SKC II Recap: Sporting KC II takes road point in shootout defeat at Austin FC II

Sporting Kansas City II (5-3-2, 17 points) earned a point on the road against Austin FC II (2-3-3, 10 points), falling 5-4 in a shootout at Parmer Field in Austin, Texas on Friday night. Winger Maouloune Goumballe fired home his third goal of his rookie campaign, capping off a brilliant bit of passing between Kamron Habibullah and Beto Avila before Austin leveled prior to halftime. Second half substitute Ethan Bryant converted a penalty in the 82nd and Austin would again draw even minutes later to send the match to kicks from the spot.

Head coach Benny Feilhaber's starting XI featured two Sporting Kansas City first team loanees playing in defense. Shot-stopper Ryan Schewe started in goal while Chris Rindov manned the center of the back four alongside Demarre Montoute. Jonathan Robinson started on the left and Academy Amateur player Alex Cunningham played on the right in his first 2024 start.

Rookies Cielo Tscahntret and Jake Swallen both played as holding mids while goalscoring threat Habibullah played attacking mid. Goumbale and Roberto Hategan began the match on the wing with Avila, the MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchweek 9, starting up top.

The first 10 minutes saw no shots, but several near chances for SKC II as the high press put Austin under. A handful of turnovers in their defensive third nearly led to opportunities, however, Kansas City lacked that final touch to get going toward goal.

In the 15th minute, Austin native Avila had the honor of taking the first shot, receiving a pass from Tschantret at the top of the box before skimming a shot along the turf, just wide of the mark. Two minutes later, Antonio Gomez was booked with the match's first yellow card after sliding through Habibullah's legs. On the restart, Swallen ambitiously went for goal but bounced his free-kick off target.

A minute later Goumballe found the target and the back of the net to conclude a superb exhibition of passing from SKC II. Hategan played a crafty ball to Cunningham on the sideline where the 17-year-old slotted a pass to Habibullah. With one touch, the Canadian dropped the ball off to Avila at the endline where he cut it back to Goumballe in the middle of the area. The Hoosier wasted no time, burying the ball with a one-time finish from close range.

Schewe made his first save of the night a minute later, snagging a shot right in his path in the middle of his net. Swallen was then shown yellow for a foul as SKC II's first yellow card recipient. Hategan was all over the net on numerous occasions, taking his first chance in the 30th off a half-volley inside the 18. Aaron Cervantes was wise to it, securing the paced effort against his body.

A little over a third of the way through the match, the home side drew even when Sebastian Pineau won the ball back in the Austin attacking third. The team's leading scorer then played the ball to Bryant Farkarlun who tucked his shot into the goal for his first finish of the campaign.

Immediatly off the kick, SKC II thought they jumped back in front when Hategan scrambled to finish a Goumballe rebound. The visitors celebrated their newfound lead, however, following a discussion between the referee and his AR, they decided to wave the goal off. Ervin Torres received a yellow for tugging Habibullah's jersey as he looked to break through midfield and Tschantret headed a ball goalward that was somehow tipped away by Cervantes. Both teams had their first corners late in the first, both defenses cleared the danger and both teams went to the break with a goal in hand.

Right off the opening kick of the second, Kansas City barely missed the go-ahead goal. Avila got bodied off the ball in the box, leading to a loose ball in a dangerous area. Habibullah picked up the pieces and rolled a shot on target which was cleared off the line by an ATX FC II defender. Another pair of opportunities came in the 52nd after a deflected shot by Tschantret and a headed attempt from Hategan were saved. In the confusion, a hand ball was called inside the box giving SKC II a penalty which Rindov pinged off the woodwork and out of play on the sideline. Farkarlun then rattled the post on the opposite side of the pitch, blasting a near post offering into the frame and out.

Feilhaber went to his bench in the 60th, bringing on Bryant and Nati Clarke for Swallen and Cunningham. Schewe snared another bending shot in the 63rd ahead of a one-time shot sent high by Bryant. The SKC II keeper followed his simple save up with a diving stop after Austin opted to play an offensive free kick short to take a long-ranged effort. Danny Flores and Sebastian Cruz entered for Robinson and Hategan in the 72nd and Cruz nearly made an instant impact with 14 minutes to play.

The SKC Academy product got onto a clearance attempt on a corner kick, put a shot on frame and saw it saved by the keeper. The ensuing corner was then grabbed by Cervantes off the head of Rindov. Pau Vidal came on in the 78th making his second straight appearance off of an injury he sustained earlier in the year.

With 10 minutes to go, SKC II remained on the attack as playmaker Habibullah entered the area once more. This time, his skills forced an Anthony De Anda foul inside the box giving Sporting a second spot-kick. Bryant boomed his penalty over the outstretched keeper's arms and threw Sporting KC II back on top.

The celebration was short-lived. Austin's Alonso Ramirez bounced one past Schewe and into the far post to bring the match even and earn Austin at least a point. Kicks from the spot decided who would claim the extra point and all five kick takers from the home side converted. Cervantes saved one attempt in the shootout and earned the Black and Verde second team a second point. Sporting KC II still earned a point in the contest, giving them five results in their last six matches.

After playing for 10 straight weeks, Sporting KC II will not play a match for the rest of May. Their next time out will see them travel to the Twin Cities for a meeting with Minnesota United FC 2 at National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine, Minnesota. The match will kick at 6 p.m. CT on Sunday, June 2 with a live stream available on MLSNEXTPro.com and the MLS YouTube page.

Sporting Kansas City II: Ryan Schewe; Alex Cunningham (Nati Clarke 60'), Demarre Montoute, Chris Rindov, Jonathan Robinson (Danny Flores 72'); Cielo Tschantret, Jake Swallen (Ethan Bryant 60'), Kamron Habibullah; Roberto Hategan (Sebastian Cruz 72'), Beto Avila (Pau Vidal 78'), Maouloune Goumballe

Subs Not Used: Jacob Molinaro, Medgy Alexandre, Ian James, Ethan Schaefer

Austin FC II: Aaron Cervantes; Cheick Toure (Steeve Louis Jean 80'), Antonio Gomez, Salvatore Mazzaferro, Ruben Bonachera; Alonso Ramirez, Ervin Torres (Bryan Arellano 46'), Bobosi Byaruhanga; Bryant Farkarlun, Sebastian Pineau, Micah Burton (Anthony De Anda 69')

Subs Not Used: Marcus Alstrup, Mason Miller, Luke Spadafora, Gavin Wolff

Scoring Summary:

SKC – Maouloune Goumballe 3 (Beto Avila 2) 18'
ATX – Bryant Farkarlun 1 (Sebastian Pineau 1) 33'
SKC – Ethan Bryany 1 (penalty kick) 81'
ATX – Alonso Ramirez 1 (Bryan Arellano 1) 88'

Misconduct Summary:

ATX – Antonio Gomez (yellow card; unsporting conduct) 17'
SKC – Jake Swallen (yellow card; unsporting conduct) 23'
ATX – Ervin Torres (yellow card; tactical foul) 41'
SKC – Chris Rindov (yellow card; dissent) 50'
ATX – Anthony De Anda (yellow card; unsporting conduct) 80'
ATX – Bobosi Byaruhanga (yellow card; unsporting conduct) 90+4'

Shootout Summary:

SKC – Kamron Habibullah (converted)
ATX – Sebastian Pineau (converted)
SKC – Maouloune Goumballe (converted)
ATX – Ruben Bonachera (converted)
SKC – Pau Vidal (saved)
ATX – Alonso Ramirez (converted)
SKC – Danny Flores (converted)
ATX – Bryan Arellano (converted)
SKC – Ethan Bryant (converted)
ATX – Bryant Farkarlun (converted)

Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
Assistant Referee: Melissa Beck
Assistant Referee: James Norris
Fourth Official: Edgar Garcia