VANCOUVER — Sporting Kansas City opened the 2020 MLS campaign with a convincing 3-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda both scored first-half goals in their MLS debuts. The tallies were sandwiched between a Jake Nerwinski goal. Former Whitecaps FC striker Erik Hurtado came off the bench and scored a stoppage time goal to seal the deal for Sporting KC.
“We had three magnificent goals,” Hurtado said. “I can take you through all of them. Alan fought his way to get to the header and scored a great goal. Luis got down the line, created space, and Gadi hit an upper-v-wonder-strike. Gerso did all the fancy work, gave me a cross, and all I had to do was put it in.”
A sold out BC Place announced crowd of 22,120 fans went home disappointed as Sporting Kansas City earned all three points.
Sporting Kansas City keeper Tim Melia was kept busy, making four saves to earn his first victory of the season.
New @ProSoccerUSAcom – #SportingKC defender Matt Besler after his team earned a 3-1 win over #VWFC. #VANvSKC #MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/WxJqEmeAc3
— Har Journalist (@HarJournalist) March 1, 2020
Pulido’s offseason move from Chivas de Guadalajara immediately paid dividends, as he scored in first regular-season match. A free kick from Graham Zusi failed to be cleared from the Whitecaps box. Roberto Puncec then sent a header across the goal mouth and Pulido was in perfect position to smash home an unmarked header past Vancouver goalkeeper Max Crepeau.
“The beginning was disappointing,” Vancouver coach Marc Dos Santos said. “A lot of anxiety on our side. We really wanted to do well. We were ready to play the game, and for some reason, we just didn’t start the way we wanted to. The reasons, we don’t know. The guys were ready and very, very excited for this game, but then those first 20 minutes were not good. We were able to stabilize the game, to tie the game.
“When they scored the 2-1 a little bit against the run of play, we had a very good chance that hit the post,” Dos Santos said. “I didn’t see the play, but I know it hit the post. In the second half, we were overall the better team. We tried to dictate more, tried to press better, tried to create more. There’s a big chance to tie the game again and we don’t tie. At the end, I think the last goal is heavy a little bit too much in the result.”
Vancouver answered the first Sporting KC goal 13 minutes later.
Offseason loan acquisition David Milinkovic broke down the left flank and drilled down the byline. Before running out of bounds, the French national sent in a lovely ball through a maze of Sporting Kansas City defenders. Nerwinski came out nowhere and dove feet first into the visitors net to convert and square the match at one goal apiece.
OU LA LA!
Milinkovic ➡️ Nerwinski ➡️ GOAL.#VWFC 1-1 #SKC pic.twitter.com/3rEZAivzTv
— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) March 1, 2020
“It’s a long offseason,” Nerwinski said. “I was upset with how we ended last year, how we finished, the team, and personally myself. I know I can be better. When I got that goal, I was excited, happy and I thought it was big because we got right back into the game after that.”
The first half goal-fest continued in the 39th minute, when Sporting KC capitalized on some open space in front of the Vancouver box. Luis Martins whipped a cross into the heart of the Whitecaps defense and the home side failed to close on Gadi Kinda, who sent a booming rocket top corner past Crepeau.
After a back-and-forth opening 45 minutes, both teams settled into the match. Sporting KC was content to play with an advantage, while Vancouver looked to mount pressure in search for an equalizer.
In an attempt to bring on some offense, Dos Santos went to his bench in the 71st minute and brought on 2019 Whitecaps FC leading goal scorer, Fredy Montero. The 32-year-old replaced Milinkovic. Montero moved up top next to Lucas Cavallini, while Yordy Reyna switched to his familiar role on the wing.
Vancouver’s best opportunity to score came late in the second half, when Ali Adnan found a streaking Cavallini. The Canadian international appeared to be offside, but the flag stayed down. Cavallini was in alone on Melia, but the Kansas City shot-stopper was up to the task and he made a spectacular save to deny the forward his first goal with Vancouver.
During his return to Vancouver, former Whitecap fan favorite, Erik Hurtado made his old employer pay with an insurance goal deep into stoppage time. Hurtado was in a prime location to beat Crepeau and send the fans to the exits.
Gerso Maradona.
Hurtado dagger vs. old club.
Brilliant.#VANvSKC // 1-3pic.twitter.com/Y7UsTznvxO— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) March 1, 2020
“I was just focused when I came on to do my job,” Hurtado said. “Do what the coaching staff asked me and what the team needed of me. I was going to let everything take care of itself.”
After a promising 2020 preseason, Vancouver was unable to find momentum and earn a result in their season opener. Cavallini was kept in check by the visitors. The Caps striker struck the post in the first half, but that was as close as he came to scoring.
The Whitecaps will look to pick up points next weekend when they travel to Carson, Calif., to take on the LA Galaxy in what will be Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez’s first game at Dignity Health Sports Park. Sporting Kansas City will return home to face the Houston Dynamo.