MLS: Sporting Kansas City crowned MLS Cup Champions

Sporting Kansas City won the MLS Cup for the second time last night by beating Real Salt Lake 7-6 on penalties, after the game ended 1-1 after extra-time. A miss from second-half substitute Lovel Palmer meant that the home team collected the trophy.

The game kicked-off in freezing cold conditions in Kansas, as Sporting were playing into the end of the pitch that was rock hard and were having difficulty trying to control the ball early on. They were rocked after only eight minutes when Spaniard Oriol Rosell had to go off injured and was replaced by Lawrence Olum. Real, with ex-Nottingham Forest striker Robbie Findley looking dangerous up-front, had a few opportunities. Most notably when Sporting goalkeeper made a hash of an attempted clearance and almost gifted Findley a goal but the 36 year-old redeemed himself by saving. Diminutive keeper Rick Rimando was having a great game for Real, dominating his area and making a string of saves. Sporting we're having a lot of possession but just couldn't seem to take the initiative. Lots of passes went astray and their ball control was poor, maybe it was down to the frozen pitch. Late in the first half, Alvaro Saborio was lucky to only receive a yellow card for reacting to a hard challenge. At half-time it was 0-0 and Real would have to step it up in the second half.

Sporting started off the second half as they finished the first, in total control and missing more chances. Charlie Sapong missed a sitter from a Zusi free-kick, when he blasted over. It looked like Sporting could rue all those chances, and sure enough then Real scored. A pass in from the right by Kyle Beckerman to Alvaro Saborio who took it beautifully and drove a right-foot shot into the bottom right-hand corner of Neilson's net. A wonderful finish by the Costa Rican. Real suddenly woke up after that goal and probably should have scored a second ten minutes later as Beckerman hit the post with Neilson stranded. 

Aurellien Collin then fouled Findley as he went down the left wing, it should have resulted in a booking but the referee just gave the Frenchman a telling off as a second yellow would have got him sent off. He was very fortunate. With just over 15 miniputes left Claudio Bieler came off the bench for Sporting to try to get them back in the game. Just moments later Real again hit the post through Javier Morales. 

A corner from Graham Zusi after seventy-six minutes produced the equaliser. Aurellien Collin jumped highest to power a header down into the left-hand corner, 1-1. Up until then Zusi's set-pieces were only average. Sporting then went for broke, having all the possession and chances through Bieler. A couple of quick breaks from Real were covered by tackles from Sinovic. 

So it was on to extra-time. Sporting took over after that, with Nagamura, Zusi, Sapong all having chances but to no avail. Real did have the ball in the net from a header by Saborio but it was disallowed correctly for off-side. It ended 1-1 after extra-time and so the 2013 MLS Cup would be decided on penalties. It's always hard to tell who could win a penalty shoot-out, but the way the game had gone, Real's keeper Nick Rimando was having such a great game, that you would think it was written in stone that he would become the hero. The shoot-out started well for Sporting as they scored their first two, then Saborio misses for Real and the pressure mounted. Neilson then saved Real's second from Grabavoy. Up stepped Besler and his penalty was saved by Rimando. It all then came down to Zusi, with the shoot-out at 3-2 Zusi stepped up to win it for Sporting but he missed. The pressure was mounting all the time, the next four penalties were all scored. Then early substitute Olum missed so Velasquez had a chance to win it for Real and his was saved by Neilson. Myers, Borchers and Collin all stepped up and scored. Then Lovel Palmer came up and blasted his kick off the crossbar and Sporting Kansas City were Champions.


Published by  @gersloveofsport  December 8