Recap: Sporting KC II suffers 4-2 home defeat against MNUFC 2 in midweek clash

Sporting Kansas City II (0-4-1, 2 points) slipped 4-2 to MNUFC 2 (3-0-0, 9 points) at Children's Mercy Victory Field on Wednesday night. Carter Derksen notched his first professional goal late in the contest; however, the comeback fell short as the Loons' second team remains undefeated in MLS NEXT Pro regular season play.

Head Coach Istvan Urbanyi's starting XI had Ryan Schewe between the poles for his first MLS NEXT Pro start of 2025. Anthony Samways, Nati Clarke, Pierre Lurot and Leo Christiano started in defense. All three goal-scorers from SKC II's 3-3 draw at North Texas, Cielo Tschantret, Gael Quintero and Johann Ortiz patrolled the midfield while Bryan Arellano, Maouloune Goumballe and Beckham Uderitz played in the attack.

Minnesota controlled the flow of the contest for the majority of the first half. Their first chance came in the fourth minute when a cross connected with its target inside the 18. The redirected chance at goal took a high hop and was easily collected by Schewe.

The match slowed until the 21st minute provided a bit of end-to-end action. Goumballe slid Quintero past the defense into the 18, where he fired a shot off the outstretched leg of Minnesota's keeper Wessel Speel. The Loons then took the ball down the field for their own look at goal that forced Schewe into a tough save. Just five minutes later, DJ Taylor opened the scoring with a header from close range.

Uderitz attempted to even the scoring right before the 40-minute mark but put his shot just outside the near post into the outside netting. Goumballe then barely missed the far post in the 43rd after some brilliant link up play from Arellano and Ortiz in the midfield. With some help from MNUFC 2's Kisa Kiingi, the match evened at one after the centrback put a cross into his own net.

Immediately off the kickoff, Minnesota jumped back out in front after a miscommunication between Schewe and Lurot at the top of the 18. Logan Dorsey scored the first of his two goals on the play before Darius Randell doubled the lead three minutes into first-half stoppage time.

Urbanyi made one change at the break, bringing on David Zavala for Ortiz. Dorsey scored his second goal and Minnesota's fourth in the 49th minute to make the scoreline 4-1 in favor of the visitors. In the 53rd, Uderitz blasted a one-touch shot inside the box destined for the back of the net. Speel dove off his line and boxed the ball away. Dorsey nearly found his hat trick in the 54th but chipped his shot over the bar.

Derksen entered the contest in the 57th and Medgy Alexandre came on in the 63rd. Just 10 minutes after entering the match, Derksen stamped his name in the scorer's book with some nifty moves in the box. The Academy amateur clinically tucked his shot past Speel and trimmed the deficit for SKC II.

Speel made a trio of plays in crunch time to keep the Loons ahead. The first came off a cross that drifted too close to his area and was corralled by the keeper. The second saw him block a short-range poke with his chest and the third, a penalty kick stop in the 88th minute after Anderson Farris was called for a handball on the goal line.

Sporting was unable to cut into the two-goal lead late, and Minnesota left Kansas City with all three points. Sporting KC II will be back at Children's Mercy Victory Field in two weeks on Wednesday, April 27, against the Tacoma Defiance. Tickets are on sale now at SeatGeek.com.

Sporting Kansas City II: Ryan Schewe; Anthony Samways, Pierre Lurot, Nati Clarke (Carter Derksen 57'), Leo Christiano; Gael Quintero (Shane Donovan 84'), Cielo Tschantret, Johann Ortiz (David Zavala 46'); Bryan Arellano, Maouloune Goumballe, Beckham Uderitz (Medgy Alexandre 63')

Subs Not Used: Jacob Molinaro, Luis Cruz-Ayala, Zane Wantland

MNUFC 2: Wessel Speel; Kisa Kiingi, Britton Fischer, Devin Padelford (Anderson Farris 72'); DJ Taylor, Curt Calov (Will Schmidt 72'), Babacar Niang (Aidan Martinez 30'), Kieran Chandler; Darius Randell (Muba Nour 61'), Logan Dorsey (Luke Hille 61'), Loic Mesanvi

Subs Not Used: Kayne Rizavanovich, Anderson Farris, Alpha Kabia

Scoring Summary:

MIN -- DJ Taylor (Kieran Chandler) 25'
SKC -- Own Goal (Kisa Kiingi) 44'
MIN -- Logan Dorsey 2 (Unassisted) 45'
MIN -- Darius Randell 2 (Kieran Chandler 1) 45+3'
MIN -- Logan Dorsey 3 (Darius Randell 2) 49'
SKC -- Carter Derksen 1 (Unassisted) 67'

Misconduct Summary:

SKC -- Leo Christiano (Unsporting Conduct; Yellow Card) 26'
MIN -- Kieran Chandler (Tactical Foul; Yellow Card) 55'
MIN -- Anderson Farris (Handball; Yellow Card) 88'

Referee: Drew Klemp
Assistant Referee: James Norris
Assistant Referee: Eric Wood
Fourth Official: Esad Omanovic