New York City FC (NYCFC) topped visiting Sporting Kansas City, 3:1, during Friday evening encounter, before crowd of 20,178, at Bronx’s Yankee Stadium.
A low offense by each club in the opening minutes with its first dangerous opportunity to score came in the 34th minute when Argentinean international midfielder Maximiliano Moralez’s header was one handed saved by Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia over the cross bar for a corner kick.
NYCFC finally broke the scoreless deadlock six minutes later when Swedish international defender Anton Tinnerholm scored off an assist from Finnish international midfielder Alexander Ring for a 1:0 lead for the hosts.
In the second half, Brazilian forward Héber made it 2:0 for NYCFC in 54th minute-mark
Sporting KC was reduced to 10 players in the 61st minute after Honduran international midfielder Roger Espinoza received a red card from Referee David Gantar after hard foul on Luxembourg international defender Maxime Chanot of NYCFC.
Spanish midfielder Ilie Sánchez got Sporting KC as he headed home off a corner kick, past U.S. international goalkeeper Sean Johnson of NYCFC in the 73rd minute.
Four minutes later NYCFC regained the two-goal lead when Ring scored from just outside the 18-yard box past Melia.
The victory improves NYCFC to 9-3-8 ledger (35 Points) and have won five of its last seven league encounters. Meanwhile, Sporting KC falls to 6-9-7 (25 Points) and have lost four of its last six games.
07.26.2019: Bronx, N.Y.; Yankee Stadium (A: 20178)
NEW YORK CITY FC – SPORTING KANSAS CITY 3:1 (1:0)
Anton TINNERHOLM 41’; HÉBER 54’; Alexander RING 77’ – Ilie SÁNCHEZ 73’
New York City FC: Sean Johnson – Maxime Chanot, James Sands, Alexander Callens, Anton Tinnerholm, Ronald Matarrita, Alexander Ring-C, Keaton Parks, Alexandru Mitrita (70: Gary Mackay-Steven), Maximiliano Moralez (52: Ebenezer Ofori), Héber (82: Valentin Castellanos). Booked: Chanot 45’
Coach: Domenec TORRENT
Sporting Kansas City: Tim Melia – Matt Besler-C, Botond Baráth, Seth Sinovic (88: Yohan Croizet), Graham Zusi, Ilie Sánchez, Benny Feilhaber, Roger Espinoza, Gerso Fernandes (82: Daniel Salloi), Krisztian Nemeth (59: Erik Hurtado), Johnny Russell. Booked: Espinoza 45’, Fernandes 79’, Baráth 90’+, Sent offs: Espinoza 61’
Coach: Peter VERMES
R: David GANTAR (CAN)