By JOSE M. ROMERO
PHOENIX — Sporting Kansas City and the Columbus Crew share the fields at the vast Reach 11 soccer complex, so it only made sense that the two teams scheduled their respective first preseason training matches against each other.
The two clubs played to a 2-2 draw Saturday after three 30-minute periods, the play of the day made by Sporting KC forward Kei Kamara about five minutes into the second session.
Kamara fired in a blistering shot from the right side, set up by Graham Zusi and Teal Bunbury, that Crew goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell couldn't even touch. The goal gave KC a 2-1 lead.
Playing at a crowded complex (youth and Arizona high-school state playoff games were also scheduled in the afternoon), the MLS match lacked subtlety in that several in the gathering of onlookers were there to see Mexican national team veteran Omar Bravo play for Sporting Kansas City.
Bravo came on for the second 30-minute period along with Kamara and Bunbury at forward. The Crew went with the same lineup for the first 45 minutes before bringing on a completely different group of 11 players for the second 45.
Bunbury impressed with a step-over dribble at one point.
Sporting KC opened the game with Birahim Diop and Adda Djeziri at forward; Jack Jewsbury and Craig Rocastle in the midfield and Roger Espinoza and Chance Myers on the defensive wings with a few trialists and Jimmy Nielsen in goal. Jewsbury scored the first goal about five minutes in when Patterson-Sewell lost his grip on what should have been a save, and the ball got past him.
The Crew's opening lineup featured forward Jeff Cunningham, midfielders Eddie Gaven, Emmanuel Ekpo and Dilly Duka and defenders Chad Marshall and Sebastian Miranda. Brazilian midfielder Alex Fraga scored the Crew's first goal about 20 minutes into the first session off a corner kick from Gaven.
Robbie Rogers, who came on with the second group for Columbus, converted a penalty kick to round out the scoring. Rogers' group included defender Andy Iro, forward Emilio Renteria and midfielder Leandre Griffit.
Kansas City's second 30-minute team also included defenders Michael Harrington and Matt Besler and midfielder Konrad Warzycha.
Let’s hope we need a creative midfielder
Dilly Duka is gonna have a breakout year….the kid is too sick
Agreed, It will be interesting to see how KC’s ticket sales go.
Nothing on Brite Dike rupturing his achilles tendon?
My bad. It was Patterson-Sewell in goal on the first goal by KC
I was there at the scrimmage and I talked with some of the Mexican-Americans that showed up. It was great to see them there if only in support of Omar Bravo; it should be a boon to every team Sporting plays this year. *Side Note* it was Will Hesmer in goal when KC scored the first goal.
First big match of the coming season will be RSL vs the Crew in a CCL quarter final. Ives how do you see that home and home match-up playing out?