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Ideally you watched the game yesterday between Sporting Kansas City and the San Jose Earthquakes. If you didn’t, there is always the option to go back and watch it on Fox Sports Go or if you are out of the area, MLS Live. If you simply don’t have time for all that then this is the place for you.
While not all the gifs used below are beautiful, they will fill you in a little bit on what you missed. Lets start with the Starting XI for each squad.
Your #SportingKC starting XI for tonight's match vs. @SJEarthquakes. Coverage begins at 7pm @FSKansasCity! #SKCvSJ #WeTogether pic.twitter.com/XiSB7aRtws
— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) March 18, 2017
Your starting XI for today's contest in Kansas City... ⚪️ #ForwardAsOne | #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/yJfyyYfjo1
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) March 18, 2017
No surprises for SKC as they went with the same Starting XI for the third straight game. In fact, the entire 18 stayed the same. Let’s not leave out the first lady of US Soccer (despite her being half Canadian).
It's a beautiful night for some footy. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/JqoKDVLLSe
— Sydney Leroux Dwyer (@sydneyleroux) March 19, 2017
We’ll go with our first gif of the first significant play that was just over a minute into the game (and ignore that I spelled Jair Marrufo’s name wrong).
Looks like a definite PK to me... Murrufo'd? #SportingKC #SKCvSJ #InstantReplay pic.twitter.com/id1tyaQ2UX
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
Thoughts? #SKCvSJ https://t.co/khVOESX895
— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) March 19, 2017
Hopefully all that video makes it clear that Dwyer was taken down in the box and Marrufo missed his first (of many) calls of the game. Gerso would quickly test David Bingham after that.
3' Bingham tested early but ends up being a comfortable stop for the keeper.#ForwardAsOne | #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/2fqdJNYC4z
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) March 19, 2017
From there, Benny and Dom almost connected inside the box but the ball was just a little ahead of Dwyer’s foot.
Benny and Dom just this close to making something happen. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/WLcIGn92cS
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
Shortly after that Dwyer oversells some minor contact in the box and Jair gives him a yellow. This isn’t the best angle but there is some contact. Even if there wasn’t his path is clearly impeded. There is no way this should be a yellow for simulation.
Dom gets a yellow for simulation. There is contact, but it's not much. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/oTp4zrgWu9
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
...and Dom sees yellow. #SportingKC #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/vkK6IpdOjY
— Side Net SKC (@SideNetSKC) March 19, 2017
The next significant moment was a bizarre one. Matt Besler appeared to almost give up on a play in his own box then he makes an incredible tackle.
Besler with a fantastic tackle. #SportingKC #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/5NLmUNIn5l
— Side Net SKC (@SideNetSKC) March 19, 2017
After that we have a few more chances for Sporting KC. One from Benny, where he has to go to his left foot and another where Jimmy Medranda collides with Bingham.
Benny on his non-preferred left foot. Just wide. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/kz8RTvIMbx
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
Sporting will score tonight. How about that flick though? #SportingKC #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/61ujplNZlD
— Side Net SKC (@SideNetSKC) March 19, 2017
Gerso just keeps trying.
Gerso with an OK effort. Just not enough oomph. If Bingham spills that two SKC players ready to clean it up. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/3LrV1CM9mC
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
Then, if there was a roof on Children’s Mercy Park, it would have blown off the place. Benny Freaking Feilhaber!
.@b_feilhaber22 opens his 2017 account with an absolute GOLAZO to put #SportingKC ahead 1-0. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/NsRFtjCPc6
— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) March 19, 2017
Need another look at that golazo for #SportingKC from @b_feilhaber22
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
How about three looks! #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/UWoqY4nIHH
As the teams approach halftime, the last good opportunity was created by Gerso and Benny working together up the right side of the pitch. Benny delivers a lovely cross that Medranda gets on the end of but fails to put on target.
Beautiful work from Gerso to Benny but Jimmy has to put that shot on frame. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/YmzJbFmvgA
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
It felt like it should be 3-0 at the half, but it was just 1-0 Sporting KC.
That was a good 45 minutes of soccer. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/y838vsavw4
— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) March 19, 2017
.At halftime recent retiree Paulo Nagamura was honored by the club. It’s crazy that he’s retired and he’s younger than me by like two weeks. Regardless, it was a cool moment at halftime.
Good to see @paulinhonag honored at halftime. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/rrlUMtuHqM
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
Early in the second half Sporting picked up where they left off. Gerso got in the box but he had to shoot with his non-preferred right foot, and it showed. Also worth noting that Dwyer appears to be offside so even if he gathered the spilled ball from Bingham, it probably gets called off. Noticeably the AR doesn’t have his flag up though.
Gerso with a weak right-footed effort. Dom looks offside even if he would have collected Bingham's spilled ball. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/fM2fM9IRmH
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
Ilie Sanchez did a good job tonight breaking up the San Jose attack and he got to pay for it with a heavy foul.
Ilie shows a bit of skill and then Urena cuts him down. #SportingKC #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/WsokPHRSiN
— Side Net SKC (@SideNetSKC) March 19, 2017
A closer look.
Only yellow? Looks like serious dangerous play to me. Good to see Ilie is OK. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/VVg4S1ZzRJ
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
David Bingham, on the heels of getting called into the United States National Team, had a rough night. I can’t imagine he sees the pitch for Team USA. Here Dwyer steals the ball off him and his defense bails him out. His night would get worse.
Bingham is trying to give them away. #SportingKC #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/euB0aQ64qq
— Side Net SKC (@SideNetSKC) March 19, 2017
After that a nice through ball put Dwyer in on goal but he sprays his shot wide.
Just Wide! Dom Dwyer is causing all kinds of trouble for SJ tonight. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/SM87tFvvEa
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
Dom just pushes it wide. Sooo close! #SportingKC #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/w1Ej6fGolL
— Side Net SKC (@SideNetSKC) March 19, 2017
Next we have Zusi trying to recreate his preseason golazo only to have his shot violently blocked.
Zusi with a missile. Shame it got blocked. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/hKvJew8Gdk
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
A scary moment for Sporting fans came tonight when Benny took a hand to the face. He played on for a bit but he eventually was subbed off. When he left the pitch the broadcast indicated he was saying he couldn’t see. Luckily there is some time off before the next game.
Hmm... no card. I'm not sure I'd call that arm in a natural position. #InstantReplay #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/6DPqzZFHly
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
After that we had a couple of 2017 season debuts for Soony Saad and Soni Mustivar.
Soony Saad making his 2017 debut. Excited to see if he can provide a spark. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/ycxfvsDZmN
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
Defensive substitution from Vermes. Mustivar makes his 2017 debut replacing Feilhaber. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/fb5SZ50HxS
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
That Soony Saad substitution would be crucial. Soony is known for taking shots from distance and while he couldn’t have planned it like this, it worked out beautifully to give SKC a 2-0 lead.
Just like Soony planned it. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/bkJWsaoJ9V
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
In the excitement of Sporting going up 2-0 (the most dangerous lead) no one noticed SJ pulling one back.
Jungwirth pulls one back for San Jose in stoppage time. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/2mSX0cL0bB
— Total MLS (@TotalMLS) March 19, 2017
It got really scary after that as the Quakes almost tied it up as the game sped towards it’s conclusion.
It got a little nervy down the stretch but Tim Melia comes up huge to earn #SportingKC all three points. 2-1. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/PnSfxBjxP3
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
Ultimately Sporting would end up pulling it out with a 2-1 victory (I believe I actually had that right for once). The team had a really cool moment after the victory as they headed down to The Cauldron to celebrate.
#SportingKC comes to thank the @KCCauldron after a hard fought win. #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/luVsI7Nq2M
— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) March 19, 2017
Great times with great friends #WeTogether pic.twitter.com/E9F6tZjKT0
— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) March 19, 2017
#NoOtherClub pic.twitter.com/5g49e99jIh
— The Cauldron (@KCCauldron) March 19, 2017
So what do you think? Is it worth telling the story in tweets, gifs and videos? Let us know in the comments. We’ll leave you with that beautiful home opening tifo from the Cauldron. Truly amazing stuff.
Hat tip to @b_feilhaber22 tonight. He is on another level. pic.twitter.com/224F2PjFSb
— The Cauldron (@KCCauldron) March 19, 2017