The Swope Park Rangers (12-5-3, 3rd in West) battled to an entertaining 0-0 draw with rivals Saint Louis FC (6-8-5, 13th in East) on Saturday night at Toyota Stadium in Fenton, Missouri. SPR goalkeeper Darrin MacLeod – who was making his professional debut in the match – saved a second-half penalty to preserve the point for his side.
The Rangers worked their way into the game and first threatened in the 30th minute when Liam Doyle looped a header on frame from Felipe Hernandez’s free kick, but goalkeeper Adam Grinwis was equal to it. Moments later, former Saint Louis FC midfielder James Musa fired from distance, but Grinwis again was there to make the save.
Just before the halftime interval, former Sporting KC midfielder and Swope Park Rangers loanee, Emmanuel Appiah, skipped a shot narrowly wide of the post from the edge of the area.
The major talking point from the match came in the 63rd minute, when Rangers goalkeeper MacLeod was whistled for a dubious foul on Saint Louis FC substitute Christian Volesky. However, the rookie out of Drake University atoned for the foul by springing to his right to palm away Octavio Guzman’s powerful effort, keeping the game scoreless.
The Rangers had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 65th minute, as Mark Anthony Gonzalez was denied by Grinwis when through on goal before Lebo Moloto’s rebound from 20 yards was cleared off the line.
In the 71st minute, Kharlton Belmar bulldozed his way through the Saint Louis backline but sliced his eventual effort a yard wide of the post from inside the area. Five minutes later, Christian Duke skewed a volley wide of goal as the Rangers kept pushing for a breakthrough.
Belmar had another chance in stoppage time, but his thunderous strike from 20 yards out in the 92nd minute was punched away by Grinwis. From the resulting corner, Cameron Iwasa headed against the outside of the post as the two sides split the points in their only meeting in 2017.
Next Match
- The Swope Park Rangers return home next weekend to host Orange County SC at Children’s Mercy Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village on Saturday, August 12. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT with the match streamed live on SportingKC.com and in-game updates will be available through the team’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels.
Swope Park Rangers vs. Saint Louis FC
August 5, 2017 – Toyota Stadium (Fenton, Mo.)
Swope Park Rangers 0, Saint Louis FC 0
Scoring Summary:
None
Misconduct Summary:
STL – Ivan Mirkovic (Yellow Card) 27’
SPR – Amer Didic (Yellow Card) 56’
STL – Matthew Sheldon (Yellow Card) 57’
SPR – Darrin MacLeod (Yellow Card) 63’
STL – Konrad Plewa (Yellow Card) 94+
Swope Park Rangers: Darrin MacLeod; Colton Storm (Tyler Pasher 46’), Amer Didic, Liam Doyle, Parker Maher; James Musa, Felipe Hernandez, Christian Duke ©; Kharlton Belmar, Mark Anthony Gonzalez (Cameron Iwasa 74’), Nansel Selbol (Lebo Moloto 59’).
Substitutes Not Used: David Greczek, Dakota Barnathan, Kuzain, Robert Mirosavic.
STATS: Shots 8, Shots on Goal 2, Corners 6, Fouls 8, Possession 51.9%
Saint Louis FC: Adam Grinwis; Matthew Sheldon, Konrad Plewa, Tony Walls, Ryan Howe; Octavio Guzman, Emir Alihodzic (Sebastian Dalgaard 72’), Ivan Mirkovic, Emmanuel Appiah; Daniel Jackson (Seth Rudolph 80’), Milan Petosevic (Christian Volesky 62’).
Substitutes Not Used: Devala Gorrick, Aedan Stanley, Mats Bjurman, Tyler David.
STATS: Shots 8, Shots on Goal 1, Corners 4, Fouls 6, Possession 48.1%
