Dwyer Hattrick Leads Sporting Past FC Tucson

Sporting KC closed out the Arizona leg of their preseason today with a win over local PDL side, FC Tucson. In a 120 minute game that was cut short due to the weather, KC got goals from Kei Kamara, Roger Espinoza, and a hattrick from rookie, Dom Dwyer gave Sporting a 5-1 win over the local side. The first 60 minutes of the game saw a team that contained mostly first teams get a 2-0 lead.

It was actually FC Tucson that had the best chance early, as Jon Kempin, who started in goal, was called for a penalty after bringing down Tucson's Kevin King in the box. Kempin though redeemed himself as he stopped the ensuing PK from Reid Schmitt. KC opened the scoring in the 18th minute, as Soony Saad successfully challenge the Tucson keeper for the ball in the air off a long ball from Luke Sassano. Saad's challenge caused the ball to Kamara who knocked the ball into the net giving KC the 1-0 lead. KC doubled the lead 5 minutes before halftime through Espinoza who fired home from about 30 yards out, beating Tucson keeper Mike Selmo.

KC made full scale changes in the 60th minute, and for the first time in preseason, the rest of KC's draft picks that hadn't previously played, and the trialists got a chance to get onto the field. It was Tucson that got the first response though, as Schmitt beat trialist goalkeeper Steve Spangler in the 65th to make it 2-1.

From there though, it became the Dom Dwyer show, as Dwyer scored 3 goals over the final 20 minutes of the game. The first game 5 minutes after Tucson got on the board, Dwyer put away a cross from supplemental draft pick, Shawn Singh. Nine minutes later, Dwyer had his second goal after navigating through a crowded penalty area and squeezing the ball past a few defenders and into the net. Just before the final whistle at the 90 minute mark, Dwyer finished off a cross from Cyrus Saydee with a glancing header to make it 5-1.

The team left for the airport virtually right after the game to head back to KC. The team will have tomorrow off before training in KC Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Monday they'll depart for the final phase of preseason in Orlando.