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It was a tale of two halves in Kansas City. Sporting KC's unbeaten streak at home continues after a massive win against the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Whitecaps hold the team's best road record, but Kansas City prevailed to take all three points.
Vancouver dominated the match early on. The Whitecaps scored first in the 9th minute, when a bad giveaway in the midfield from Soni Mustivar put Matt Besler in a 1v3. Kekuta Manneh slid the ball under Tim Melia to the lower right corner, and put the Canadians ahead.
Just six minutes later, Rivero almost capitalized on a cross from Manneh that rolled straight in front of the goal. He was just a step behind, and Melia made the save.
Sporting KC retaliated quickly, but was unable to put the ball in the back of the net. In the 17th minute, Benny Feilhaber sent an amazing through ball right to the center of the box for Paulo Nagamura. His shot flew right into Steve Ousted's arms. Just three minutes later, the team had a so-close-it-hurts chance. Krisztian Nemeth was going 1v1 against Ousted, who punched it away. Feilhaber whiffed on the rebound and left it for Hallisey, who booted it over the crossbar.
Those chances weren't enough for Kansas City. Right before halftime, Manneh charged onto the end of a long cross in from Beitashour and notched the brace for the Whitecaps. The play started off a bad turnover from Dia at midfield, and Beitashour charged down the flank with no resistance from the boys in blue.
Sporting Kansas City fans hadn't seen the team with a two goal deficit since March, when FC Dallas went on to beat them 3-2, and they weren't happy with the scoreline. Kansas City started the second half with a strong attacking play led by Feilhaber pushed a low ball through for Nagamura. The Whitecaps defense barely cleared it away before substitute Jacob Peterson took the shot from the edge of the box. Pa-Modou Kah got a head to it to preserve the shutout.
The Whitecaps wouldn't see a zero on the board for long, though. In the 53rd minute, Amadou Dia redirected a corner kcik from the edge of the box. Kevin Ellis was at the far post to head it in, his third goal of the 2015 season.
However, it wasn't enough. The Whitecaps retaliated almost immediately - Vancouver was given a free kick about 25 yards out from goal after Nagamura was whistled for a hand ball outside the box. Pedro Morales stepped up and hit a rocket past a diving Tim Melia into the left corner to give the Whitecaps the two goal lead... again.
And Sporting KC shortened the deficit... again. This time, Nemeth hit a floating cross in towards the near post from about 35 yards out. Dwyer was there to head it past Ousted and make it 3-2.
Just six minutes later, the boys in blue struck again. Chance Myers passed the ball right along the edge of the box to Nagamura. The midfielder took one touch, and his shot from distance ended in the bottom right corner. Two minutes later, he tried to do it again, but his shot rolled wide.
And finally, Kansas City proved that a two goal deficit couldn't take them down. In the 94th minute, Nagamura struck again. Mustivar sent in a cross from the edge of the box toward the near post, and Nagamura was there to place it past Ousted.
This was the 65th consecutive MLS sell-out at Sporting Park, and what a show it was. Paulo Nagamura definitely earns man of the match honors this time, with a fantastic brace and a big role in the midfield.
Sporting Kansas City returns to action on Wednesday against the San Jose Earthquakes at Sporting Park.