Sporting Climb the Table

Sporting got some help from other results around the league before they took on the Vancouver Whitecaps late at Children's Mercy Park, and took full advantage claiming a 2-0 win over Vancouver to push them up into fourth place in the Western Conference.

Kansas City controlled the first half of play keeping the Whitecaps pinned back in their own end for long stretches. Just four minutes in Nuno Coelho curled a free kick just wide of the near post, although it appeared that Dave Oustad had the chance covered. In the 19th minute, Brad Davis rung the cross bar with a curling effort after a short corner that had beaten Oustad. Unfortunately the rebound couldn't be turned in by anyone for KC. A dominating half looked like it may be for not until the 39th minute when KC finally ended their long run of corner kicks without a goal. Benny Feilhaber drove the ball into the box where Coelho volleyed his effort on net. Jacob Peterson was standing in front of Oustad and redirected the shot past a diving Oustad and into the net to put KC up 1-0 heading into the half time break.

Early in the second half the Whitecaps had their best chance of the game on a header by Giles Barnes. Former KC defender Marcel de Jong got forward and had a cross into the box partially deflected by Graham Zusi. The ball fell to Barnes who beat Kevin Ellis in the air and got a header on target, but Alec Kann reacted very well and tipped it over the cross bar. Minutes later the Whitecaps again threatened in the air, this time on a corner, but Kann caught Kendall Waston's header easily. In the 62nd minute though Kansas City won themselves a penalty kick as Peterson was taken down in the box after a good one-two between him and Feilhaber. Feilhaber stepped up for his penalty duties but Oustad guessed right and easily saved Feilhaber's attempt. Fortunately for Kansas City though the linesman correctly raised his flag as Oustad was well off his line before Feilhaber took his kick. With a second bite of the cherry, Feilhaber made no mistake and even though Oustad guessed right again and got a hand on it but it wasn't enough to keep Feilhaber's effort out and put KC up 2-0. In the 75th KC probably should have made it 3-0 when Oustad could only push away a low cross by Zusi into the path of Davis who collected it and turned to shoot but had his effort saved by Oustad. Oustad was again called on in the 86th on a curling effort by Peterson that he could only palm away for a corner. The Whitecaps got forward late but really failed to trouble Kann any more in KC's net as Sporting won their sixth straight at home.

Wizards Man of the Match - Jacob Peterson - Continues to prove himself to be "The Answer" Kansas City needs on the wing to help take some pressure off of Dom Dwyer. His first goal was his fourth of the season, tying his MLS career high that he set in 2012 and in his rookie year in 2007. He also won the penalty kick that iced the game for Kansas City.

Player Ratings - Kann 7, Medranda 7, Ellis 7, Besler 7, Zusi 7, Coelho 6, Espinoza 7, Feilhaber 7, Peterson 8, Dwyer 5, Davis 6. Subs Mustivar 6, Abdul-Salaam 6, Nagamura 5.