Was there a silver lining to Sporting KC’s performance in loss vs. San Diego FC?

In Saturday night’s contest at Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting KC had more of the chances. Even the advanced stats favored KC.

But it was the expansion team, San Diego FC — the Western Conference’s best team — that showed why it’s at the top.

Chucky Lozano’s stunning strike from distance gave San Diego an early lead. And MVP candidate Anders Dreyer added the away team’s second goal to cap off a scintillating 20-pass sequence.

“I wouldn’t want anything else other than the result,” interim coach Kerry Zavagnin said of his team’s performance. “I think the game can be cruel sometimes.”

The 2-0 loss drops Sporting to 6-13-6 on the season, still six points below the playoff line with nine games to play.

It wasn’t for a lack of effort on Sporting’s part. KC outshot the visitors 21-6 and had an advantage in xG (expected goals) of 1.49-0.77. Seventeen of those shots came from inside the penalty box, too.

But Sporting couldn’t crack the San Diego shell in front of goal. San Diego’s goalkeeper C.J. dos Santos made five saves, and San Diego’s defense also blocked seven shots — including multiple off the goal line.

“There have been games where we get to score a lot and come back,” Santiago Muñoz said. “Today (the ball) just really didn’t go in. And we tried everything.”

Sporting switched formations to a 4-4-1-1, with Zorhan Bassong and Jake Davis playing as dual defensive midfielders and Muñoz playing as an attacking midfielder or second striker.

Bassong and Davis were the starting midfielders against LAFC in the U.S. Open Cup Final. Yet Saturday marked just the first time all season they played together in the middle.

“I think we complement each other a lot,” Davis said. “He’s very much a destroyer, and I think I’m the same way. I think we both add a lot of energy to the game — and quality.”

Sporting’s pressing action was much more effective Saturday, and the two-striker press of Muñoz and Dejan Joveljic was as well. Sporting turned San Diego over repeatedly and got forward for chances.

But it was a moment of brilliance from Lozano in the 23rd minute that lit up the scoreboard first. Lozano picked up a pass in acres of space in front of Sporting KC’s back line. Nobody closed down that space, and Lozano buried his shot from nearly 30 yards out into the top corner.

Sporting had its chances, with Logan Ndenbe’s shot saved off the line moments after Joveljic’s header was saved, too.

Sporting’s loss was punctuated in the 70th minute after San Diego completed a 20-pass sequence (albeit with the help of a deflection off Jansen Miller’s face) with an expert finish from Dreyer.

Dreyer, who assisted Lozano’s goal, now has 12 goals and 17 assists in his debut season in MLS. He has two more goal contributions (29) than Lionel Messi (27) this year.

San Diego FC is an expansion team, but the club shelled out nearly $20 million to acquire the services of its leading duo — Lozano and Dreyer — which has certainly paid off.

“I think you put your investment in the attacking players because the good ones can turn the game in a moment’s notice,” Zavagnin said. “In an otherwise equal game at that point, a turnover on our end led to a really good goal by Lozano.”

Sporting also debuted Alan Montes. The newly signed center back came on for roughly 10 minutes, including stoppage time, toward the end of the match.

Up next: Sporting KC faces a tough road test against Orlando City next Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. Central.

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

This story was originally published August 9, 2025 at 10:14 PM.