DOMinating Dallas: Sporting KC defeats Dallas FC 6-2

Sporting Kansas City asserted their dominance over Dallas FC once again tonight as they eliminated the visitors from US Open Cup play with a final score of 6-2. Dom Dwyer had 4 goals and Krisztian Nemeth added 2 more himself.

In the 5th minute Nemeth won a corner kick after sending in a dangerous ground cross. Benny Feilhaber curled in a beautiful ball to find a wide open Dwyer on the far post. Dom headed the ball back across the face of goal and into the net, after hitting the crossbar for effect.

Sporting would keep the pressure on the visitors. In the 18th minute Feilhaber stole the ball in the attacking third and found Nemeth flying down the right side of the box. Nemeth chipped a beautiful cross finding Jacob Peterson coming late on the back post. Jacob, The Answer, Peterson did well get his boot on it but Dallas keeper Chris Seitz came up with an even better quick reaction save.

FC Dallas had their share of chances as well. Kevin Ellis was required to make a couple dangerous clearances, giving fans flashbacks of the late own goal in Salt Lake. In the 22nd minute, Dallas won another corner. Hollingshead had a very powerful header that went passed Tim Melia, but over the crossbar grazing the top of the net.

Then in the 30th minute, the home team would double their lead. Atiba Harris, who has having a rough time dealing with Nemeth all game, hacked him down in a dangerous spot. Feilhaber and Dwyer made them pay for it. Benny whipped in a tantalizing ball causing Seitz to rush way off his line, but it was just out of his reach. Dwyer finished it with a very athletic header and back flipped his way to the sideline with his teammates.

The Englishman's fun was just getting started as he won a penalty in the 40th minute. As of late, Vermes has had Feilhaber taking the PK's, but with the hot hand no one other than Dom was taking this one. He made Seitz go the wrong way and slid it into the corner completing his hat trick.

And just after entering stoppage time in the first half, Sporting KC would absolutely dissect the visiting side for the fourth goal of the match. None other than Benny Feilhaber would start the sequence by chipping the defense and finding Jacob Peterson flying down the right side of the pitch. Peterson took it into the box, picked his head up and easily found Nemeth who calmly fired it home. This goal had everything working for KC. It was a beautiful ball from Benny to start it. It was a great ground cross from Peterson. And Nemeth's fantastic instincts in the box moved him into the space right where he needed to be to receive the ball.

The pressure continued the 2nd half. Peterson won a corner kick in the 48th minute and Feilhaber sent in yet another beautiful ball. Kevin Ellis rose up and beat his man, but headed the ball just over the bar. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Ellis is quite small but has a magnet on his head for the ball.

Kansas City showed no mercy. After having several close attempts, the 5th goal was absolutely brilliant from Krisztian Nemeth. He tracked down and stopped the ball on the touchline and turned to face the goal. Being the lethal goal scorer that he is, he chipped a very cheeky ball, from an impossible angle, over the keepers head and fading across the goal line. A desperate attempt to head the ball off the goal line was futile and the blue confetti poured across Sporting Park once more.

The visitors would get on the scoresheet in the 62nd minute however. Great buildup play got them into the box but then there was a very fortunate bounce off Texeira right back to Michael Barrios who finished it home.

But the home side wasn't even done yet. Espinoza was taken down right at the top of the D for a free kick. Dallas set up a 5 man wall but Dom beat them and the keeper as if they weren't even there for his 4th goal on the night.

In the 73rd minute, the visitors would find their second goal. Kellyn Acosta found some open space just outside the box and let one rip. It took a very unfortunate deflection off of Matt Besler and flew into the back of the net.

For the final 20 minutes things finally slowed down. The Cauldron was in full voice giving Sporting KC the OLEs on every pass and enjoying the party.

Dwyer has 5 goals in MLS play this season, but has struggled at times missing big chances. A 4 goal performance tonight has to give him a huge boost in confidence. He has always been a guy who just takes a minute to get going. But once he does, watch out.

Sporting KC now move on to the Quarterfinals to play the Houston Dynamo at Sporting Park on July 21st at 7:30pm