Beyond The Box Score: Benny's blast spurs Sporting KC to another home win

Three goals, three points.

Another clean sheet, and another jaw-dropping strike from Benny Feilhaber.

Sporting Kansas City’s 3-0 victory over rivals Real Salt Lake entertained from beginning to end as the hosts delivered another stifling performance, highlighted by Feilhaber’s long-range beauty in the 17th minute.

It certainly wasn’t the first time Sporting KC’s talismanic midfielder has beaten the goalkeeper from distance. His bomb against the San Jose Earthquakes on March 18, for instance, propelled Peter Vermes’ men to their first win of 2017.

Look a bit further into Feilhaber’s propensity for strikes outside the box, and we see he’s among the very best in Major League Soccer.

Since September 2011, Feilhaber’s 10 regular season goals from beyond the penalty area are tied for the third most in MLS. Only Sebastian Giovinco (16) and Thierry Henry (11) — you might’ve heard of them?— have bagged more goals from outside the box.

For your viewing pleasure, here are links to all 10 of Feilhaber’s long-range goals throughout his MLS career.

BENNY FEILHABER'S 10 GOALS FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX
(MLS REGULAR SEASON)

* Feilhaber scored his first goal from outside the box with New England

Feilhaber’s impressive game-winner on Saturday saw his teammate make history, as Graham Zusi tallied the 50th assist of his MLS regular season career. Since earning MLS Breakout Player of the Year honors in 2011, Zusi has been one of the top assist men in the league, as illustrated by the table below. The transition to right back has done little to stem his offensive contributions: Zusi’s two assists are tied for the team lead, while his 12 chances created rank second behind Feilhaber’s 14.

MOST ASSISTS IN MLS REGULAR SEASON SINCE JUNE 11

Zusi has also contributed to one of the best defensive starts in Sporting Kansas City history. As ESPN’s Paul Carr points out, only two MLS teams have allowed fewer goals through eight games than Sporting KC’s three. That would be the 2010 LA Galaxy and 2011 Real Salt Lake, who both conceded twice through eight games.

In Vermes’ 4-3-3 high-press, defending is required from all 11 players on the field. But it’s safe to say that the continuity built by the back six — goalkeeper Tim Melia, holding midfielder Ilie and defenders Zusi, Ike Opara, Matt Besler and Seth Sinovic — has been instrumental. Those six have started all eight games this season in their respective positions, making Sporting KC an awfully difficult egg to crack.

Sporting Kansas City’s rugged defense has helped the side extend its home unbeaten streak to a club-record 13 games at Children’s Mercy Park. The team’s second-longest home run without defeat spanned the first 12 home fixtures of 2015.

How does Sporting KC’s current run stack up with the rest of MLS? It’s the second-longest active home unbeaten streak, behind only the New York Red Bulls’ 19-game surge at Red Bull Arena. The last time New York lost at home was on April 9, 2016, when Feilhaber and Dom Dwyer scored in a 2-0 win.

LONGEST ACTIVE HOME UNBEATEN STREAKS IN MLS (REGULAR SEASON)

Those two teams just so happen to meet again Wednesday at Children’s Mercy Park, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. CT on FOX Sports Kansas City Plus. Tickets for the interconference battle are available at SeatGeek.com.