Sporting Fall to DC, Suffer Worst Defeat in Time at Sporting Park

Sporting Kansas City suffered their largest defeat in the history of Sporting Park, falling 3-0 last night to DC United. The loss was KC's first by three goals at home since a 3-0 loss to New York in June of 2010 when the team played at Community America Ballpark. Three goals in less than 10 minutes allowed DC United to easily beat KC and move past them and into first place in the Eastern Conference.

KC had some good possession early on around the top of DC's box, creating some half chances, but failing to really test Bill Hamid early on. Benny Feilhaber was the early creator seeing much of the offense go through him. In the 24th minute DC got themselves on the board. Fabian Espindola got the ball out wide. He turned Aurelien Collin backward before dribbling towards the middle of the field. Espindola fired a shot from the corner of the 18 yard box. The ball beat Jon Kempin and went into the far corner to make it 1-0 DC. Only four minutes later, United doubled their lead. After KC couldn't control the ball in the middle of the field, the ball fell to Luis Silva. The forward chipped a ball over the KC defense to Chris Rolfe who was onside and in behind KC's defense. Kempin got a touch on the ball, but couldn't keep it out of the net as DC went up 2-0. KC attempted to push numbers forward to try and find a way back into the game, but left themselves exposed to the counter. In the 31st United hit on the counter and made it 3-0. The ball was played in to Perry Kitchen who had raced forward from his midfield position. He cut back inside on Collin and then beat Kempin to his near post. The defense was just at sixes and sevens throughout much of the night.

With the lead, DC as able to sit back a bit, but throughout the second half still looked the more dangerous side, especially on the counter. In the 53rd DC should have made it four. KC's defense was a mess as two DC forwards combined up top for DC against four KC defenders. The ball came to Nick DeLeon who tried to get the ball into the corner, but it hit the base of the post and was eventually cleared. KC hit the woodwork themselves shortly after, in the 60th minute. Zusi from outside the box fired a shot towards goal. The shot beat Bill Hamid, but clanged off the cross bar and away from goal. DC inserted David Estrada into the game and he caused more problems for the KC back line. In the 88th, DC again hit the post. After Collin pushed forward to win a ball, the ball went right to Estrada who sprung Espindola in the space Collin had left. Espindola raced down the field and lofted a cross to the back post for Estrada who fired a shot the hit the post and was then cleaned up by Lawrence Olum. When the final whistle blew, Sporting players made a B line for the locker room trying to put the game behind them.

Wizards Man of the Match - Benny Feilhaber - Really it's a matter of who was the least worst last night. No one really had a good game last night, the defense was in shambles, the forwards couldn't get many chances. Early on in the game before DC's first goal, Feilhaber looked extremely plugged in for the game. Unfortunately nothing came of it.

Player Ratings - Kempin 3, Juliao 3, Collin 2, Besler 2, Sinovic 3, Olum 3, Feilhaber 5, Zusi 4, Saad 4, Dwyer 3, Zizzo 3. Subs Sapong 4, Bieler 4, Dovale 4.