Benny Feilhaber and Jimmy Medranda scored inside the opening 20 minutes and Ike Opara added an insurance goal just after halftime to help lift Sporting Kansas City to a 3-1 win over Eastern Conference leaders New York City FC on Sunday at Children’s Mercy Park.
Feilhaber struck for his fifth goal of the year to put the hosts in front, 1-0, in the eighth minute. Feilhaber followed Jacob Peterson’s attempt that caromed off the crossbar and easily tapped into the open net.
Frank Lampard scored his fourth goal in five games to level for NYCFC on 14 minutes. Andrea Pirlo intercepted a pass by Opara and eventually slipped the ball to Ronald Matarrita. The Costa Rican international crossed to Lampard and the English legend scored from eight yards out.
But Sporting Kansas City would regain the lead just two minutes later, capitalizing on a blunder by NYCFC goalkeeper Josh Saunders as Medranda netted his first career MLS goal. The Colombian defender settled an attempted clearance off a corner and fired low from distance, bouncing in off Saunders.
Opara scored his first goal of the season and his first since scoring the game-winner in a victory over NYCFC last March to extend Sporting Kansas City’s lead to 3-1 in the 51st minute. Opara fought off a tackle from defender Frederic Brillant and poked it home from six yards out.
Box Score
- 8’ – SKC – Benny Feilhaber
- 14’ – NYC – Frank Lampard (Ronald Matarrita, Andrea Pirlo)
- 16’ – SKC – Jimmy Medranda
- 51’ – SKC – Ike Opara
- Full box score
- Stats
- Watch highlights
Three Things
1. NO ZUSI, NO PROBLEM: Graham Zusi didn’t make the SKC starting XI, suffering from a hamstring injury, but it mattered little for the hosts in a comprehensive victory. Also not in the starting XI for SKC were MLS All-Star Matt Besler (coach’s decision) and Dom Dwyer (yellow card suspension).
2. NYCFC COOLS OFF: Red-hot NYCFC cooled off on a steamy night in Kansas City as the Eastern Conference leaders had their club-best four-match winning streak snapped. It was only their third loss away from Yankee Stadium in nine games.
3. OPARA LOVES NYC: Ike Opara didn’t only score his first goal of the season, it was his first since March 8, 2015, the lone goal in a 1-0 win over NYCFC in the only other meeting between the squads.
Next Up
SKC: Wednesday, July 13 at Chicago Fire (8:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE)
NYC: Sunday, July 17 at Montreal Impact (5 pm ET | ESPN, TSN2, RDS, MLS LIVE in Canada)
