SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sporting Kansas City triumphed over the San Jose Earthquakes with a commanding 5-2 victory in Saturday night’s match. Dániel Sallói emerged as a standout player, netting two goals, while Logan Ndenbe and Manu García celebrated their first-ever goals in Major League Soccer.
The game’s momentum shifted early when Ndenbe sprinted to meet a forward pass from Dejan Joveljic. From the left side of the 6-yard box, he delivered a powerful shot that deflected off the hand of goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr., marking Kansas City’s entry on the scoreboard with a 1-0 advantage by the 19th minute.
Not long after, goalkeeper John Pulskamp sent a towering free kick towards the penalty box, resulting in Sallói deftly controlling the ball before hammering it home with a rising shot in the 20th minute. Emmanuel García then extended the lead by tactically finishing a setup from Shapi Suleymanov, making it 3-0 by the 24th minute.
However, San Jose was not without a response. Josef Martínez quickly brought the Earthquakes back into the game with a goal in the 30th minute. Adding to their tally, Cristian Arango expertly redirected a header past Kansas City’s defense, narrowing the gap to 3-2 by the 42nd minute.
Despite San Jose’s efforts to break through, Sallói reasserted control for Sporting KC in the 73rd minute, converting a one-touch effort courtesy of Erik Thommy’s entry pass. Thommy, who came on for Suleymanov in the 68th minute, wrapped up the scoreline with a final touch in the 85th minute, solidifying the victory.
While San Jose controlled 63% of the ball and tallied 22 shots compared to Sporting’s eight, they failed to capitalize on their opportunities. Earlier in the season, the Earthquakes defeated Sporting KC 2-1 away, showcasing the competitiveness between the teams.