Cruise Control

Basically for the entire game tonight, it seemed that Sporting KC never took it out of first gear as they took care of the Chicago Fire PDL 3-0 tonight out at LiveSTRONG Sporting Park. From the start KC came out and dictated the early tempo. In the 3rd minute, Teal Bunbury gave KC the only goal they'd need and to an extent killed the game. Off a free kick at the top of the box, Luke Sassano slide the ball to Bunbury who fired his shot into the corner giving KC the 1-0 lead. KC still attacked after that, but the level of intensity just did not seem to be there, KC's best chance after that came when Milos Stojcev struck the bar after a cross from Michael Harrington. Other than that KC seemed content to possess the ball around midfield or let Chicago have possession that led to very little. Although late it the half Chicago looked like they'd equalized, but the goal was called back due to the scorer, Paulo Vaz being offside. Overall, though, the first half was fairly dull, really killed off due to the early goal by KC that forced Chicago to chance the game and allowed KC to sit back and relax a little bit.

To start the second half, Graham Zusi entered for Sassano and immediately seemed to provide a little more spark to the team on the field, but still the team seemed to just coasting through the game. In the 58th minute, KC got the insurance goal that they'd kind of been searching for since Bunbury's opener. It was a superb piece of individual effort by Milos Stojcev as he got the ball close to the right side of the field, dribbled at his defender while cutting inside and fired a shot that went into the lower corner giving KC a 2-0 lead. A minute later, KC put the game completely to bed as Zusi found Kei Kamara on a free kick, with Kamara knocking the ball home to give KC the 3-0 lead. The Fire had some half chances, but didn't really threaten Eric Kronberg's goal as he earned his 4th solo shutout of the season (1 in league, 2 Open Cup qualifier shutouts). KC spent plenty of time in the second half just passing the ball along the back line killing time and late in the game the Fire were resigned to their fate as well. The only other important part of the match came in the 63rd minute when Wizards Juniors player, Kevin Ellis game into the game. Ellis became the first Juniors player to appear in a competitive match for Sporting KC. Ellis was the team's second home group player after Jon Kempin who was on the bench as a back up keeper tonight.

WIZARDS Man of the Match - Milos Stojcev - A wonderful goal by Stojcev to ice the game for KC and a solid performance overall from the Montenegrin that included hitting the bar in the first half.

Player Ratings - Kronberg 6, Harrington 6, Thomas 6, Collin 6, Lorenz 5, Sassano 5, Diop 6, Stojcev 7, Aiyegbusi 6, Bunbury 5, Kamara 5. Subs Zusi 6, Ellis 6, Besler NR.