Bar None: Sporting KC defeats Los Angeles Galaxy 2-0

In a result that was much closer than the scoreline suggests, Sporting Kansas City picked up three points on the road in their 2-0 defeat of the LA Galaxy.

Daniel Salloi and Johnny Russell were the goal-scorers for Sporting KC as the club solidified themselves as the top team in the Western Conference.

The post was not kind to the Galaxy in the first half. In the 35th minute, Chris Pontius headed a ball toward goal on an cross but it hit the outside of the post and bounced out of play for the goal kick.

In the 43rd minute, the Galaxy came even closer to scoring. Ashley Cole took the ball from just outside the box and smashed it toward the far post. Tim Melia managed to get his fingertips on the ball, which pushed it just wide enough that it would clang off the far post and away from goal. The Galaxy were unable to capitalize on that chance and the two teams went into the locker rooms all knotted up at the half.

The second half started with Sporting KC on their back heel as the Galaxy opened up strong. Soon enough, however, the tide turned in favor of Sporting KC.

In the 56th minute, the ball was loose in the penalty box following a corner kick and Salloi was there to punch it in from 12 yards out. It was his first goal of the season and it gave Sporting KC the 1-0 lead.

With the entrance of Zlatan Ibrahimovic looming, Sporting KC gave themselves some more insurance room in 61st minute. Russell came streaking into the box and split two defenders to give himself an opening in front of the goal. He used his weak foot to knock it past the keeper and to give Sporting KC the 2-0 lead. It was the second goal of the year for the Scotsman.

Following the second goal, Ibrahimovic made his entrance into the match. While it gave the Galaxy more of an attacking edge, it didn’t change their luck immediately. For the third time on the evening, Los Angeles was denied a goal, this time by the crossbar. In the 67th minute, Romain Alessandrini took a shot from the top of the box that banged off the crossbar, denying the Galaxy another chance at a goal.

In the 77th minute, Ibrahimovic tried his luck by letting the ball fly from 35 yards out. It had great power behind it, but Melia was there to punch the ball away. This was one of several times Melia had come up large for Sporting KC in this match as he set a new career high for saves.

Sporting KC held strong for the rest of the match and ended up with the 2-0 victory. Next up for Sporting KC is a home match next Sunday against the Seattle Sounders.