SKC closes out preseason with loss to Red Bulls

Sporting Kansas City began with the group that looks like the probable starters (at the moment). Both teams had some chances but went into the half scoreless. Sporting KC brought in Daniel Salloi for the second half in place of Johnny Russell who had went 60 minutes on Wednesday night.

Both teams seemed to pick up the intensity a bit in the second half with New York getting a bit better of the play. SKC did create a good chance when that started with a log ball to Khiry Shelton who cut the ball back and with his left almost got inside the near post but keeper Ryan Meara quickly got down to block it. Meara left the game a couple minutes later when he and Alan Pulido collided. He was replaced by David Jensen.

A few minutes later Kaku (of kick the ball into a fan fame) took a corner kick that was initially cleared out of the box by Shelton. Cristian Cásseres Jr. settled the ball and sent it back across the box to where SKC was not defended as well. Florian Valot put the ball in the net for the Red Bulls in the 59th minute.

Sporting KC did not take long to respond. Shelton dribbled into the box and then slid the ball to Alan Pulido. A mad goalmouth struggle right in front of the goal resulted in Gadi Kinda pounding the ball into the back of the net.

An 85th minute penalty was awarded when Winston Reid fouled Tom Barlow just inside the box. Cristian Cásseres Jr. stepped up to the spot and sent it straight down the middle past Tim Melia.

Daniel Salloi picked up a late red card and will be suspended for the rest of preseason. Sporting Kansas City returns home tomorrow to prepare for the opening of the MLS regular season.

Sporting Kansas City: Tim Melia; Graham Zusi (Jaylin Lindsey 76), Roberto Puncec (Substituted 76), Matt Besler (Botond Barath 76), Luis Martins (Amadou Dia 76); Ilie Sanchez (Camden Riley* 76), Roger Espinoza (Gianluca Busio 76), Gadi Kinda (Tyler Freeman 76); Khiry Shelton (Gerso Fernandes 76), Alan Pulido (Erik Hurtado 76), Johnny Russell (Daniel Salloi 46)

* Under contract with Sporting KC II

New York Red Bulls: Ryan Meara (David Jensen 51); Patrick Seagrist, Amro Tarek (Sean Nealis 68), Tim Parker, Kyle Duncan; Sean Davis, Cristian Cásseres Jr., Kaku (Jared Stroud 72), Florian Valot (Josh Sims 68); Brian White (Omir Fernandez 75), Mathias Jørgensen (Tom Barlow 62)

Scoring Summary:

NY - Florian Valot (Cristian Cásseres Jr.) 59

SKC - Gadi Kinda (unassisted) 61

NY - Cristian Cásseres Jr. (penalty kick) 86