In Kansas City, Kansas, Erik Thommy became the hero for Sporting Kansas City by scoring a crucial goal in the second half, securing a 1-1 tie against Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.
Thommy’s unassisted goal in the 59th minute marked his third for this season, leveling the score for the home team.
The visitors, Real Salt Lake, had initially taken the lead just before halftime. Johnny Russell found the back of the net in the first minute of stoppage time, tallying his second goal in five matches for Real Salt Lake.
Prior to this stint, Russell had a prolific scoring record with Sporting KC, having netted 60 goals from 2018 to 2024.
Alexandros Katranis played a key role for Real Salt Lake, providing his third assist of the season, building on a strong rookie performance last year where he assisted five times in 29 appearances.
Sporting Kansas City faced a challenging situation when Jake Davis, who entered the match in the 59th minute, received two yellow cards by the 82nd minute, leaving the team one player short.
Despite the disadvantage, goalkeeper John Pulskamp delivered an impressive performance for Sporting KC, making a total of eight saves. Sporting Kansas City now holds a record of 5-10-5.
On the opposite end, Rafael Cabral stood strong in the goal for Real Salt Lake, stopping three attempts on target. Real Salt Lake, with a 5-10-4 record, was looking to secure back-to-back victories for the first time since October.
During the first half, Pulskamp had already made four saves, while Cabral managed two. Real Salt Lake has consistently participated in the postseason over the past years, making appearances in four consecutive years and six of the last seven seasons.
However, they currently find themselves seven points adrift of the last playoff spot.
Looking ahead, Sporting Kansas City is set to travel to face the Colorado Rapids on July 4, while Real Salt Lake prepares to host St. Louis City on Saturday.