April 10, 2022 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro) – Sporting Kansas City II News Release
Sporting Kansas City II (1-1-1, 4 points) suffered a three-goal defeat to Houston Dynamo 2 (3-0-0, 9 points) on Sunday evening at Rock Chalk Park. Roberto Avila’s hat trick propelled Dynamo Dos to their third victory, as they remain the only perfect team in MLS NEXT Pro.
The action-packed match featured three penalty kicks, and lots of chances for both sides as Houston took advantage of their chances. SKC II got the ball rolling as first-team loanee Jake Davis played forward Rauf Salifu in on goal in the sixth minute. Salifu was forced into a rushed shot but still managed to get the shot on goal, forcing Houston’s goalkeeper Xavier Valdez into his first of four saves on the night.
Dynamo Dos would jump out in front moments later when a long throw-in in the box bounced once and was put into the back of the net by Avila. Things did not get better for SKC II as two minutes later SKC II defender Aljaz Dzankic was subbed off.
His replacement Esai Easley was forced to make a tactical foul in the box, preventing a Houston break away. The tactical foul paid off as John Pulskamp made an immaculate save on the kick from the spot, diving to his right and blocking the attempt with authority.
Neither side tested either keeper for a while until the 24th minute when SKC II captain Collin Fernandez found Kaveh Rad in the box. Rad had his shot teed up for him by Fernandez, but could not muster enough strength to beat Valdez, as his look at goal ended up as the Dynamo Dos keeper’s second save. Fernandez would have a look at goal of his own, however, his one-time, curled attempt sailed just past the far corner.
Pulskamp was called into action again in the 36th, diving off his line to block a ball played into the box that ended up being redirected at goal. The goalkeeper’s long frame allowed him to block the shot with his body while nearly getting a fist to the cross. SKC II then earned a corner as Mataeo Bunbury was fouled on the near post inside the Houston six-yard box.
Fernandez tested Valdez by blasting the ball down the middle, but the tall keeper kept his footing and slapped the ball into the air. Salifu made a beeline for the rebound and was able to head it down, but a bevy of retreating Houston defenders were able to block the shot off the line. Salifu came up a little worse for wear after the play and was subbed out for Dembakwi Yomba.
Valdez made his fourth and final save of the half and the match in the 44th when Julian Vazquez scorched a turf burner at the lower far corner that the keeper was able to reach with an outstretched left hand. Houston doubled their lead off Avila’s second goal in stoppage time of the first half.
Head coach Benny Feilhaber made a pair of changes at halftime, bringing on Sporting KC loanees Kayden Pierre, and Ozzie Cisneros for K. Rad and Curtez Kellman. Pierre absolutely torched his mark on the right sideline and nearly centered the ball to Davis at the top of the box if it was not for the last man backtracking for Houston.
Houston and Avila got their third goal of the match’s third penalty in the 55th minute. Pulskamp dove the correct way but the Dynamo Dos forward lifted his shot into the upper-90 of the goal.
Neither side had any real dangerous chances after that as Houston began to dump bodies behind the ball. Houston improves to 3-0-0 on the season, the only team in MLS NEXT Pro with three wins this season. SKC II will welcome St. Louis City2 to Rock Chalk Park next Saturday, April 16 at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets for the match can be purchased on SeatGeek.com as SKC II and the club of Sporting Kansas City faces a St. Louis City side for the first time ever.
2022 MLS NEXT Pro | Match 3
Rock Chalk Park | Lawrence, Kansas
Weather: 76 degrees and Sunny
Sporting KC II 0-3 Houston Dynamo 2
Sporting KC II 0-3 Houston Dynamo 2
Score
1
2
F
Sporting Kansas City II
0
0
0
Houston Dynamo 2
2
1
3
Sporting Kansas City II: John Pulskamp; Jake Davis, Aljaz Dzankic (Esai Easley 11′), Jahon Rad, Spencer Glass; Curtez Kellman (Kayden Pierre 46′), Kaveh Rad (Ozzie Cisneros 46′), Collin Fernandez; Julian Vazquez, Rauf Salifu (Dembakwi Yomba 44′), Mataeo Bunbury (Bakary Bagayoko 78′)
Subs Not Used: Ethan Bandre, T.J. Fatah, Cole McLagan, Cade Thomson
Houston Dynamo 2: Xavier Valdez; Mujeeb Murana (Reese Miller 70′), Talen Maples, Sterling Penniston-John, Ian Hoffman; Brooklyn Raines (D’Alessandro Herrera 70′), Juan Castilla, Papa Ndoye (Joyner Castillo Meija 64′), Marcelo Palomino (Diego Gonzalez 63′), Jathan Juarez; Roberto Avila (Joseph Farouz 76′)
Subs Not Used: Jacob Evans, Erick Monge Andrew Pannenberg,
Scoring Summary:
HOU — Roberto Avila 1 (Mujeeb Murana 1) 8′
HOU — Roberto Avila 2 (Papa Ndoye 1) 45+1′
HOU — Roberto Avila 3 (penalty) 55′
Misconduct Summary:
SKC — Esai Easley (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 12′
HOU — Roberto Avila (yellow card; delaying a restart) 28′
SKC — Jahon Rad (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 53′
SKC — Jake Davis (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 56′
HOU — Brooklyn Raines (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 65′
HOU — Juan Castilla (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 68′
HOU — Sterling Penniston-John (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 83′
Match Statistics
Stat
SKC
HOU
Shots
14
14
Shots on Goal
4
5
Saves
2
4
Fouls
17
19
Offsides
2
2
Corner Kicks
2
1
Referee: Greg Dopka
Assistant Referee: Jay Norris
Assistant Referee: AJ Franklin
Fourth Official: Kyle Armstrong
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