KANSAS CITY, Kansas – The Montreal Impact fell to Sporting Kansas City 4-0 on Saturday night, at Sporting Park.
SKC first found the back of the net in the 31st minute when a long throw by defender Matt Besler from the left flank was accidentally redirected into goal by Impact midfielder Calum Mallace, who was charging into the box short side, marking midfielder Laurence Olum.
Following another long throw by Besler in the 71st minute, Sporting doubled its lead as the ball bounced around the box and fell to defender Aurélien Collin just outside the 18. The Frenchmen fired a low shot that surprised Impact keeper Troy Perkins short side.
SKC went up by three in the 74th minute when midfielder Jacob Peterson played a long cross through the box from near the right side corner flag. Colin, running short side, let the ball pass behind him and forward Dom Dwyer, sliding inside the six-yard-box, put it home.
Dwyer scored his second on the night, beating his defender in the air from near the six yard box to head in a cross by Zusi that originated from deep down the left side in the 86th minute.
Post-game comments
"It was a tale of two halves," said Impact head coach Frank Klopas. "We will get back to work and be ready for our game next week."
"We started the game well, we were working hard but then they scored on an unfortunate own goal," said Patrice Bernier. "In the second half, there were too many moments where we didn't rise to the occasion. With the way we started the season, we aren't in a place where we could come back after having two goals scored against us."
"It was a fluke goal. You never want to concede a goal, but it was especially tough in a situation like that," said Calum Mallace. "In a tough place to play like this, you don't want to go into the dressing room down a goal."
Other highlights
The Impact came extremely close to getting the game’s first goal in the 14th minute when Justin Mapp played a long ball into space down the right flank to Felipe. Dribbling alone towards goal, the Brazilian played a low cross through the box to Marco Di Vaio, whose first time shot towards goal was cleared off the line by Collin.
In the 26th minute, Troy Perkins came charging out of his net to stop Sal Zizzo near the 18 yard line after midfielder Benny Feilhaber played the SKC attacker through on goal. The Impact keeper then made a save with his face in the 68th minute after SKC’s Dom Dwyer shot towards goal from inside the box, only to get up and catch the rebound attempt that fell to Graham Zusi.
Despite going back to the more often used 4-2-3-1 formation, head coach Frank Klopas made a number of changes to the starting lineup, inserting midfielder Calum Mallace and defender Maxim Tissot, while defender Karl W. Ouimette made his second straight start. Captain Patrice Bernier also lined up beside the newcomers for his first start in four games.
Next game
The Impact will head outside for the first time this season to play its stadium opener at Stade Saputo on Saturday, April 26, taking on the Philadelphia Union at 4pm EDT.
Lineups
MTL – GK-Troy Perkins; D-Maxim Tissot, Karl W. Ouimette, Matteo Ferrari (Hassoun Camara 78’), Eric Miller; M-Patrice Bernier, Calum Mallace, Justin Mapp (Andrés Romero 46’), Felipe, Collen Warner; F-Marco Di Vaio (Jack McInerney 56’)
Subs not used: GK-Evan Bush; D-Jeb Brovsky, Heath Pearce; F-Santiago Gonzalez
KC – GK-Eric Kronberg; D-Aurélien Collin (Alex Martinez 76’), Chance Myers, Matt Besler, Seth Sinovic; M-Benny Feilhaber, Paulo Nagamura, Lawrence Olum; F-Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer (Claudio Bieler 87’), Sal Zizzo (Jacob Peterson 66’)
Subs not used: GK-Andy Gruenebaum; D-Igor Juliao; M-Antonio Dovale; F-Soony Saad
Cautions
MTL – Mapp 38’
MTL – Ferrari 52’
MTL – Ouimette 73’
MTL – Mallace 80’
KC – Peterson 89’
Goals
KC – Own goal 31’
KC – Collin (Olum) 71’
KC – Dwyer (Peterson) 74’
KC – Dwyer (Zusi) 86’
