Major League Soccer Pre-Season

Sporting Kansas City vs. Portland Timbers

Friday, February 1, 2013

Kino Sports Complex (Tucson, Ariz.)

61 degrees and clear



Score 1 2 F Sporting KC 0 1 1 Portland Timbers 0 0 0

Lineups:

POR – First Half – GK Donovan Ricketts; D Ryan Miller, D Andrew Jean-Baptiste, D Mikael Silvestre*, D Michael Harrington, M Diego Chara, M Will Johnson, M Sal Zizzo, M Diego Valeri, M Darlington Nagbe, F Ryan Johnson

POR – Second Half – GK Milos Kocic, D Ryan Kawulok, D Futty Danso, D Hanyer Mosquera, D Chris Taylor, M Eric Alexander, M Kalif Alhassan, M Danny Mwanga, F Michael Nanchoff*, F Jose Valencia, F Bright Dike

SKC: GK Jimmy Nielsen (Eric Kronberg 46), D Seth Sinovic (Josh Gardner 60), D Ike Opara (Lawrence Olum 46), D Aurelien Collin (Yann Songo'o 60), D Chance Myers (Kevin Ellis 30), M Oriol Rosell (Michael Thomas 60), M Christian Duke (Peterson Joseph 46)(Brian Fekete 90), M Paulo Nagamura (Mikey Lopez 60), F Bobby Convey (Kyle Miller 60), F Claudio Bieler (Soony Saad 30)(Jerome Mechack 60), F C.J. Sapong (Mike Reidy** 60)

* Trialist/guest player

**Supplemental Draft pick

Stats POR SKC Shots 11 6 Saves 3 4 Fouls 12 18 Corners 1 1 Offsides 4 0

Scoring Summary:

SKC -- Jerome Mechack 64

Disciplinary Summary

POR: Chara (Caution), 14

SKC: Opara (Caution), 36

SKC: Olum (Caution), 74

POR: Kawulok (Caution), 85

SKC: Joseph (Caution), 88

SKC: Joseph (Ejection), 90+

Sporting Kansas City concluded their preseason trip in Arizona on Friday night with a 1-0 victory over the Portland Timbers at the Kino Sports Complex.

Guest trialist Jerome Mechack scored the lone goal of the match to improve Sporting KC's record to 1-0-2 in the preseason. Sporting KC had a 1-1 result against FC Tucson on Tuesday and scoreless draw against the New England Revolution last Friday. The match was the first appearance for new designated player Claudio Bieler, who started and played 30 minutes.

After a slow start, the match opened up with Portland's Ryan Johnson having the first good chance. Johnson dribbled into the box and attempted a shot on goal but defender Aurelien Collin recovered in time to earn a goal kick.

Sporting KC responded a few minutes later by catching Portland on a counterattack. Chance Myers had plenty of space to dribble towards the 18-yard box and sent a dangerous shot just over the crossbar. Myers was replaced a few minutes later by Kevin Ellis due to an injury. It was a precautionery move and the injury is not expected to be serious.

Both teams made several substitutions at halftime including Portland bringing in eleven new players.

The match was temporarily delayed around the 60th minute as Sporting KC's Soony Saad went down with a bruised tailbone.

After the delay, Sporting KC took a 1-0 lead on Mechack's 63rd-minute goal. Mechack scored on a long free kick with a low bouncing shot that beat the goalkeeper to the far post. The defender has played for Sporting KC's affiliate, Orlando City SC, the last two seasons.

Moments later, the match was nearly tied by Portland's Bright Dike. The forward sent a shot that was deflected by goalkeeper Eric Kronberg and headed towards goal but Sporting KC defender Lawrence Olum cleared it off the line. Kronberg was shaken up on the play but remained in the match.

Hanyer Mosquera provided the Timbers' best chances to equalize in the final minutes. The defender sent a header from a free kick just wide of an open net and threatened with a curling shot in stoppage time.

Sporting Kansas City will continue their preseason with a trip to Orlando to compete in the Disney Pro Soccer Classic. All of those matches will be streamed live online at SportingKC.com/live