Sporting KC stunned in late loss to LAFC as Vermes blasts officiating ‘inconsistency’

Sporting KC looked to be in the driver’s seat early in Saturday night’s match against LAFC. But the script got flipped in the second half, as Carlos Vela’s late goal was the winner for LAFC in a 2-1 decision at Children’s Mercy Park.

Sporting KC appeared to score a tying goal in stoppage time — by Roger Espinoza — but it was waved off controversially after a replay review deemed a foul to have been committed by Khiry Shelton in the buildup.

After the match, Peter Vermes was only asked a few questions in his news conference. Afterward, he sat down in his office with The Star and detailed his frustrations with the match’s ending.

“The inconsistency is consistent,” Vermes said of the officiating decisions, which was part of a greater point he wanted to make over a multitude of games.

Via the pool report process, head referee Rosendo Mendoza deemed Espinoza’s goal to be called off for a foul by Shelton, who he believed to have fouled LAFC defender Aaron Long on the follow-through after kicking the ball.

It happened 21 seconds prior to the goal — a point Vermes highlighted regarding whether or not it was part of the same attacking phase of play, which is relevant when using replay review. According to Mendoza, it was.

“I’m amazed at that decision, but I’m probably more amazed that Daniel (Salloi) doesn’t get a penalty kick in the 53rd minute,” Vermes said in his press conference.

Back in his office, Vermes was livid that the play wasn’t called back for a penalty. With that play, it’s easy to point and say: Well if Salloi just falls down, he probably gets the penalty call.

But that’s part of Vermes’ frustrations.

“Every week, they pull guys out and they fine whatever undisclosed amount for embellishment,” Vermes said. “The guy is trying to play the game. At the end of the day, he’s impeded from going to the goal.

“I think that he (the referee) doesn’t have the courage to make a second penalty kick in the game.”

In the end, the frustration boiled down to the lack of consistency.

Vermes pointed out the similarity between the Shelton play and a challenge on Gadi Kinda in St. Louis that directly led to a goal.

“They hit Gadi in his knees and to not call that, like, (they) said that was a good tackle, and now you’re gonna tell me that this isn’t good?” Vermes said. “That’s what I mean: The inconsistency is consistent.”

One last point from Vermes was that the VAR (video assistant referee) for Saturday’s match was Younes Marrakchi. He also was in that role for Sporting KC’s decision-day loss in 2021 and failed to recommend a replay review for an obvious handball in that game.

PRO, the organization that provides MLS’ match officials, issued a statement following that match acknowledging the missed call — which kept Sporting KC from finishing first in the Western Conference and kept the Los Angeles Galaxy out of the playoffs. Tonight was the first time Marrackhi was assigned to a Sporting KC match since.

“Is it a coincidence?” Vermes said. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

Despite the frustrations, there were still 90 minutes of play that weren’t under that same scrutiny.

“I don’t think the game was a good game for either team,” Vermes said in his press conference.

Sporting’s Alan Pulido opened the scoring against LAFC just 17 minutes into the game. Despite LAFC having more of the possession early on, Sporting generated the chance when Kinda chased down a pass toward the end line and got a vital touch to the ball just before getting cleaned out by LAFC defender Denil Maldonado in the box.

On the initial play, head referee Mendoza did not point to the spot, but after VAR recommended a review, Sporting KC was given just their second penalty kick of the season. Pulido stepped up and blasted it high and hard into the top corner to make it 1-0.

That goal made it four in the last three games for Pulido, as the Mexican star continues his best run of form since returning from injury this season.

But, on the other side of halftime, LAFC evened up the scoreline thanks to a flick header from Maldonado, who made up for giving away the penalty kick.

“I think coming out of halftime, we were sleeping at that moment,” Vermes said.

In the 90th minute, things unraveled entirely for Sporting when Vela was kept onside by Shelton, allowing a looping ball back toward the Sporting KC net that was pounced on by Vela. He scored to put LAFC in front 2-1, ultimately the final score.

Sporting KC next heads out to Los Angeles on Wednesday night to take on the Galaxy at 9:30 p.m. Central. Then, they’ll return home to face the Chicago Fire on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.

This story was originally published June 17, 2023 at 10:07 PM.