Sporting KC breaks 10-match losing streak with dramatic comeback from 3-0 down

Going into Saturday night’s match at Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting Kansas City had taken the field five times in 2025, each resulting in a loss.

For nearly an hour against Minnesota United, it looked like it would be six.

Down three goals in the second half — with snow falling hard enough to require the use of an orange ball — a simple long ball over the top from Tim Leibold to Daniel Salloi started a snowball effect for Sporting Kansas City.

All the way to a 3-3 draw.

“Emotionally, we were down,” Sporting KC striker Dejan Joveljic said. “But we kept going. And of course the players from the bench, I want to say especially (Salloi) — I mean, he gave us the wings and then we fly together.”

Salloi scored that chance in the 68th minute. A Minnesota own goal came four minutes later, setting the stage for Joveljic’s 80th minute equalizer.

“I’m very happy with the mentality to come back,” manager Peter Vermes said. “That part was very good. I also think that in the first half we deserved a lot more from the half. But you don’t deserve it when you give up the two goals that we did.

“We come out at halftime and (do) the same thing. We can’t do that on a regular basis. We can’t keep chasing games.”

It was a tale of two halves for Sporting.

Minnesota’s first goal was a stunning and unstoppable strike from Hassani Dotson in the 15th minute. It came completely against the run of play, as Sporting had mostly controlled the opening of the match.

And 16 minutes later, Tani Oluwaseyi snagged Minnesota’s second on an easy counterattack.

Almost the exact same situation occurred seconds into the second half to give Minnesota a 3-0 lead. Sporting looked dead in the water: Shoulders slumped and players paused to look up at the sky after a giveaway before jumping back in to try and win the ball back.

But a double-substitution — with both Leibold and Salloi coming on — flipped the match on its head.

“It was our objective just to play those balls in behind,” Leibold told The Star. “I feel like we made mistakes in the first half. ... (Minnesota) was just waiting for us to play our striker the ball on the feet. We lost the ball and they were going on counterattacks. It was good timing.”

Sporting’s first goal brought a bit of belief. The second goal solidified it for anyone who didn’t yet feel the tide shifting.

“After the second, we came alive immediately,” Salloi said. “You know, we’ve been in that position on the other side where all of a sudden the field (tilts).”

Vermes noted that nobody from Sporting grabbed the ball out of the net to run it back to the halfway line — customary for a team wanting to resume play as quickly as possible — on the first goal. But it happened on the second.

“You could see that the mentality changed more in our favor in that way,” Vermes said.

Sporting could’ve won it. The team was close to losing it, too. But earning a point when down 3-0 could be a galvanizing moment for a team yet to win in 2025.

Sporting KC snapped a 10-match losing streak in all competitions with the draw.

“I think tonight, coming back that way, it should give a little confidence to the guys as we move through,” Vermes said.

The question now is whether that belief and confidence will carry over. Sporting will play three of its next four at home.

“This is a good injection for us,” Joveljic said. “And then hopefully we’re gonna win some points.”

Up next: Sporting KC (0-3-1) hosts LAFC at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday, March 22. That match is set for 7:30 p.m. Central.

Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.

This story was originally published March 15, 2025 at 9:47 PM.