Seven goals for Portland as SKC routed on the road

There is no good way to do a recap after a 7-2 loss. So first we present the goals, no descriptions are needed. It’s seven total goals, six in the second half. After the list of goals, it seems best to let Johnny Russell speak.

Seven goals...

1. Bill Tuiloma 3 (Eryk Williamson 1) 12’
2. Sebastian Blanco 1 (Cristhian Paredes 1) 46’
3. Sebastian Blanco 2 (Yimmi Chara 4) 52’
4. Nathan Fogaca 1 (Sebastian Blanco 3) 56’
5. Nathan Fogaca 2 (Sebastian Blanco 4, Eryk Williamson 2) 69’
6. Marvin Loria 1 (Cristhian Paredes 2) 88’
7. Santiago Moreno 1 (Diego Chara 1) 90+2’

Sporting Kansas City gave up seven goals for just the third time in club history in a 7-2 loss to the Portland Timbers Saturday night. Previous seven goal losses were 7-2 vs LA in 2019 and 7-0 vs Chicago in 2001.

Portland scored early in the first half but the majority of the first half Sporting KC looked like the better team. Coming out of the half SKC thought they could get a goal and go on to win the game. Sporting did score twice but they also gave up six more goals.

“We spoke at halftime that we had done some nice things in the first half and that the next goal was massively important. If we got it then we really felt we could have went on and won the game,” SKC captain Johnny Russell stated postgame.

“Then we let them score in 45 seconds, something like that. Then it’s just an absolute capitulation after that. To concede six goals in one half of a game is…. I’m trying to choose my words carefully here… it’s not even embarrassing. It’s so far beyond that. It’s just a complete disgrace as a professional, individually and as a team,” Russell continued. “That second half is so unacceptable on so many levels. I don’t even know what to say honestly. I’ve never been as embarrassed in my whole career. I’ve had some low times in my career but this is number one. Already this season hasn’t been acceptable. Just pathetic really in the second half. Not good enough. Actually, I’m embarrassed to call ourselves professionals.”

If there is any bright spot from the game, it was Marinos Tzinois scoring in his second straight game and his first league goal. The goal came shortly after Portland was reduced to ten men when Josecarlos Van Rankin received his second yellow and resulting red. That brought the score to 5-2 and with a man advantage there was a glimmer of hope.

That hope was dimmed when Robi Voloder received his second yellow and SKC was also down to ten.

“We were just so easy to beat,” Russell admitted. “How many of their goals were one pass? Probably the majority of them were one pass through all of us and they’re in on goal. Granted, there was a couple of nice finishes there. I’m not taking anything away from Portland. But after probably the second and the third, we just shrunk. We mentally broke; so fragile and it showed. You can’t concede six goals in a half and not mentally break. It’s not possible. And for me that’s obviously one of the most disappointing things. Obviously the result, even thinking about the score line makes me feel sick to be honest. But that’s probably the worst part. Mentally, it just looked like we gave up and that’s just not acceptable in any level whatsoever.”

As the captain, Russell will have to help the coaches lift the players and get them pointed in the right direction. When asked about what he would say to the players, Russell responded, “I said a few things after the game but obviously it’s my job. I have to lead the team. I’m not above that. I’ve not been good enough. It’s easy to lead when times are easy. Times are not easy right now and it’s a challenge that I have to take. I generally don’t know right now where to begin. Every single one of us inside should feel disgusted at that performance. If you don’t, this isn’t for you and you shouldn’t be playing this game. We need to have a serious, serious look at ourselves and stop talking about the next one and the next one. All we’ve done is talk. We’ve not shown anything. We’ve shown snippets at times that we might turn a corner but that right there shows how far off it we actually are right now.”

Sporting Kansas City: Tim Melia; Cam Duke (Kayden Pierre 84’), Kortne Ford, Robert Voloder, Logan Ndenbe; Uri Rosell (Marinos Tzionis 58’), Roger Espinoza (Felipe Hernandez 46’), Remi Walter; Johnny Russell (Nikola Vujnovic 84’); Khiry Shelton (Jake Davis 89’), Daniel Salloi

Subs Not Used: John Pulskamp, Andreu Fontas, Kaveh Rad, Ben Sweat

Portland Timbers FC: Aljaz Ivacic; Josecarlos Van Rankin, Dario Zuparic, Justin Rasumussen, Bill Tuiloma (Zachery McGraw 82’); Sebastian Blanco (Pablo Bonilla 77’), Eryk Williamson (Santiago Moreno 70’), Diego Chara (Marvin Loria 83’), Cristhian Paredes, Yimmi Chara; Nathan Fogaca (Tega Ikoba 70’)

Subs Not Used: David Bingham, Dairon Asprilla

Scoring Summary:

POR - Bill Tuiloma 3 (Eryk Williamson 1) 12’

POR - Sebastian Blanco 1 (Cristhian Paredes 1) 46’

POR - Sebastian Blanco 2 (Yimmi Chara 4) 52’

POR - Nathan Fogaca 1 (Sebastian Blanco 3) 56’

SKC - Johnny Russell 3 (Felipe Hernandez 2) 57’

POR - Nathan Fogaca 2 (Sebastian Blanco 4, Eryk Williamson 2) 69’

SKC - Marinos Tzionis 1 (Felipe Hernandez 3) 75’

POR - Marvin Loria 1 (Cristhian Paredes 2) 88’

POR - Santiago Moreno 1 (Diego Chara 1) 90+2’

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Roger Espinoza (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 18’

SKC - Robert Voloder (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 35’

POR - Josecarlos Van Rankin (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 64’

POR - Bill Tuiloma (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 72’

POR - Josecarlos Van Rankin (red card; second yellow card) 74’

SKC - Robert Voloder (red card; second yellow card) 78’

SKC - Peter Vermes (yellow card; dissent) 80’

POR - Diego Chara (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 86’

Referee: Victor Rivas

Assistant Referee: Jeffrey Swartzel

Assistant Referee: Eduardo Jeff

Fourth Official: Katja Koroleva

VAR: Kevin Stott

AVAR: Craig Lowry