Well, I guess this is par for the course for MLS? In a match that would be considered completely bizarre and outrageous pretty much everywhere else except for the Copa Libertadores, Sporting Kansas City and the Los Angeles Galaxy played to a 2-2 draw that neither team will be completely satisfied with.
Sporting Kansas City Vs. LA Galaxy: Full Time, Odd Match Ends In 2-2 Draw
Some suspect refereeing decisions, and atrocious pitch and some missing players put a slight damper on the game, but the teams at least had the courtesy to entertain for the final 20 minutes of the match, scoring three goals between them in quick succession.
In all honesty, it was a dire match until Julio Cesar's 72nd minute strike for KC. Sean Franklin scored a nice goal in the 25th minute to open the scoring, kept onside by an out of position (both in the play and in the starting lineup) Aurelin Collin, but the game was fairly uneventful and generally poor until late in the second half.
Cesar's goal came off of a corner kick, following a failed shot/cross/something attempt by C.J. Sapong. Cesar picked up the ball after Sapong's whatever was blocked, hitting an absolute rocket of a shot past Josh Saunders and into the back of the net.
That seemed like it was going to be a nice little momentum boost for KC, but the Galaxy answered quickly. Just two minutes later, Sean Franklin scored his second goal of the match, an incredible feat considering that he usually plays right back and that he didn't score in his first 80 MLS games. Though the man behind him, Frankie Hejduk, isn't going to be playing at right back much longer due to his age, Franklin was fantastic on Monday night and looked like he might be suited to playing a lot more right midfield in the future.
Collin appeared to atone for his earlier error with an equalizing goal in the 82nd minute, but the goal was disallowed after the linesman flagged for offside. Though Collin was definitely a hair past the man who was marking him when the ball was played in, Frankie Hejduk was a bit deeper, easily keeping Collin onside.
Kansas City would find their equalizer, though, and it would be Hejduk who granted it to them in a nice little piece of poetic justice. In stoppage time, Hejduk's hand met a ball in the box and referee Ricardo Salazar granted a penalty kick. Omar Bravo stepped up and buried it, splitting the points between the two teams.
A point helps LA in the Supporters’ Shield race and Kansas City in the playoff race, but both teams will likely go home tonight thinking they could have easily secured their positions in the table with a win.
See More:
