Sporting KC II June Review: Momentum drops off

Sporting KC II is over halfway through their inaugural campaign in MLS NEXT Pro.

After an impressive showing in May, SKC II had a slower month of June as they added three points with a road win in Houston between a pair of losses on home turf.

SKC II had just one non-penalty goal in three games.

Leading scorer Mataeo Bunbury’s only minutes came in the first hour against Minnesota on June 4. The Canadian youth international was an unused sub before dropping out of the matchday squad before the third match.

It wasn’t a great month of June for Sporting II, which started with a defeat on home turf in Lawrence.

June 4 — SKC II 1-2 Minnesota United FC 2

A stoppage-time penalty from Rauf Salifu was too little too late as SKC II’s four-game unbeaten run ended with a 2-1 loss at Rock Chalk Park to the Loons. MNUFC2’s Thomas Williamson found the breakthrough after 52 minutes, beating Kendall McIntosh from an acute angle. The visitors doubled the lead four minutes later when Diogo Pacheco found a tap-in.

June 11 — Houston Dynamo 2 0-1 SKC II

SKC II got its second shutout of the season as John Pulskamp made six saves in H-town. After 11 minutes Rauf Salifu was brought down on the edge of the box, which the referee deemed to be a penalty. Salifu stepped up to convert his second penalty of the month, sending the keeper the wrong way. Houston came close to equalizing with chances denied by the crossbar, Pulskamp and a goal called off for a foul.

June 17 — SKC II 1-2 St. Louis CITY FC

Sporting II was unable to hold on to an early lead as they fell to St. Louis for the second time at Rock Chalk Park. Julian Vazquez put SKC II ahead 14 minutes in as he supplied a composed finish after a glorious ball from Josh Coan. The visitors leveled things in the 64th minute, knocking in a cross. Just two minutes later, St. Louis pulled in front after converting a penalty kick.

Stats from June

1 win; 2 losses

Goal Difference: -1

Goals Scored: 3

Goals Against: 4

Goal scorers:

Rauf Salifu — 2 (penalties vs Minnesota and Houston)

Julian Vazquez — 1 (vs St. Louis)

Assists:

Josh Coan — 1 (vs St. Louis)

Minutes Played (270 minutes possible):

1. Spencer Glass — 208 minutes
2. Curtez Kellman — 197 minutes
3. Rauf Salifu — 190 minutes

SKC II Season Leaders

Goals:

1. Mataeo Bunbury — 4 goals
2. Julian Vazquez — 3 goals
3. Rauf Salifu — 2 goals

Assists:

1. Collin Fernandez; Julian Vazquez — 3 assists
2. Cade Thomson — 2 assists
3. Kian Alberto; Mataeo Bunbury; Josh Coan; Rauf Salifu; Dembakwi Yomba — 1 assist

Goalkeeper Record:

1. Kendall McIntosh — 3-3-1
2. John Pulskamp — 2-2-1
3. Ethan Bandre — 0-1

Clean Sheets:

1. Kendall McIntosh — 1
2. John Pulskamp — 1

Saves (%):

1. Kendall McIntosh — 21 (65.6%)
2. John Pulskamp — 17 (70.8%)
3. Ethan Bandre — 5 (71.4%)

Season Standings:

17 points — 5 wins; 6 losses; 2 ties (0-2 in PK shootouts)

• 5th in Frontier Division
• 8th in Western Conference
• 12th overall

SKC II’s July schedule will be packed with five games, kicking off on Saturday, July 2 when they host Western Conference leaders North Texas SC.