TELL ME MORE: The hosts advanced to Round One of the playoffs, and are set to face off against midwestern rivals St. Louis CITY SC in a best-of-3 series. Sporting goalkeeper Tim Melia made a crucial save to begin the shootout, with the Earthquakes going on to miss their second as well. The hosts scored four of their five penalties to see them through to the next round.
The match itself was a rather bland back-and-forth midfield battle, but SKC had the better chances of the two teams, especially in the second half.
Sporting came out of the break with the best chance of the match just one minute into the final 45 minutes, with Mexican international Alan Pulido seeing his his attempt cleared off the line by the Earthquakes.
Off the line by the Quakes! 😮
What a chance for Pulido to start the second half.#Quakes74 // Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/he5rL8SNWr
Scottish winger Johnny Russell had two more great chances to bring the hosts ahead as he lined up a free kick on the edge of the 18-yard-box twice in the second half, with the first barely going over the bar and the second shattering the woodwork of the near-post.
At the end of regulation, both sides were scoreless, and it was settled from the spot.
THE MVP: Tim Melia, no doubt. At 37-years-old he has spearheaded his teams’ playoff run, and he’s well known across the league as the goalkeeper you want between the sticks for a shootout. Tonight marked his seventh-straight shootout victory in an SKC kit.
THE BIG LOSER: It has to be the Earthquakes as a whole. They had so many opportunities throughout the regular season to avoid the play-in Wildcard match, but they ended the regular season winless in five. They doomed themselves with that stretch of matches.
WHAT NEXT FOR SPORTING KANSAS CITY? Peter Vermes’s side are set to take on the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, St. Louis CITY SC, in Round One of the playoffs next.
MATCH RATING (OUT OF FIVE): ⭐⭐