New York Red Bulls 0, Sporting Kansas City 2 | 2016 MLS Match Recap

Benjamin Baer

It has been a rough start to the season for the defending Supporters' Shield champions. That rough start continued on Saturday night, as the New York Red Bulls lost to Sporting Kansas City, 2-0.

The Red Bulls failed to score for the fourth time in five games despite taking 22 shots and earning a penalty kick. Bradley Wright-Phillips took 10 shots, the most by any one player in an MLS game this season, but failed to score after Tim Melia saved his penalty kick in the 64th minute.

Benny Feilhaber and Dom Dwyer provided the goals for Sporting, as they now top the standings with 12 points through five games.

Box Score

17' - SKC - Benny Feilhaber (Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer)
60' - SKC - Dom Dwyer (Saad Abdul-Salaam)
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Three Things

BWP'S NIGHT OF HORRORS: The Red Bulls have gone scoreless in four of their five games so far this year. A lot of that drought can be traced back to their struggling striker. Wright-Phillips has not scored this season, after racking up 44 goals over the past two years, despite taking the third-most shots in MLS with 23. HIs 10 shots against Sporting were most by a player so far this season.
MELIA PLAYS HERO: Kansas City came into the night missing their best center back (Matt Besler) and defensive midfielder (Soni Mustivar). They then lost another center back (Kevin Ellis) in the 42nd minute and their right back (Chance Myers) in the 52nd minute. This did not matter to goalkeeper Tim Melia, who saved Wright-Phillips' PK and five other shots as Sporting took home all three points.
ROAD WARRIORS: It's still early in the season, but Sporting Kansas City look like one of the best road teams in the league. In their first game, they traveled to Seattle and beat the Sounders at CenturyLink Field, which is no easy task. Now, in their second road match, they earned a victory against last year's Supporters' Shield winners, who dropped just 11 points at home all of last season.