Bassong; Danny Flores, Felipe Hernandez, Memo Rodriguez; Sebastian Cruz, Willy Agada, Marinos Tzionis
