Sporting Kc Come Back to Tie Against the Colorado Rapids

Most managers would be happy with a point against the defending MLS Cup Champions. A valuable road point at that. However, Peter Vermes is not your everyday manager and he wanted to walk out of Dick's Sporting Goods Park with the valuable 3 points. "They knew that we could do it and get back into game." He recently stated in an interview with mlssoccer.com, "We did and even more so. We should have walked away with three points with the number of chances that we created."

Yes, it is true, Sporting Kc received their first point since April 2nd when they tied the Colorado Rapids 1-1 on Saturday night, ending their miserable 5 game losing streak. Things are looking up for Sporting Kc, as they head into their last road game of their 10 game road trip at Toronto FC (yes, that's the same Toronto FC that lost at home 6-2 to the Philadelphia Union). Sporting Kc will for sure be looking for all 3 points at BMO Field next week before they open LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on Thursday, June 9th.

The First Half

In the first 10 minutes of the game it was very messy from both sides, but Sporting somehow had more possession. Then, in the 13' minute a poor attempted pass-back from Collin to GK Jimmy Nielsen was picked off by Conor Casey who dribbled around Nielsen and finished it nicely into the back of Sporting Kc's net. To be honest, Colorado did not deserve that goal at all, just a poor mistake on Collin's part. 1-0 to the Colorado Rapids. 

The rest of the half proved to be very similar to the first 10' minutes, messy and unorganized from both sides.

The Second Half 

Peter Vermes made just one sub at halftime, Smith for Sinovic (Sinovic reportedly tweaked his hamstring, and the staff moved RW Chance Myers back to RB). Teal Bunbury came on in place of ST Sapong in the 54' minute. After these two players were introduced into the game Sporting looked way more threatening. Hence, Sporting had a lot of possession and looked the more likely to score. But, Jeff Larentowicz almost doubled  Colorado's lead after he picked off yet another bad pass from Collin, Larentowicz's ensuing shot was well off target. Then, in the 76' minute the two subs combined to score Sporting's goal, as Ryan Smith was played a perfect through-ball from Bunbury that Smith finessed into the upper right corner, Perkin's was well beat. Sporting Kc kept pressing, trying to find a game winning goal. That game winning goal almost came in the dying moments of the game, as Harrington served in a ball from the middle of the park, which found the head of 6'3 Birahim Diop, who headed it perfectly into the path of Bunbury who, 3 yards away from the goal, shot agonizingly high. That goal would have certainly given SKC all three points.

Player Ratings Out of 10

Nielsen 6, Sinovic 8, Collin 5, Besler 6, Harrington 7, Rocastle 8, Zusi 7, Arnuad 7, Myers 5, Sapong 5, Bravo 7.

Subs:  Smith 9 +, Bunbury 6, Diop N/A 

+ denotes Man Of The Match