Donnelly: Sporting Brings the Wood, Blasts Montreal 4-0

photo by Kayla Meppelink

It took about a half hour for Sporting Kansas City to get on the board against the visiting Montreal Impact on Saturday.  But once they did, the floodgates opened and KC put 4 in the back of the net.

Prior to that first KC goal, though, Montreal had the better chances even though they were getting dominated in possession.  In the 13th minute Montreal broke free on a 2 v 1, and the ball was laid off to Marco DiVaio who hit a one timer right at Aurelien Collin, covering the line for Eric Kronberg, who was forced to come out.

That was the best chance of the night for the visitors, and a huge effort play from Collin.  If Montreal score that goal, it changes the complexion of the whole game.  A bit unlucky for DiVaio, but more bad luck came his team’s way just a minute later. 

Matt Besler cranked up one of his trademark throw ins, directed toward Collin at the near post.  Collin rose for it, but the ball actually skipped off the head of a defender, sending a lofting near post flick softly into the opposite side netting.  Pretty own goal.

“It was a fluke goal,” complained Impact defender Calum Mallace.  “Obviously, you don’t want to concede an own goal but when it’s one like that, it’s even harder.”

In the second half, KC continued applying pressure, and wore Montreal down to their breaking point.  

“I thought the second half was the best half we’ve played this year on both sides of the ball,” said KC boss Peter Vermes afterwards.

It certainly didn’t hurt that KC was coming off a bye week, especially since their early-season schedule has been so packed.  Sporting looked fresh and fast for the first time this season.

photo by Jamila St. Ann

And the rout was officially on a minute later when Dom Dwyer buried a point blank ground cross into the empty net, after Collin dummied the liner coming in from Jacob Peterson, to make it 3-0.

Montreal is not good.

So not good, in fact, that KC put another one on them in the 86th minute, off what looked like a routine take-it-to-the-corner play.  Instead, Graham Zusi sent a cross in that found the head of the wee Dwyer, to finish the gutting at 4-0.

“He was a pain in the ass for their defenders,” said Vermes of Dwyer’s brace.  “He really was. They were having a hard time with him the whole time. Unfortunately, he should have gotten I don’t know how many more fouls called for him. It sometimes happens that way, that a guy that is strong and can fight people off, the referee starts to allow those guys to take  liberties and unfortunately tonight, I thought there was too many times when he was being pulled or pushed around.”

The big win puts Sporting atop the East heading to conference foe New England this weekend.