Sporting Kansas City 0, DC United 1 | 2016 MLS Match Recap

Alhaji Kamara made an immediate impact in his MLS debut, as he scored the goal for D.C. United in a 1-0 win over Sporting Kansas City at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas on Friday.


The game, pushed back two and a half hours earlier in the day as a result of ongoing weather issues, was largely even through the first half, although Sporting had the better looks through the first 45 minutes.


During the halftime break, a weather delay was called for the match, one that lasted an hour altogether, before the teams returned and resumed the game.


The second half was far more subdued and the teams struggled to find a breakthrough.


But Kamara came off the bench as D.C.'s final substitute in the 85th minute, and finished Taylor Kemp's cross the following minute to give United the full three points.


Box Score



Three Things


KAMARA'S IMMEDIATE IMPACT: 
It appears Kamara's debut for D.C. could not have gone any better. Scoring just 33 seconds into his first MLS game, the Sierra Leone international has been through quite a bit, with a medical condition appearing to derail his career earlier this year
before being cleared
to play in the United States. Perhaps it is the start of a successful partnership for player and team alike.

  • WEATHER GETS SECOND BILLING: If not for Kamara's debut, the story of the night would have been the weather at Children's Mercy Park. Heavy rain and the threat of lightning put the second half on ice for a full 60 minutes. Although there were no additional delays and everyone at the stadium appeared to stay safe on the night, it can't be denied the break put a damper, so to speak, on the action on the field in the final 45 minutes.

  • SPORTING STRUGGLES CONTINUE: The loss means SKC have won just one in their last 10 games, and have only picked up five points total in that 10-game span. There's still a lot of season left to be played, but the poor form and inability to get results looks to be a bigger problem every week.

  • Next Up


    SKC: Thursday 6/2 at LA Galaxy (10:30 pm ET, MLS LIVE)
    DC: Wednesday 6/1 vs. Seattle (8 pm ET, MLS LIVE)