SKC II Recap: Kamron Habibullah nets second hat trick of 2024 in Sporting KC II's 4-1 win over Minnesota United FC 2

Sporting Kansas City II (4-2-1, 13 points) earned their fourth straight result in a 4-1 win against Minnesota United FC 2 (1-3-0, 3 points) on Sunday afternoon at Rock Chalk Park. Kamron Habibullah netted his second hat trick of 2024, Danny Flores tallied his first goal of the season and John Pulskamp made seven crucial saves to earn Sporting three points.

The Sporting Kansas City Academy played a massive role in this one with eight players either coming from the pipeline or currently playing in the Academy. Pulskamp started in net with Cielo Tschantret, Ian James, Chris Rindov and Nati Clarke playing in defense.

The midfield was made up of Flores, Felipe Hernandez and Jacob Bartlett. Beto Avila earned his sixth start of the season while Maouloune Goumballe played opposite Habibullah.

The match started with a bang when Habibullah found the back of the net just two minutes in off of a free kick. Goumballe won SKC II the set-piece in a dangerous area at the top of the 18. The Canadian midfielder confidently strode to the ball, pinged a shot on target, off the keeper's arm and into the net.

Just two minutes later another free kick from Habibullah ricocheted off the top of the wall and into Kai Zeruhn's grasp. The keeper looked to spark a counter and sprung his man forward over midfield with the wind at his back. A back-tracking, 15-year-old James slammed the door shut on the attack with a terrific slide tackle.

A busy day on the stat sheet saw Habibullah pick up a yellow card in the 12th minute for a tactical foul. Flores, an eventual goal scorer tried to pick up an assist when he played Tschantret into the Minnesota 18 in the 18th minute. The SKC II newcomer opted for a cutback toward the penalty spot which was cut off and cleared before James went into the book for a similar foul as Habibullah.

The second goal came for Kamron in the 20th after a brilliant feed from Hernandez. The homegrown received a dropoff from Goumballe at midfield and galloped into the attack. After surveying the field he found the run of Habibullah inside the attacking third, where the midfielder hit a shot across the momentum of Zeruhn and into the goal.

Following the lead doubler, Pulskamp stamped his name on the match with four saves in a 10-minute span between the 21st and 31st minute. His first save saw him get an arm to a shot across his body, punching the shot over the bar with an acrobatic effort. His second, and easiest save, was a shot ripped right into his chest. The keeper's third save came on a one-on-one at the top of the box. The attacker attempted a chip which Pulskamp stonewalled with a strong, outstretched arm.

After a pushed shot from Habibullah on the other end, Pulskamp made his fourth save, diving back to his left to keep the opposition blanked. Victor Eriksson earned a yellow card in the 40th for a bad foul at midfield. Immediately off the free kick, Habibullah ripped a shot off the right post, barely missing his hat trick by inches. Moses Nyeman picked up another yellow for Minnesota in the 44th and the match went to the half.

Three minutes into the second Patrick Weah halved SKC II's lead and tightened the contest. Minnesota would instantly fall on the back foot as SKC II launched a barrage of attacks that lasted the remainder of the 90. In the 49th, Hernandez curled a shot through traffic, past the helpless keeper and off the inside of the post. Somehow the ball rolled along the goalline and away from the net.

Less than three minutes later Habibullah tested the keeper again. His initial save was spilled out into the middle of the area where Avila tucked it home. However, the offside flag went up, negating the goal. Not two minutes after that, Bartlett blasted a volley into the goal but had it called back too.

Pulskamp's fifth save was his second one-on-one block with the keeper darting off his line to deny the equalizer with 30 minutes to play. The insurance goal finally came for Sporting KC II in the 64th when Habibullah rolled the ball into the 18. Hernandez had a look at goal but unselfishly dummied the ball with a fake shot. Flores then latched onto the slow-moving pass, tucking it into the goal.

Head coach Benny Feilhaber made his first two swaps in the 65th, bringing on Ethan Bryant and Haris Alisah for the goal-scoring Flores and Academy defender James. A little over 10 minutes later he brought on Academy forward Ryan Reid and midfielder Jake Swallen for Hernandez and Avila ahead of an SKC II corner.

Said corner would produce Habibullah's third goal of the afternoon. After the initial ball was cleared, Reid sent the clean-up back into the area. A headed clearance got only as far as a waiting Bartlett in the attacking third. The defender found Habibullah inside the 18 let him do the rest. The hat trick came with a sweet right-footed strike over the keeper's head and into the goal.

With the final swap of the contest, Feilhaber brought on 18-year-old Brandon Munson for his professional debut, taking off Clarke. Munson picked up a yellow card in the 85th after a tenacious slide tackle on the attacking endline. Pulskamp made his final save to make it seven on the night and the match came to a close.

With the win, SKC II has won three of their last four matches and earned a result in four straight. Next up they will host North Texas SC on Sunday, May 5 at Rock Chalk Park. The match will stream live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and begins at 6 p.m. CT. Tickets are on sale at SeatGeek.com.

Sporting Kansas City II: John Pulskamp; Cielo Tschantret, Ian James (Haris Alsah 65'), Chris Rindov, Nati Clarke (Brandon Munson 80'); Danny Flores (Ethan Bryant 65'), Jacob Bartlett, Felipe Hernandez (Jake Swallen 75'); Maouloune Goumballe, Beto Avila (Ryan Reid 75'), Kamron Habibullah

Subs Not Used: Ryan Schewe, Medgy Alexandre, Roberto Hategan, Demarre Montoute

Minnesota United FC 2: Kai Zeruhn; Britton Fischer, Victor Eriksson (Finn McRobb 77'), Morris Duggan; Derek Dodson, Molik Jesse Khan (Tamer Ibsais 77'), Kage Romanshyn Jr., Moses Nyeman (Justin Arias 54'), Darius Randell (Andrew Heckenlaible 65'); Loic Mesanvi, Patrik Weah (Nathan Moua 77')

Subs Not Used: Oliver Kelly, Jonah Gasho

Scoring Summary:

SKC – Kamron Habibullah 5 (unassisted) 2'
SKC – Kamron Habibullah 6 (Felipe Herandez 1) 20'
MIN – Patrick Weah 2 (Darius Randell 1) 48'
SKC – Danny Flores 1 (Kamron Habibullah 1) 64'
SKC – Kamron Habibullah 7 (Jacob Bartlett 1) 76'

Misconduct Summary:
SKC – Kamron Habibullah (yellow card; tactical foul) 12'
SKC – Ian James (yellow card; tactical foul) 18'
MIN – Victor Eriksson (yellow card; unsporting conduct) 40'
MIN – Moses Nyeman (yellow card; unsporting conduct) 44'
SKC – Brandon Munson (yellow card; unsporting conduct) 84'

Referee: Wes Caouette
Assistant Referee: Eric Burton
Assistant Referee: Emily Gomez
Fourth Official: Kyle Armstrong