KANSAS CITY, KANSAS - In an eventful match in front of 19,882 fans at Children's Mercy Park and a national television audience on FOX Sports 1, Seattle Sounders FC (7-2-5, 26 points) was unable to find a late equalizer, dropping a 3-2 result to Sporting Kansas City (3-4-5, 14 points) on Sunday evening. Raúl RuidÃaz and Kelvin Leerdam found the net for Seattle, but a hat trick from Johnny Russell propelled the home side to victory. The Rave Green continue their four-match road swing next Saturday, June 1 against FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium (5:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, YouTube TV, Univision-Seattle, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
Sporting's Johnny Russell got the home side on the board first in the 29th minute, as SKC capitalized on a Seattle turnover inside its own half, allowing Yohan Croizet to pick out the Scotsman at the edge of Sounders FC's area. Russell did not waste his opportunity, burying his chance into Seattle's net, good for his fifth goal of 2019.
Russell doubled his side's advantage before the stroke of halftime, cutting inside the Rave Green's 18-yard-box before splitting Seattle's defense and finishing at Stefan Frei's back post. Scoring in first-half stoppage time, Sporting took a 2-0 lead into the halftime break.
RuidÃaz pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 63rd minute, receiving a Kelvin Leerdam pass inside Sporting's area before waiting patiently to fire his attempt. As the Sporting defense misaligned, the Peruvian took aim, netting his team-leading fifth goal of 2019.
Russell scored his seventh goal of the year five minutes later, securing his hat trick with a strike to Frei's far post from the edge of Seattle's area. Sporting midfielder Kelyn Rowe was credited with the assist on the play.
Leerdam bagged a goal of his own in the 71st minute, banging home a header from a Lodeiro corner kick, bringing Seattle back to within a goal at 3-2. For the fullback, the strike was his fourth goal of 2019.
Of note for the Rave Green, new signing Xavier Arreaga made his Seattle debut on Sunday afternoon. Added to the club's roster earlier this month as a Designated Player, the Ecuadorian entered the match in relief of the injured Kim Kee-hee in the 38th minute.
Following today's match in the heartland, Seattle continues its four-match road trip, beginning with a weekend match in North Texas against FC Dallas on Saturday, June 1. Kickoff for that contest is slated for 5:00 p.m. PT, with coverage being provided by JOEtv, Univision-Seattle, YouTube TV, Sports Radio 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM. After the club's match in Dallas, the Rave Green remain on the road, heading straight through to Quebec for its lone matchup of the season against Montreal on Wednesday, June 5.
MATCH NOTES
- With tonight's result, Sounders FC remains in second place in the Western Conference with 26 points (7-2-5), one point ahead of third-place LA Galaxy and eight points behind Supporters' Shield leader LAFC.
- Sounders FC moves to 9-6-4 all-time in MLS regular season play against Sporting, including a 4-4-2 mark in Kansas City.
- With today's result, Seattle's unbeaten run of six matches comes to a close. Sounders FC had previously earned two wins and four draws dating back to April 21.
- Raúl RuidÃaz's goal in the 63rd minute of play was his fifth strike of 2019 in nine games played, good for the team lead in scoring.
- Kelvin Leerdam's header in the 71st minute of play was his fourth strike of 2019, tied with Jordan Morris for second on the team.
- Captain Nico Lodeiro earned the assist on Leerdam's goal, good for his eighth assist in league play this season. The Uruguayan is now second in Major League Soccer in assists.
- Newly-signed Designated Player Xavier Arreaga made his Sounders FC debut on Sunday, just days after arriving in Seattle from Ecuador. The central defender came into the match in relief of injured centerback Kim Kee-hee, who exited today's contest in Kansas City in the 38th minute.
- With a yellow card in the 60th minute of today's match, Lodeiro is now suspended for the June 1 match in Dallas due to yellow card accumulation. Coming into Sunday's game, the Uruguayan had four yellow cards to his name.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 - Sporting Kansas City 3
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Venue: Talen Energy Stadium
Referee: Chris Penso
Assistants: Charles Morgante, Andrew Bigelow
Fourth Official: Elvis Osmanovic
VAR: Jon Freemon
Attendance: 19,882
Weather: 80 degrees and partly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
SKC - Johnny Russell (Yohan Croizet, Nicolas Hasler) 29'
SKC - Johnny Russell (Ilie Sanchez) 45'+1'
SEA - Raúl RuidÃaz (Kelvin Leerdam, Harry Shipp) 63'
SKC - Johnny Russell (Kelyn Rowe, Yohan Croizet) 68'
SEA - Kelvin Leerdam (Nicolás Lodeiro) 71'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA- Román Torres (caution) 13'
SKC - Benny Feilhaber (caution) 26'
SKC - Yohan Croizet (caution) 34'
SEA - Nicolás Lodeiro (caution) 60'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Román Torres, Kim Kee-hee (Xavier Arreaga 38'),Brad Smith; Jordy Delem (Will Bruin 78') Cristian Roldan, Harry Shipp, Nicolás Lodeiro - captain, Handwalla Bwana (Nouhou 60'); Raúl RuidÃaz
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Alex Roldan, Gustav Svensson
Total shots: 12 (RuidÃaz, 7)
Shots on goal: 6 (RuidÃaz, 2)
Fouls: 7 (Lodeiro, 3)
Offside: 1 (Bwana, 1)
Corner-kicks: 2 (Lodeiro, 2)
Saves: 4 (Frei, 4)
Sporting Kansas City - Tim Melia; Nicolas Hasler, Botond Barath, Matt Besler (Graham Smith 79'), Seth Sinovic; Felipe Gutierrez, Ilie Sanchez, Benny Feilhaber (Gianluca Busio 75'); Johnny Russell, Yoan Croizet, Kelyn Rowe
Substitutes not used: Eric Dick, Gedion Zelalem, Jimmy Medranda
Total shots: 12 (Russell, 5)
Shots on goal: 7 (Russell, 4)
Fouls: 17 (Feilhaber/Busio, 3)
Offside: 2 (Croizet, 2)
Corner-kicks: 1 (Feilhaber, 1)
Saves: 4 (Melia, 4)
