That didn't take long.
Two minutes after Roland Alberg came on as a second-half sub, he delivered the go-ahead goal in the Philadelphia Union's 2-0 victory over shorthanded Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night. Then, for good measure, he added an assist in the dying minutes to seal the deal.
Sporting, who are winless in their last 12 away matches in MLS action and their last nine across all competitions, had to play a man down after the 59th minute, when left back Jimmy Medranda was issued his second yellow card. They went down to nine men in the 87th, when midfielder Roger Espinoza -- already on a caution -- drew a straight red card for elbowing Alberg in the chest.
Alberg entered the match in the 65th minute -- and in the 67th, he took a pass from Fabinho and curled in a beautiful strike from just outside the penalty area for his ninth goal of the season. Then, in the second minute of stoppage time, Alberg assisted on Tranquillo Barnetta's insurance goal.
It was the first meeting between the two sides since Sporting won the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S Open Cup in a seven-round penalty shootout, also at the Union's home ground.
Box Score
- 67' - PHI - Roland Alberg (Fabinho)
- 90+2' - PHI - Tranquillo Barnetta (Alberg)
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Three Things
- SCORING MACHINE: Philadelphia's two goals on Saturday night gave them 47 on the season, most in MLS -- at least for now. (The New York Red Bulls are on 45, going into Sunday's meeting with the New England Revolution.) The Union have scored two or more goals in 16 of their 27 matches.
- STILL BLEEDING AWAY GOALS: Granted, Philadelphia's first goal came with Sporting reduced to 10 men and the second with the visitors down to nine. Still, Saturday night's match continued Sporting's trend of conceding multiple goals on the road. They've been outscored 12-4 in their last five matches across all competitions, and have been shut out in three of those. It could have been worse on Saturday, if not for six saves -- a couple of them highlight-reel-worthy -- from Alec Kann.
- A CLEAN SHEET BEFORE LEAVING TOWN: Andre Blake is set to join the Jamaican national team for the Reggae Boyz' next round of 2018 World Cup qualifiers, and he'll be going on a high note. Blake recorded his sixth shutout of the season against Sporting, and needed only two saves to do it.
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