Sporting Kansas City grabbed a more secure hold of first place in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer, with goals from forwards Alan Pulido and Daniel Salloi, and a second straight shutout from goalkeeper Tim Melia, giving KC a 2-0 victory at FC Dallas on Saturday night. The result pushes Kansas City’s record to 11-4-4, good for 37 points, while dropping Dallas to 5-8-6, for 21 points. The loss in the first for Dallas on the home turf at Toyota Stadium in 12 months, ending an 18-game home undefeated stretch.
Since the start of July, Sporting is now on an impressive five-match undefeated streak, with four wins and a draw. On Saturday night, Sporting’s charges were particularly strong, with seven players returning from a mid-week Leagues Cup quarterfinal loss to Club Leon, with Pulido, Melia, midfielder Roger Espinoza, captain Johnny Russell, and defenders Andreu Fontas, Luis Martins, and Graham Zusi all rejoining the team for the battle in Texas.
Sporting’s challenging stretch of Major League Soccer tests will continue on Wednesday night, as the Portland Timbers visit Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas for a 7:30 contest on Bally Sports Midwest Plus, and Bally Sports Kansas City Plus. Portland will head into KC sixth place in the Western Conference standings, with 23 points and a record of 7-8-2.
