TORONTO – On a night when Toronto FC returned their full complement of stars, it was Benny Feilhaber who would not be denied.
The MVP candidate collected his eighth goal and 12th assist, leading Sporting Kansas City to a 3-1 win over Toronto FC at BMO Field, aided by a patient defensive outing from his teammates and some superb goalkeeping from Tim Melia.
Following a few half chances and an early penalty shout each way, Sporting was awarded a spot kick in the 20th minute when Ahmed Kantari was adjudged to have felled Kevin Ellis in the area – his outstretched arm preventing the KC defender from getting up in the air, sending him crashing to the ground.
Feilhaber stepped to the spot, eyeing TFC goalkeeper Joe Bendik to his left before calmly slotting a low shot down the middle and earning a 22nd-minute lead for his side.
Toronto would respond mere seconds later when a wonderful passing move swept through the middle of the pitch. Collen Warner played to Jonathan Osorio, who in turn touched to a streaking Michael Bradley. Bradley went wide to Sebastian Giovinco, who returned the favor, laying a ball into the area for Bradley to slot past Melia.
But Krizstian Nemeth got on the end of a Feilhaber free kick in the 29th minute, meeting the delivery at the top of the TFC box to loop a header over Bendik and into the net.
That scoreline would hold through the halftime whistle.
Toronto would steadily increase the pressure and get their chances: a Giovinco free-kick was struck into the wall, Warner sent a header wide and then SKC's Melia pulled off a fine double-save, denying both Jackson's shot and then Kantari's follow-up with the net agape. Jozy Altidore would also waste a free header and a Bradley touch was equally off target.
But it would be former Toronto FC player Jacob Peterson, who sealed the result for Sporting, slipping a ball under Bendik after being played down the left side of the area in the 87th minute by Amobi Okugo.
Sporting's domination over Toronto continues, having lost just once in the last 14 encounters, all under manager Peter Vermes.
Both teams return to league play next weekend on Saturday, August 15. Toronto travel to New York, where they will face the Red Bulls, while Sporting KC return home for a match against Vancouver, but not until SKC play a midweek US Open Cup semifinal against Real Salt Lake at Sporting Park on Wednesday, August 12.
