MINNEAPOLIS -- Tim Melia was expected to be an integral part of any Sporting Kansas City playoff run. He had played every minute for SKC in both league play and the team's victorious U.S. Open Cup run.
That plan took a serious knock Saturday when the presumptive favorite for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year fell to the turf at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis without any contact during a 1-1 draw against Minnesota United FC.
Melia had to be helped off the field in the 57th minute with an apparent injury. After the game, Sporting head coach Peter Vermes was circumspect about the extent of the injury.
“I think he got a cramp...that’s all I know at the moment. We’ll know more tomorrow morning,” Vermes said after the match.
When Melia and his outstanding 0.80 goals against average came off the pitch, all eyes turned to the player backing him up on the night as he was warming up on the sideline: Andrew Dykstra.
The veteran goalkeeper had not played a minute in goal for Sporting this season, his first with the club, and entered aiming to protect SKC’s slim one-goal lead and the chance to officially clinch their Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs spot.
Minnesota’s attack was relentless, and in the 84th minute defender Brent Kallman notched the equalizer. The 6-foot-4 replacement goalkeeper was only able to get his fingertips on it as it tucked under the crossbar and preventing the visitors from clinching a playoff spot on the night.
Vermes was confident that regardless of the goalkeeper between the posts for SKC, between Melia, Dykstra and youngster Adrian Zendejas, the defense as a whole won’t suffer too much.
“We have a good goalkeeper core so if somebody has to step up, then that’s the way it is. That’s why you have a roster of more than 11 players,” Vermes said.
