For the second consecutive day, Sporting Kansas City and the Colorado Rapids played to a 1-1 draw. Sunday's meeting came in the 2011 MLS Reserve League on Field 20 at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Complex. Sporting Kansas City's Korede Aiyegbusi gave Sporting Kansas City a lead in first-half stoppage time, but Rapids midfielder Brian Mullan's goal in the 65th minute left the teams level.
Sporting Kansas City are now unbeaten in their last three Reserve League matches and now stand at 1-1-2 this season. Colorado earned their first point in the Central/Mountain Division and improve to 0-3-1.
Sporting Kansas City had most of the possession in the first half, and were rewarded just before the halftime whistle when Aiyegbusi received a long ball behind the Colorado defense and chipped the ball over onrushing Rapids goalkeeper Steward Ceus. Kansas City had other chances to take the lead in the first half, including a curling shot from Milos Stojcev in the 4th minute that hit the post, and another chance minutes later from C.J. Sapong that was saved by Ceus.
Colorado's equalizer came in the 65th minute when Josh Janniere played a long corner kick to the far side of the box. Mullan, serving a 10-game suspension in MLS play, stepped up and hit a first-time volley, knocking the ball into the lower corner of the net past Sporting goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, who couldn’t get enough of the shot to keep it out.
The Rapids took control of the second half after Kansas City trialist Omar Colley received his second yellow card of the game, forcing the visitors to play the final 38 minutes of the match down a player. Quincy Amarikwa and Steven Emory each had chances to give the Rapids the lead, as Amarikwa’s shot in the 62nd minute went just wide and Emory’s strike from distance in minute 75 was tipped over by Kronberg.
Sporting Kansas City will be off from Reserve League action until July 19th when they host the Chicago Fire.
Scoring Summary:
SKC – Korede Aiyegbusi (Omar Colley) 45+’
COL – Brian Mullan (Josh Janniere) 65’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC – Omar Colley (caution) 37’
SKC – Omar Colley (second caution/ejection) 52’
Colorado Rapids Reserves – Steward Ceus; Anthony Wallace (James Rogers 46), Scott Palguta, Mike Holody, Eddie Ababio; Ricardo Perez (Andre Akpan 75), Steven Emory, Josh Janniere; Dillon Serna, Brian Mullan, Quincy Amarikwa
Substitutes Not Used: Ian Joyce, Sanna Nyassi
Sporting Kansas City Reserves – Eric Kronberg, Scott Lorenz, Julio Cesar, #Omar Colley, Kevin Ellis, Korede Aiyegbusi, Birahim Diop, Luke Sassano, Milos Stojcev, C.J. Sapong (#Leo Gibson 50’), Nate Opperman (Wes White 71)
Substitutes Not Used: Eric DeJulio, Jimmy Nielsen
Denotes Academy players
# Denotes trialist
