Sporting Kansas City Win A Thriller Over Columbus Crew
Sporting Kansas City proved to have enough goals in them to grab the victory over the ever-battling Columbus Crew at Sporting Park. Two goals from Kei Kamara and a third from Claudio Bieler gave them the 3-2 win.
Sporting Kansas City controlled the match early, and in the 5th minute Soony Saad sent the ball into the box toward Kei Kamara, who beat his man to the spot but his header went just wide of the far post.
Saad, who was quite involved in the action during his first MLS league appearance since April 20th, took a shot in the 10th minute from the edge of the box but the Columbus Crew’s goalkeeper, Overland Park-native Andy Gruenebaum, was able to deflect it away for a corner.
In the 34th minute, Saad and Kamara were able to connect to give Sporting Kansas City the lead. Following an interception by Aurelien Collin, Saad found Kamara at the top of the box. Kamara took one touch on the ball and fired a strike past the keeper and into the net to get his 3rdgoal of the season.
Jun 29, 2013; Kansas City, KS, USA; Sporting KC forward Kei Kamara (23) defended by Columbus Crew defender/midfielder Agustin Viana (24) during the second half at Sporting Park. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Sporting Kansas City took their 1-0 lead into halftime, but they had much work to do in a high scoring second half.
Columbus Crew’s Jairo Arrieta grabbed a goal in the 48th minute following a long run with the ball and a low, placed shot past Sporting Kansas City’s Jimmy Nielsen to make it 1-1.
The scores were not level long, and Sporting Kansas City’s team-leader in goals scored, Bieler, gave his team back the lead just two minutes later. Chance Myers had his cross deflected by Tyson Wahl, but Bieler quickly got onto the ball when it landed at the top of the penalty box, sending a hard strike to the far corner to make it 2-1.
Columbus Crew equalized only three minutes later. Dominic Oduro took away a back pass before dribbling around Nielsen to make it all even at 2-2.
Sporting Kansas City found the winner in the 80th minute. Kevin Ellis, coming off the bench in the 63rd minute for his MLS debut, sent a long ball in from the left. The Crew’s Wahl won the fight for the ball but headed it to Bieler. The Argentine headed the ball to Kamara, where he beat goalkeeper Gruenebaum near post for his second goal of the game.
A fantastic double-save from Gruenebaum prevented Sporting Kansas City from getting a fourth goal in the 84th minute and to keep Columbus in the match. Graham Zusi had a point-blank attempt stopped before the ball fell to Saad at the top of the box. Gruenebaum recovered well to get his body in the way of Saad’s shot to keep the 3-2 scoreline.
Dom Dwyer, who had been on loan with Orlando City SC, also made his 2013 MLS debut for Sporting Kansas City when he entered the match in the 83rd minute.
With the win, Sporting Kansas City have moved into 2nd place in the Eastern Conference standings, and will be glad they recovered well from the FC Dallas loss. Their next match is Wednesday, July 3rd against the Vancouver Whitecaps
at Sporting Park at 8 pm CT.