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Fernandes hat-trick sends Sporting KC past Sounders

Photo by Peter Aiken/USA Today Sports

A new star attacker for Sporting KC continued the team’s home dominance and sent the Seattle Sounders even further down on the Western Conference table.

Sporting KC forward Gerso Fernandes fired a hat trick past the Sounders in a span of only 13 minutes as Sporting came away with the 3-0 win thanks to Fernandes’ performance.

Fernandes opened scoring in the 56th minute, converting at the near post with a deflection off Cristian Roldan. He added the next in the 58th minute by gathering his own deflection off the post, then converted a smart layoff from Graham Zusi in the 69th minute.

The hat trick is the seventh in Sporting KC history and the first since Birahim Diop in 2010.

Unlike a meeting between the two teams last season, the first half was an even affair. The Sounders still managed four shots on goal despite going down 3-0 by the 70th minute. In last season’s meeting, Sporting held the Sounders to only one total shot, but won the game only 1-0.

Two Sounders goal, including one from Jordan Morris, were whistled offside in the second half.

The Sounders established a clear advantage toward the end of the half with five shots to Sporting’s zero. A goal for Nicolas Lodeiro was whistled offside right before halftime, and the Sounders forced Sporting goalkeeper Tim Melia into several clutch saves.

The Sounders continue to reel in the West. The loss makes it four games without a win as the Sounders haven’t won a match since April 23, a 3-0 away win over the Galaxy.

Sporting’s win lifts the team to first in the Western Conference, but most teams have one or more games in hand. The Sounders sink further in the conference, and now stand in tenth.

The road gets easier next weekend for the Sounders as they return to CenturyLink Field to face fellow underperformer Real Salt Lake. Sporting KC takes to the road to play the Vancouver Whitecaps next weekend.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Any hope of a result for the Sounders was dashed early in the second half by Gerso Fernandes. Fernandes’ hat trick showed a scoring touch that hasn’t been there previously in his career.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The Sounders’ defensive troubles were epitomized with Fernandes’ second goal. In the 58th minute, the Sounders back line allowed Fernandes’ to hit the post, then gather his own rebound and score.

MATCH TO FORGET

The Sounders’ attack performed much better than the score would look, but the back line let the team down. Chad Marshall and the Sounders back line turned in a terrible performance, allowing Fernandes a hat trick in the space of 13 minutes.

Comments

  1. Gerso was on fire tonight, no doubt about that… but again, credit to the back line and Melia. Feilhaber was all over the place again too.
    Vermes can find talent and get the best out of everyone. Big fan of the guy.

    Reply

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