Sporting KC and the LA Galaxy traded blows, and wondrous goals, in a breathless first half at Children's Mercy Park on Sunday night as Brad Davis and Giovani dos Santos produced world-class finishes.
With both sides making significant tweaks to their lineups and formations, there was plenty of space on offer and the match flowed from end to end relentlessly.
But renewed defensive rigidity slowed the tempo after the break, and the visitors were more than happy to escape with a road point after Ashley Cole earned two yellow cards in less than a minute with some 20 minutes left in regulation time and his team had to hang on tenaciously.
LA Galaxy 1, Sporting Kansas City 1
Sunday, May 1, 2016
2016 MLS Regular Season
Children’s Mercy Park – Kansas City, Kansas
Scoring Summary:
SKC – Brad Davis (Assisted by Graham Zusi, Matt Besler) 30’
LA – Giovani dos Santos (Assisted by Gyasi Zardes) 42’
Misconduct Summary:
LA – Ashley Cole (time wasting) 69’
LA – Ashley Cole (ejection) 70’
SKC – Ike Opara (caution) 82’
LA – Jose Villarreal (time wasting) 90’+4
Lineups:
LA Galaxy: Brian Rowe; A.J. DeLaGarza, Daniel Steres, Jelle Van Damme, Ashley Cole; Sebastian Lletget (Jeff Larentowicz 62’), Mike Magee (Robbie Rogers 71’), Baggio Husidic, Emmanuel Boateng; Giovani dos Santos (Jose Villarreal 89’), Gyasi Zardes.
Substitutions not used: Dan Kennedy, Leonardo, Rafael Garcia, Bradford Jamieson IV.
SHOTS: 4; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; CORNERS: 1; OFFSIDES: 3; SAVES: 0
Sporting Kansas City: Tim Melia; Ike Opara, Nuno Coelho, Matt Besler, Seth Sinovic; Graham Zusi, Roger Espinoza, Benny Feilhaber; Jimmy Medranda (Justin Mapp 82’), Dom Dwyer, Brad Davis
Substitutions not used: Alec Kann, Saad Abdul-Salam, Paulo Nagamura, Lawrence Olum, Diego Rubio, Chance Myers.
SHOTS: 16; SHOTS ON GOAL: 1; CORNERS: 6; OFFSIDES: 4; SAVES: 0
Referee: Chris Penso
Referee’s Assistants: Corey Parker and Brian Dunn
4th Official: Caleb Mendez
Attendance: 19,431
