Ike Opara Features As Sporting KC Draw New York Red Bulls
Sporting KC opened up their 20th regular season in franchise history on Sunday in a Fox Sports 1 nationally televised game against the New York Red Bulls at Sporting Park in Kansas City.
New York has got the best of Sporting KC in the last five games, winning four and only losing one. New York was led by 2014 Golden Boot award winner Bradley Wright-Phillips who had a MLS record tying 27 goals last season.
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After a total of 30 transactions during the off-season, Sporting KC lined up with quite a few new faces to start the game. New signing Chilean goalkeeper Luis Marin was given the start in goal. The back line featured Seth Sinovic at left back, Matt Besler at center back, Ike Opara at center back, and rookie Amadou Dia at right back.
The midfield featured new signing Krisztian Nemeth in the attacking midfield role, returning midfielder Roger Espinoza, and Benny Feilhaber. At forward Sporting KC had Bernardo Anor as the right winger, leading goal scorer Dom Dwyer at center forward, and designated player Graham Zusi on the left flank.
Sporting KC was the first team with an opportunity in the eighth minute when Seth Sinovic gathered a ball just outside the 18 yard box and ripped a shot to the lower far post corner but New York goalkeeper Robles did well to dive and get a hand to it to deflect it away.
The action was very back and forth with the teams seemingly just feeling each other out. Besler was the first player to go into the referees discipline sheet when he was given a yellow card for a bad tackle.
New York nearly took the lead in the 37th minute when they went on the counter attack and Wright-Philips found Felipe in space. Felipe took a long touch and Marin was able to sprint over and get a hand to the ball to keep Felipe from taking the shot.
Despite both teams having chances in the first half, they took a scoreless draw into halftime thanks to their respective goalkeeper’s.
Sporting KC wasted no time attacking New York to start the second half. Feilhaber received a ball down the right flank and whipped in a curling cross right into an on-running Opara in the center of the box. Opara got his head to it and the keeper had no chance as the ball was blasted past him to put Sporting KC up 1-0 in the 50th minute. It was great to see Opara come back from his season ending leg injury last season and make an immediate impact.
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New York immediately went after Sporting KC. Lloyd Sam dribbled the ball up from midfield and curled in a shot from just outside the center of the 18 yard box. The shot beat the outstretched hand of Marin and curled just inside the far post to even the game at 1-1 in the 54th minute.
Sporting KC captain, Besler made another reckless foul in the 70th minute and was issued his second yellow card of the match resulting in a red card and a sending off. Sporting KC would have to play the remaining 20 minutes without their captain and with only ten men.
Despite being down a man, Sporting KC had their share of chances, but neither team was ultimately able to find the finishing touch and the game would finish at 1-1 to give both teams a point in their opening game of the season.
Sporting KC will be back in action next Saturday, March 14th against FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium in Dallas, Texas.