Sporting Kansas City and FC Dallas played to a 2-2 draw in MLS Reserve League action Tuesday evening at the Sporting Club Training Center in Swope Park, Kansas City.
Sporting KC rookie Dom Dwyer netted a goal in the 87th minute that negated a go-ahead strike from Ruben Luna in the 51st minute. Luna scored both of Dallas’ goals. His first came in the 39th minute on a pass from fellow FC Dallas Academy product Danny Garcia. Luna scored 10 goals to lead the MLS Reserve League in scoring last season.
Tuesday’s match began with Sporting Kansas City taking a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute after earning a corner kick. Soony Saad played the set piece short to Luke Sassano, who played a one-touch pass back to Saad. The Michigan native sent the ball into the mix, with Michael Thomas in prime position in front of FC Dallas goalkeeper Richard Sanchez to give Sporting Kansas City the 1-0 lead.
FC Dallas saw its first quality opportunity in the 24th minute, also on a corner kick. Homegrown player Jonathan Top sent his service towards the near post, where Sporting KC goalkeeper Jon Kempin punched the delivery out towards the top of the area. FC Dallas defender Alex Lee sent the ball back across the face of goal, where Matt Hedges was able to get a shot on frame, forcing Kempin to come up with the save.
A minute later, Kempin was again called into action. Luna received a ball inside the six-yard box, but Kansas City's Homegrown goalkeeper made a sprawling save to keep the home side in the lead.
In the 39th minute, Luna capitalized on his chance at redemption as he received a heavily-weighted pass from Garcia, who had just finished an aggressive run down the left sideline. Luna took a touch and buried his shot into the top of the Sporting Kansas City net despite Kempin getting a hand on the close-range attempt.
Starting the second half tied 1-1, it wasn’t long before Luna struck again. In the 51st minute, Luna combined with Scott Sealy and calmly finished to the near post. The goal marked Luna's sixth goal in his past two Reserve League matches against Sporting Kansas City after scoring four in the teams’ previous meeting in 2011.
Sporting KC continued to send shots towards FIFA Under-17 World Cup Champion Sanchez, including long-range attempts from Michael Thomas and Kyle Miller in the 79th and 81st minutes. But it was Sealy, a striker with Kansas City from 2005 to 2008, who forced another big play from Kempin. Sealy sent Luna in behind the Kansas City backline, but Kempin came off his line quickly to make a sliding clearance on the play.
In the 87th minute, it was Korede Aiyegbusi's run up the left sideline that led to the game's final goal. Aiyegbusi beat his defender to the endline before sending a cross to the middle of the area. Dwyer, Sporting Kansas City's first round pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, beat Sanchez to the right side for the late equalizer and his second goal in the Reserve League this season.
With the draw, FC Dallas Reserves (3-1-1, 10 points) move into first place of the Central/Mountain Division and the MLS Reserve League overall standings. Sporting Kansas City (1-2-2) picked up its fifth point at the half-way point of the 10-game season. FC Dallas Reserves' next match is set for Saturday, June 16 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston. The FC Dallas Reserves will face the Houston Dynamo Reserves at 6:30 p.m. CT. The match will follow the teams’ MLS match, which is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. CT.
Scoring Summary:
KC – Michael Thomas (Saad) 16
FCD – Ruben Luna (Danny Garcia) 39
FCD – Ruben Luna (Scott Sealy) 51
KC – Dom Dwyer (Korede Aiyegbusi) 87
Disciplinary Summary:
FCD – Alex Lee (Caution; Reckless Foul) 34
FCD – Moises Hernandez (Caution; Dissent) 92
FC Dallas Reserves – Richard Sanchez; Alex Lee, Matt Hedges, Victor Ulloa, Moises Hernandez; Jonathon Top (Bryan Leyva 85); Bobby Warshaw, James Marcelin* (Aaron Guillen* 69), Danny Garcia* (Michael Ambrose* 46), Scott Sealy, Ruben Luna.
Subs not used: Eduardo Cortez
Sporting KC Reserves – Jon Kempin; Korede Aiyegbusi, Konrad Warzycha, Lawrence Olum, Kevin Ellis; Luke Sassano, Michael Thomas, Peterson Joseph (Leo Gibson66); Jacob Peterson (Kyle Miller* 66), Soony Saad (David Leichty), Dom Dwyer (Teal Bunbury 88).
Subs not used: Jacole Turner, Erik Palmer-Brown
Guest trialist
*Juniors Academy player
