Donnelly: Star is Born in Sporting KC Win Over Chicago

Tim Melia

After allowing eight goals in the previous four matches – including a whopping four at the Houston Dynamo last week –  Sporting Kansas City boss Peter Vermes decided it was time to bench his brand new, Chilean, starting goalkeeper, Luis Marin…

In Marin’s place, Vermes inserted 6-year MLS benchwarmer Tim Melia against the visiting Chicago Fire on Sunday.  Over the years, Melia bounced around between clubs as a pool goalkeeper, and before that he had a couple year stint with the horrible Chivas USA – a team MLS euthanized in late 2014.

So when Melia was announced as the starter, it certainly looked pretty bad for Marin.

It’s not like Peter Schmeichel was waiting in the wings.  What I’m saying is that Vermes must be pretty pissed at the Chilean to abandon him this early in his first season in KC.

But then something awesome happened.

Melia came out and owned the penalty box.

He came off his line in the opening few seconds of the match and headed away a ball outside the area.  He absolutely crushed goal kicks and punts into the stratosphere.

And he made at least three point blank saves in the first half alone, keeping the clean sheet which would eventually earn Sporting three points.

Luis Marin

Vermes’ message to Marin started to look more like a pink slip.

The second half saw more of the same from Melia – aggressive charges off his line, mammoth distribution, timely punches away.  The crowd really started getting behind this guy that only the most die hard KC fans had even heard of.

“I can’t say enough about his performance,” gushed KC captain Matt Besler.  “He came off his line at the right times and made a couple big saves for us. We’re happy for him for sure.”

But Melia was more content to deflect the praise back on the team, even though everyone who watched the game knew he was clearly the MVP.

“It was great for me and even more important for the team,” Melia said.  “That’s a result we really needed as a team moving forward and I hope we can build off that.”

Moving forward, after a performance like that, it would be a shame to put Melia back on the bench in favor of Marin.  In my eyes he won the starting job with his single performance on Sunday, and should stay there until he gives Vermes a reason to make another switch.