Johnny Russell scores in return to Kansas City. But Sporting KC fought back

Johnny Russell scored and made a goal-line clearance in his return to Children’s Mercy Park. For nearly an hour, it looked like those would be the triumphant plays.

But Erik Thommy’s second-half equalizer stood up long enough for Sporting to earn a point in a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake.

“It’s just another example that we all get to see of this group that just never gives up,” Sporting interim coach Kerry Zavagnin said. “I think it’s a credit to them and what their mentality is. ... I truly believe that on the day we gave our best effort. It wasn’t our best performance, but I think we gave our best effort, especially in the second half.”

Sporting KC moves to 5-10-5 and sits in 12th place, six points out of a playoff spot.

Russell got his goal in first-half stoppage time. He received a well-hit cross to the back post and won his battle for the ball with Tim Leibold. Russell thumped a powerful header past Sporting goalkeeper John Pulskamp for a 1-0 lead.

While some fans booed, others clapped and cheered in acknowledgment of Russell, a fan favorite at Sporting who spent seven years at the club. Russell didn’t celebrate out of respect.

“There were some people behind the goal that weren’t too happy,” Russell said. “I spoke about it before the game. I made no secret I wanted to stay here. The team didn’t want me to stay here, so I moved on.”

He acknowledged the reception he received throughout the night: prior to the game, after he scored and when he was subbed off — to a standing ovation.

“The whole thing leading up to it was very strange, pretty emotional as well,” Russell said. “You know, taking it all in. Obviously a great reception from the fans. And, you know, I’d always said that since the minute I walked in the door at Sporting they were incredible with me, and it still remains that way to this day.

“I could never thank them enough or repay them enough for what they gave to me and my family.”

Russell was plenty involved Saturday as Real Salt Lake found a foothold in the game deep into the first half. At one point in the period, the teams were tied on shots at four apiece. By the halftime whistle, it was 12-4 in Real Salt Lake’s favor.

But Sporting KC came back to life in the second half. Thommy had a great chance at the doorstep, but Russell cleared it off the line.

It was Sporting again who created the next big chance. Jake Davis and Manu Garcia combined for a passing sequence that ended with Thommy in a pocket of space on the left wing. He curled in a shot to the far post to level the score.

Then things got chippy: In the 70th minute, Sporting’s Jake Davis took down Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo, while head referee Ismir Pekmic played advantage. In the process, Gozo kicked back at Davis in retaliation. Pekmic then stopped the game and called the foul on Gozo, giving both Davis and Gozo yellow cards.

Traditionally, retaliatory kick-outs are seen as violent conduct for which players can be sent off. But the play wasn’t brought under review.

“I’m not a ref,” Davis said. “I’ve seen a lot of soccer in the world, in the league, and I think when there’s something like that, usually it’s punished by a red card.”

Afterward, through the pool report process, the referee said “the force and degree of contact” by the Real Salt Lake player “did not meet the criteria for violent conduct.”

Zavagnin didn’t directly blame the officials postgame, but when asked if the ruling of that challenge as a yellow card made sense, he offered a simple: “No.”

That situation would come back to haunt Sporting, as Jake Davis received a second yellow card 12 minutes later.

Sporting hung on and defended with 10 men for the final eight minutes, plus seven more of stoppage time. That included a block off the line by Jansen Miller to seal the draw.

“It speaks to how he thinks about his role within the game, and it’s defending the goal at all costs,” Zavagnin said. “We got to see another example of that tonight.”

Up next: Sporting KC heads to Commerce City, Colorado, to take on the Rapids on July 4. That match kicks off at 8:30 p.m.

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

This story was originally published June 28, 2025 at 10:06 PM.