Sporting KC shuts out Seattle Sounders FC 3-0, helps its playoff chances

The buildup spanned 20 minutes, and in many ways, it provided a microcosm of the Sporting Kansas City season. The team owned the majority of the possession and a significant lead in the shots column, yet it lacked a quality finish to make it all worthwhile.

But on a hot, humid Kansas City afternoon, Sporting KC would eventually depart from its usual blueprint — and revert to its “Sporting Fit” mantra as the overwhelming force.

Dom Dwyer and Jacob Peterson paired together scenic final touches, the highlights of Sporting KC’s 3-0 utter dismantling of the visiting Seattle Sounders at Children’s Mercy Park.

“That’s our identity,” Sporting KC midfielder Roger Espinoza said emphatically. “That’s who we are. That’s who we should be.”

The payoff: Sporting KC climbed three spots in the Western Conference and moved back into playoff positioning.

On a Sunday afternoon in which the temperature on the field eclipsed triple digits, as forecasted, Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes emphasized the need to capture the first goal and force Seattle to expend its energy chasing the equalizer.

Sporting KC, 9-10-4, didn’t settle for the first one. It bagged three before Seattle even attempted a shot and then continued to pour chance after chance toward the Sounders goal.

A visibly tired, slumping Seattle club did not even attempt a shot until the 88th minute.

“I don’t think it’s really humane to play in that kind of heat, to be honest,” Sporting KC midfielder Benny Feilhaber said. “But it’s definitely more advantageous for us than them.”

Dwyer put Sporting KC on the scoreboard with a perfectly-placed header in the 21st minute, the final piece of a sequence of quality passes. Roger Espinoza and Graham Zusi were credited with assists.

“That kind of eased the pressure for the guys in the back,” defender Lawrence Olum said. “That one goal opened up a lot of things.”

Indeed, Peterson doubled the lead moments before the halftime whistle with a strike he located in the far corner of the netting. Saad Abdul-Salaam and Ike Opara assisted.

Dwyer added his second goal in the 79th minute, the product of a misplay and perhaps a lack of hustle along the Seattle back line. Dwyer leads the team with 10 goals this season.

Sporting KC whiffed on a handful of chances to make the scoreline even more lopsided.

At the final whistle, Sporting KC migrated from its spot below the red line into a fourth-place tie with Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference standings. It holds the tiebreaker. The top six teams reach the playoffs.

But it did come at a cost.

After a hamstring strain kept Graham Zusi out of action for three games, his return to the lineup Sunday lasted less than a full half. Zusi said he aggravated the same injury but didn’t feel it was severe. Connor Hallisey finished the match.

Sporting KC held Seattle scoreless for the fourth time in the past five meetings between the two clubs. Sporting KC became the first team in MLS history to hold two different opponents to one shot attempt in one season.

“I think when you go with that kind of commitment physically, you can break a team mentally, as well,” Vermes said. “I think today we did that.”

SPORTING KANSAS CITY 3

SEATTLE 0

SEATTLE: Stefan Frei; Tyrone Mears, Brad Evans, Chad Marshall, Joevin Jones; Cristian Roldan, Erik Friberg (Tony Alfaro, halftime), Clint Dempsey; Herculez Gomez (Zach Scott, halftime), Jordan Morris, Andreas Ivanschitz (Michael Farfan, 64th).

KANSAS CITY: Tim Melia; Sadd Abdul-Salaam (Seth Sinovic, 85th) Ike Opara, Lawrence Olum, Jimmy Medrando; Benny Feilhaber, Soni Mustivar, Roger Espinoza; Jacob Peterson (Porter, 77th), Dominic Dwyer, Graham Zusi (Connor Hallisey, 41st).

GOAL SCORING

Seattle: None.

Kansas City: 1, Dwyer 9 (Espinoza, Zusi), 21st minute. 2, Peterson 2 (Abdul-Salaam, Opara), 45th+3 minute. 3, Dwyer 10, 79th minute.

CAUTIONS

Seattle: Gomez, 43rd; Jones, 57th.

Kansas City: Espinoza, 23rd; Mustivar, 65th.

OFFICIALS

Referee: Robert Sibiga.

Assistant referee: Jeff Muschik.

Assistant referee: Peter Manikowski.

4th official: Hilario Grajeda.

Announced attendance: 18,563.

This story was originally published July 24, 2016 at 4:10 PM with the headline "Sporting KC shuts out Seattle Sounders FC 3-0, helps its playoff chances."