A point is a point, especially on the road in CONCACAF Champions League play. Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes wanted more out of his club's CCL opener, though -- and he thought they should have had their first road victory in any competition since mid-June.
"Listen, it's good to get a point out of here, but we should have had three," Vermes told reporters in a postmatch conference call after Tuesday night's 2-2 draw with Central FC in Couva, Trinidad and Tobago. "I don't know how many chances we needed to score a goal tonight. It was ridiculous."
Sporting outshot the Sharks 18-15 and put nine shots on target, but had one blocked off the line and were undone by six saves from Central goalkeeper Javon Sample.
"We had so many -- we were all over them, on the left flank, on the right flank," said Vermes, whose side are now winless in their last seven away matches across all competitions. "We had so many chances all day long, but we just never -- yeah. We missed a lot of chances. A lot of chances."
Sporting led 1-0 after the 51st minute, when left back Seth Sinovic had a ball deflect off a defender and then off of his own chest for his first goal since the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs. They trailed 2-1 five minutes later, though, after the Sharks struck back quickly through Marcus Joseph in the 53rd minute and Atlanta United loanee Kenwyne Jones in the 56th.
Only a 70th-minute equalizer from center back Kevin Ellis -- who looked like the attacker he used to be, when he took Brad Davis' pass and rounded Sample for a cool finish -- kept Sporting from leaving the Ato Boldon Stadium empty-handed, going into next week's away date with group leaders Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
"He made a good run, actually, Made a very good run," Vermes said. "That goes back to his days as a forward, when he made that diagonal run in the box. It was a good ball in to him, and he has he presence of mind to round the keeper. He sees him coming out, just gets around him and tucks it into the back of the net.
"It was definitely not an easy finish. He made it look easy, but it was a very good finish."
