Sporting Kansas City was minutes from anotehr win in the aftermath of trading striker Dom Dwyer, but a defensive failure at a critical time ruined those plans.
SKC looked to be cruising to a win thanks to a Benny Feilhaber goal from the penalty spot. but their defense failed them at the wrong time. Jacob Peterson, provided a late equalizer for Atlanta United, who escape Children’s Mercy Park with a valuable road point with a 1-1 draw.
Neither side did much to threaten the goal in the first half. Of then ten shots between the sides in the opening 45 minutes, only one found the target and it wasn’t particularly troubling for Brad Guzan.
Sporting Kansas City had subtly controlled the match for the first half. They outshot Atlanta, 7-3, even though possession was more or less equal. That all changed after the break. The home side began to boss possession of the ball right from the second half whistle, but they still didn’t truly threaten to score.
That isn’t to say Atlanta never got forward with a bit of firepower. Their chances were just few and far between and regularly thwarted by an untimely offside flag.
The SKC goal came in the 57th minute when Mark Geiger whistled for a penalty. Michael Parkhurst shoved Gerso Ferenadez down in the penalty area. Feilhaber calmly wrong-footed Guzan and slammed home the spot kick to open the scoring.
Atlanta was allowed to attack more as the clock ticked towards the end, and that paid off in the form of a stoppage time equalizing goal by former SKC man Jacob Peterson. Peterson knocked that ball down near the penalty spot before surging through the back line and hammering the ball to the back of the net.
SKC, will feel like they should have won this match, but regardless, they are unbeaten in six matches overall and have stretched their lead atop the Western Conference to three points. They’ve got a U.S. Open Cup semi-final match at home against San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday before they return to MLS action Saturday night at Seattle Sounders.
Atlanta United, meanwhile, sits in fifth place in the East, five points clear of a playoff spot. They will take the next two weeks off before returning to action on August 23 at D.C. United.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jacob Peterson had a mostly bland match until the tail end. He provided the equalizing goal thanks to a huslte play in the box when it mattered most.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
Peterson’s equalizer took this from a disappointing showing from Atlanta United to a potentially valuable away point.
MATCH TO FORGET
Hector Villalba was pretty pointless atop the Atlanta United attack. The team struggled to get forward with him in the match, but finally poked through a stout SKC back line after he was pulled in the closing minutes.
This is a TERRIBLE write up. Misspelled words. Incorrect details about the game. Wow, just wow!
Ugly game… some of the worst passing execution I have seen from Atlanta all season… ATL Utd did not deserve a point but they got one…
and anyone that things Benny Feilhaber does not belong onthe USMNT… they are cluless. He should be on the plane to Russia as a sub when we are down a goal with 20 mins to go…
I’ve been saying for awhile now that BF needs to get more run, he opens the game up like few in the pool and his passing in the final third is probably unmatched in the league. His detractors will argue he’s a cancer via some chatter that has not been proven but Bruce will have to make a decision soon because if we want to beat the big teams in Russia we are going to need more than one or two players(Dempsey and Pulisic) that can unlock a defense and create opportunities on goal.
Its weird how he hasn’t been a part of this national team since the 2010 cycle and he fills a position and gives us something few in the pool do. Maybe he pissed off Jurgen but why no call ups with Bruce. Maybe he and Bradley have beef about something and since Bradley is a always a perma starter deserve or not Feilhaber his out to dry. Maybe 15 years from now we will find out he banged Bradley’s wife ala Harkes/Wynalda and that will explain it all.
Who did you say the ref was???