Sporting Kansas City fails to get anything going in 4-0 defeat on the road to LAFC
Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes hasn’t minced words about the officiating in Major League Soccer this season, and he felt burned again Friday night.
A straight red card to Roger Espinoza on the hour mark, after a check with the Virtual Assistant Referee, played a huge role in Sporting KC’s 4-0 loss to LAFC at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles.
“It is a red card because when it comes to us, it’s a red card,” Vermes said.
“Just like when we were here last time and Khiry gets hit by their goalkeeper where he has to go to the hospital the next day,” he continued. “It winds up being nothing and then it’s looked at the next day and everybody’s OK with it, everybody thinks it’s fine. I’ve come to the conclusion that at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter.”
The loss extended Sporting KC’s winless streak to four games. To rub salt in Sporting’s wounds, LAFC snapped an eight-game winless streak.
A pair of headed goals from LAFC defender Mamadou Fall on either side of halftime was complemented by a 71st-minute goal from Cristian Arango and a late successful penalty from Eduard Atuesta. And although Sporting KC can point to the dismissal of Espinoza, Vermes’ side certainly didn’t do itself any favors.
After a bright opening couple of minutes that saw Sporting Kansas City winger Johnny Russell almost put the ball on a plate for Khiry Shelton, Sporting KC settled into a slow malaise that offered little going forward.
The home side’s willingness to sit back mirrored the type of game that is typically played at Children’s Mercy Park this season, with Sporting KC dominating first-half possession but falling behind against the run of play.
Fall, all 6-foot-2 of him, headed home the opener off a corner kick in the 18th minute. And Sporting’s only first-half shot on target, by Alan Pulido from 25 yards out, barely troubled LAFC keeper Tomas Romero.
“I thought we could have been a lot faster with the ball. I think at times we were slow,” Vermes conceded.
New signing Jose Mauri made his debut for Kansas City in the midfield, slotting into the defensive midfield. The Argentine-Italian was unable to contribute going forward as KC failed to break through LAFC’s defensive lines.
“We tried to stay together next to him, but the game that we played didn’t allow him and us to do a better job,” SKC centerback Ilie Sanchez said. “I think he can help the team going forward, but unfortunately tonight we were not able to help him much more.”
Kansas City’s lethargic play continued in the second half, and things went from bad to worse when Espinoza was shown the straight red card for his challenge on Arango. The Honduran midfielder had his eyes on the ball and brought his studs down on Arango’s ankle.
“It’s profiling, that’s all I can tell you,” Vermes said of Espinoza’s ejection. “Because it’s Roger Espinoza, he gets a red card.
“I’ve watched it. If you watch and you know the game, you understand that it’s accidental contact and that he actually is stepping his foot, and he actually goes underneath the other foot. He doesn’t mean to do it. He’s not even looking toward that side. He’s getting his feet under him. He’s just run 60 yards to return into the play and was slowing down. It’s not a red card.”
Espinoza’s red card was the second in as many road games for KC following the sendoff of Remi Walter against Minnesota on Aug. 21.
Up a man, the hosts scored three more goals Friday night. An 81st-minute strike by Sanchez was chalked off as offsides.
Sporting KC now has an eight-day break before playing host to the Chicago Fire on Sept. 11.
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 11:29 PM with the headline "Sporting Kansas City fails to get anything going in 4-0 defeat on the road to LAFC."