2015 Moments of the Year

It's the first day of 2016 and with little news from any of KC's teams likely to come down in the next day or so we're going to take another look back at the year that was 2015 in Kansas City. Here are some moments of the year.

Game of the Year

7/1/15 vs Dallas

There were a few options to pick from here, the 3-2 win over Philadelphia, the 4-3 comeback win over Vancouver, or the US Open Cup final against Philadelphia, but I'm going with probably Sporting KC's most dominating of the season. KC jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first half, including a natural hattrick by Dom Dwyer, the club's first since the 2010 season. Dwyer scored in the fifth, 30th, and 41st minute to put KC on top. In first half stoppage time Krisztian Nemeth scored to make it 4-0. Before the hour mark Nemeth made it 5-0 with his audacious effort from neither the end line that he curled and chipped over Dan Kennedy. After Dallas' Michael Barrios got Dallas on the board, Dwyer finished off his night by scoring a fourth goal from a free kick outside the box. Dallas was able to grab one last consolation through Kellyn Acosta but KC cruised to victory and advancment in the Open Cup. Plus it gave us this video:




Goal of the Year

Krisztian Nemeth vs Portland Timbers 10/3/15

Really there was never any doubt on this one, the MLS Goal of the Year by Nemeth, beating three Portland Timbers defenders, two of them multiple times to allow KC to steal all three points at Providence Park. The goal is one of those that will be replayed over and over for years. Plus for once I actually love the opposing team call of the goal, the "oh no" is just perfect in a "I can not believe I just saw that happen" kind of way.





Assist of the Year

Graham Zusi vs Houston Dynamo 4/25/15

It may seem like a really mundane header, but I love the poise of Zusi on his cushioned header back to Benny Feilhaber. As the broadcast said, most players would try to take the ball on the chest and set up a shot for themselves, but unselfishly Zusi touches the ball back to Feilhaber and we get an amazing goal to give KC a point.




Single Game Performance of the Year

Leo Gibson vs Tacoma Stars 2/22/15

The Missouri Comets had a lot of big victories in the 2014-2015 season, and many of those saw Leo Gibson play a big role in those games. None was bigger than the Comets final regular season game of the season. Taking on the Tacoma Stars, who'd replaced the Seattle Impact midway through the season, Leo Gibson scored eight goals and assisted on four more as the Comets won 17-1 over the Stars.

Low Point of the Year

5-0 loss to San Jose 8/19/2015

Coming off the high of the big come from behind victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps it was a very big fall when San Jose came into Kansas City and beat Sporting 5-0. It was the first win by either team away from home in the series since 2004. It was also the start of a five game winless run for Sporting that really started to be the downfall of their season.

Non-Kansas City-KC player moment of the year

Lauren Holiday vs Japan 7/5/2015

The Women's World Cup final was the Carli Lloyd show, Holiday herself had a very nice game against Japan and a superb volley off a poor headed clearance that proved to be the game winning goal.




KC Soccer Player of the Year

Benny Feilhaber

The MVP finalist had a career year for Sporting KC. Feilhaber was the main catylist for Kansas City all season. He scored 10 league goals and added two in all competitions. He also proved 15 assists and another five in all competitions to make him responsible 32 of KC's 64 goals this season. That's right, Feilhaber was involved as the scorer or assist man on half of Sporting's goals in 2015.

FCKC Player of the Year

Becky Sauerbrunn

The rock in the back not only for FC Kansas City but for the US women's national team as well. Sauerbrunn was snubbed by the Women's World Cup for the Best XI and other awards but was arguably the USA's best player over the course of the entire tournament over the summer. Back in the NWSL Sauerbrunn continued to just be a solid defender for FC Kansas City, winning her third straight NWSL defender of the year, at this point they should just name the award after her.

Comets Player of the Year

Leo Gibson

He's been doing it for years for the Comets, scoring goals and leading the team. In 2014-2015 he was the MASL MVP in the league's first season finishing the season with 93 points, 48 goals and 45 assists. The 93 points were 30 more than the league's next closest player in the league.