ORLANDO, Florida – The Impact fell 3-2 to Sporting Kansas City, who remain undefeated in preseason play, on Wednesday night, in its final game of the group stage at the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic tournament.
The bleu-blanc-noir opened the scoring in the first minute when midfielder Hernan Bernardello played a through ball to Sanna Nyassi. The Gambian midfielder fired a one-time, right-footed shot from inside the left side of the box that beat keeper John Kempin to his left.
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Forward Dom Dwyer tied it up in the 9th minute. A collision in the box between Impact defender Wandrille Lefèvre and KC’s Dwyer resulted in a penalty shot. Impact keeper Evan Bush managed to get a hand on the Dwyer blast, but couldn't prevent it from going in.
The Impact took back the lead in the 30th minute, getting a penalty shot call of its own when midfielder Sanna Nyassi played a ball near the six-yard line. Collen Warner brought the ball down, but SKC centreback Matt Besler took Warner down with a slide. Felipe took the penalty and scored with a low shot past Kempin just inside the post.
Kansas City equalized again towards the end of the first half when midfielder Graham Zusi played a cross into the box from deep down the left flank in the 43rd minute, where Dwyer’s jumping header found the back of the net.
SKC took the lead for the first time in the game when left back Seth Sinovic played a low cross through the box that found midfielder Sal Zizzo in the 75th minute. The midfielder's one-timed shot across goal left Bush with no chance to make the stop.
The Impact had a number of good scoring chances denied by Kempin in the first half. Andrew Wenger and Justin Mapp were both turned away with great saves just moments apart. Bernardello saw his attempt stopped by the SKC keeper in the 38th minute.
2014 Regular Season
The Impact will kick off the 2014 season on March 8 against FC Dallas, at Toyota Stadium, before heading to Houston to take on the Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium on March 15. The home opener at Olympic Stadium is set for Saturday, March 22, at 4pm against Clint Dempsey and the Seattle Sounders FC.
Get your tickets for March 22 »
Lineups
MTL – GK-Evan Bush; D-Hassoun Camara (Eric Miller 46’), Wandrille Lefèvre (Calum Mallace 46’), Matteo Ferrari (Karl W. Ouimette 46’), Heath Pearce* (Maxim Tissot 46’); M-Hernan Bernardello (Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé 84’), Collen Warner (Patrice Bernier 58’), Sanna Nyassi (Blake Smith 63’), Felipe (Andrés Romero 58’), Justin Mapp (Santiago Gonzalez 75’); F-Andrew Wenger (Marco Di Vaio 46’)
KC – GK-Jon Kempin; D- Chance Myers, Aurélien Collin, Matt Besler, Seth Sinovic; M-Oriol Rosell, Benn y Feilhaber, Jimmy Medranda (Alex Martinez 70’); F-Sal Zizzo, Dom Dwyer (Joueur à l’essai 87’), Graham Zusi.
Goals
MTL – Nyassi (Bernardello) 1’
KC – Dwyer (PEN) 9’
MTL – Felipe (PEN) 30’
KC – Dwyer (Zusi) 43’
KC – Zizzo 75’
Cautions
KC – Myers 53’
MTL – Bernardello 55’
KC – Dwyer 58’
MTL – Tissot 77’
