Sporting Kansas City

Match report

Philadelphia Union came from two goals down to beat Sporting Kansas City 4-3 in the MLS Regular Season on Sunday at Sporting Park. The visitors took all three points after a match that swung from one direction to another. Kansas City had looked comfortable at half-time, leading 3-0, but everything changed in the second period. And here's the thing — matches like this are decided in windows, not across ninety minutes.

Andre Luiz opened the scoring in the fifth minute and added a second seven minutes later. W. Meyer then made it 3-0 before the break with a goal in the 16th minute. Kansas City controlled the early exchanges and seemed to have the game in hand. The visitors did not register a shot until the second half.

The turning point came after the interval. B. Damiani pulled one back for Philadelphia in the 64th minute and C. Sullivan levelled two minutes later. M. Iloski then gave the visitors the lead in the 68th minute. To be fair, the hosts had not responded well to going behind and looked rattled.

The decisive moment arrived in the 73rd minute when Z. Bassong scored an own goal to make it 4-3. Kansas City pushed for an equaliser but could not find one. The visitors held on for a remarkable victory after having been two goals behind. By then, the momentum had shifted completely.

Statistics tell an interesting story. Philadelphia had 55 per cent possession and 75 attacks compared to 53 for the hosts. The visitors registered eight shots on target with 73 per cent accuracy. Kansas City had six shots on target but could only convert one goal from their chances. The hosts created just one big chance all game.

The result moves Philadelphia up to sixth place with 36 points from 26 games. Kansas City remain 15th with 18 points from 25 matches. The visitors are on a good run now, having won four straight games. The hosts have lost five of their last six matches and are running out of games to turn things around.

Prepared from match data

Key numbers

Possession, % 45 – 55.00

Shots on target 6 – 8

Shots off target 2 – 2

Expected goals 1.01 – 0.66

⚽ 5' Andre Luiz — Goal ⚽ 10' Andre Luiz — Goal ⚽ 16' W. Meyer — Goal 🟨 45' K. Agyabeng — Yellow card 🟨 45+7' J. Bueno — Yellow card ⇄ 46' I. Vassilev — Substitution ⇄ 46' K. Agyabeng — Substitution 🟨 53' L. Johnsen — Yellow card ⚽ 64' B. Damiani — Goal ⚽ 66' C. Sullivan — Goal ⇄ 68' T. Calheira — Substitution ⚽ 68' M. Iloski — Goal 🟨 70' C. Sullivan — Yellow card ⇄ 71' S. Afrifa — Substitution ⇄ 71' L. Johnsen — Substitution ⚽ 73' Z. Bassong — Own goal 🟨 80' K. Wagner — Yellow card ⇄ 82' C. Sullivan — Substitution ⇄ 83' C. Harris — Substitution ⇄ 83' J. Lukic — Substitution ⇄ 83' M. Iloski — Substitution ⇄ 90' B. Damiani — Substitution 🟨 90+6' D. Jean Jacques — Yellow card 🟨 90+8' Z. Bassong — Yellow card

Match events

5' Sporting Kansas City Goal Andre Luiz assist: L. Johnsen
10' Sporting Kansas City Goal Andre Luiz assist: C. Harris
16' Sporting Kansas City Goal W. Meyer assist: E. Karic
45' Sporting Kansas City Yellow card K. Agyabeng
45+7' Philadelphia Union Yellow card J. Bueno
46' Philadelphia Union Substitution I. Vassilev off: Q. Sullivan
46' Sporting Kansas City Substitution K. Agyabeng off: J. Bartlett
53' Sporting Kansas City Yellow card L. Johnsen
64' Philadelphia Union Goal B. Damiani assist: F. Westfield
66' Philadelphia Union Goal C. Sullivan assist: D. Jean Jacques
68' Sporting Kansas City Substitution T. Calheira off: J. Reid
68' Philadelphia Union Goal M. Iloski assist: Q. Sullivan
70' Philadelphia Union Yellow card C. Sullivan
71' Sporting Kansas City Substitution S. Afrifa off: O. Wolff
71' Sporting Kansas City Substitution L. Johnsen off: Z. Bassong
73' Philadelphia Union Own goal Z. Bassong
80' Philadelphia Union Yellow card K. Wagner
82' Philadelphia Union Substitution C. Sullivan off: A. Bedoya
83' Sporting Kansas City Substitution C. Harris off: R. Ramos
83' Philadelphia Union Substitution J. Lukic off: J. Bueno
83' Philadelphia Union Substitution M. Iloski off: E. Alladoh
90' Philadelphia Union Substitution B. Damiani off: A. Anello
90+6' Philadelphia Union Yellow card D. Jean Jacques
90+8' Sporting Kansas City Yellow card Z. Bassong

Statistics

45 Possession, % 55.00

6 Shots on target 8

2 Shots off target 2

1.01 Expected goals 0.66

1 Big chances 1

53 Attacks 75

3 Corners 4

11 Fouls 14

12 Free kicks 11

0 Offsides 1

3 Yellow cards 4

0 Red cards 0

6 Goal kicks 6

16 Throw-ins 15

All statistics

8/2335% Aerial duels 15/2365%

50 Backward passes 74

2 Blocked shots 1

19 Clearances 16

5/1436% Crosses 3/2114%

9/1182% Dribbles 7/1354%

1.08 Expected assists 0.68

77 Failed passes 75

5 Goalkeeper saves 3

8 Interceptions 14

8 Key passes 10

31/6448% Long passes 23/4749%

65 Passes into the final third 104

208 Passes in the opposition half 311

173 Passes in own half 160

0.60 Shot accuracy 0.73

3 Shots from outside the box 8

7 Shots inside the box 4

8/1553% Tackles 4/757%

367 Total passes 450

Line-ups

Starting XI
#	Player	number
30	Stefan Cleveland	30
3	Moisés Castillo Mosquera	3
13	J. Reynolds	13
18	Emir Karić	18
28	Wyatt Meyer	28
4	Lasse Berg Johnsen	4
11	André Luiz Inácio da Silva	11
14	Calvin Harris	14
20	K. Agyabeng	20
17	Steven Afrifa	17
19	Taylor Caleray	19

Substitutes
#	Player	number
1	John Pulskamp	1
15	Jansen Miller	15
16	Jacob Bartlett	16
22	Zorhan Ludovic Bassong	22
57	Diego Borges	57
99	Jaden Reid	99
24	R. Ramos	24
29	Simur Garfield-Reid	29
33	Owen Michael Wolff	33

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Philadelphia Union

Starting XI
#	Player	number
18	Andre Blake	18
26	Nathan Lee William Harriel	26
27	Kai Harley Wagner	27
39	Frankie Westfield	39
44	N. Pierre	44
4	Jovan Lukić	4
6	K. Sullivan	6
19	Indiana Denchev Vassilev	19
21	Danley Jean-Jacques	21
9	Bruno Damiani	9
10	Milan Iloski	10

Substitutes
#	Player	number
31	George Marks	31
5	Japhet Sery Larsen	5
8	Jesus Bueno	8
11	Alejandro Bedoya	11
16	Ben Bender	16
33	Quinn Sullivan	33
23	E. Alladokh	23
28	Augustin Anello	28
51	Malik Jakupović	51

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