(Reuters) – Sporting Kansas City scored twice in the opening 16 minutes on the way to a 3-1 victory over New York City FC on Sunday, snapping the visitors’ four-game winning streak.
Kansas City midfielder Benny Feilhaber and defender Jimmy Medranda sandwiched early goals around New York City midfielder Frank Lampard’s strike, while defender Ike Opara added another early in the second-half for the dominant home side. “I think we are getting back to our DNA,” said Kansas City manager Peter Vermes, whose team have won three straight at home.
“We’re getting to a place where our decision making is getting better and better, our transitions are getting better, and that’s leading to the goals and opportunities we are creating.”
Feilhaber opened the scoring in the eighth minute, knocking in a rebound for his third goal in four games.
Lampard scored his fourth in five games, finishing off a nice passing move from team mates Roland Matarrita and Andrea Pirlo in the 14th minute.
Two minutes later, Medranda scored with a strike from distance that was misjudged by New York goalkeeper Josh Saunders.
Despite the defeat, New York City remain top of the Eastern Conference, while Kansas City stay fifth in the West.
In New York, Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles and his Portland Timbers counterpart Jake Gleeson were rarely called into action in a 0-0 draw but both make keys saves to keep clean sheets.
(Reporting by Tim Wharnsby; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
Reuters
