BAY LAKE – Minnesota United came from behind with two stoppage-time goals to manage a 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City in the MLS is Back tournament at ESPN Wide World of Sports on Sunday night.
The winner came in the seventh minute of stoppage time thanks to Kevin Molino’s strike. Raheem Edwards squared it for Molino to redirect past the second-string keeper Richard Sanchez to seal all three points.
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Sanchez entered the match in the 76th minute after Tim Melia’s red card for pulling down Aaron Schoenfeld. That saw the Loons start to take control, but it wasn’t until the 92nd minute that they got on level terms. That goal came from a Khiry Shelton own goal following a well-taken free-kick from Jan Gregus,
The first half was almost all Sporting KC, and after a great start, finally made it count two minutes before the break. Alan Pulido found Shelton, who ran into the box and beat the keeper at the near post to put SKC 1-0 up at the break.
It could have been better for Minnesota as Ethan Finlay put it in the back of the net in the 64th minute. The referee went to the video and ruled Molino was involved in the play after coming from an offside position.
With the match serving as the first match for United after the death of George Floyd, the team paid tribute to his memory with Grant Boxall wearing a captain’s armband bearing his name.
In the day’s other match, Real Salt Lake managed a 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids, continuing its domination of the fixture.
Albert Rusnak opened the scoring in the 26th minute when he put away the rebound after the keeper only parried Douglas Martinez’s cross.
It should have been two in the 72nd minute when RSL won a penalty. Rusnak took it only to be denied by Clint Irwin’s save. Nick Besler ran on the rebound, but Irwin was up to the task again, taking the shot away from him.
That didn’t give the Rapids any momentum as Salt Lake made it two in the 76th minute thanks to Damir Kreilach’s long-range rocket. Corey Baird found Kreilach allowing him to slam it home with a volley.
The two results set up Friday nicely with RSL and Minnesota facing each other for the top spot in Group D.
Florida Soccer Report 