Sporting Kansas City took a point from their Saturday evening Western Conference showdown with the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, grinding out a 0-0 draw aided in part by some stalwart goalkeeping from Tim Melia.
The Rapids laid claim to the game's biggest chances, but the visitors preserved the scoreless stalemate and moved one point clear of the Seattle Sounders for the top spot on the Western Conference table.
Colorado nearly opened the scoring on 28 minutes through Michael Barrios, who almost chipped Melia after making a nifty move to free himself up in the box, but saw the shot go just high of the crossbar. The Rapids had another golden opportunity on the stroke of halftime through a first-time laser shot from Jack Price off a deflected cross from Mark-Anthony Kaye, who made his Rapids' debut following his arrival via trade from LAFC. But Melia came up with a huge kick-save to keep the match scoreless heading into the break.
Alan Pulido very nearly found a 66th-minute breakthrough for Sporting KC at the end of a counterattack that saw the Mexico international end up in a 1-on-1 against Lalas Abubakar. Pulido curled his shot around the big center back, but it went inches wide.
Colorado had arguably the two best chances for either side in a three-minute span following Pulido's miss. The first came in the 73rd minute when homegrown midfielder Cole Bassett made a charging run down the right side and roped in a pinpoint cross that found Jonathan Lewis for a point-blank look. But the US international winger couldn't quite convert, putting the first-time finish just wide of the far post. Diego Rubio then nearly found the net just two minutes later, putting a headed attempt off a corner kick from Price on target, only to see it denied by another sprawling save from Melia.
The hosts had a pair of late chances, the first from Abubakar, who saw a headed effort off another Price corner kick waved off for a foul on Kaye. Rubio then nearly cashed home a flicked header in second-half stoppage time off a feed from Bassett, but couldn't quite get it on target.
Goals
- None
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Sporting KC fielded a rotated starting XI that didn't feature regulars like Alan Pulido, Khiry Shelton and Johnny Russell, so a road point against a Rapids side that's emerged as a Western Conference contender suits Peter Vermes' group just fine. It's a frustrating one for Colorado, who definitely had their chances to take all three points. But they can take encouragement from Kaye's solid debut as they integrate the newly-acquired Canadian international into the group.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Diego Rubio was just inches from a dramatic stoppage-time game-winner, but Tim Melia came through with the tipped save to preserve the result.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: This point for Sporting Kansas City was made possible by Melia, who put on a clinic in denying Colorado multiple really good looks throughout the night.
Next Up
- COL: Saturday, August 14 at Houston Dynamo FC | 8:30 pm ET (MLS LIVE on ESPN+)
- SKC: Tuesday, August 10 vs. Club León | 8 pm ET (ESPN2, TUDN) | Leagues Cup Quarterfinals
