Sporting KC beat San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer playoffs; St. Louis next

Thanks to heroes old and new in a shootout, Sporting Kansas City is moving on in the Major League Soccer playoffs.

Sporting KC beat the San Jose Earthquakes 4-2 in penalty kicks on Wednesday night to win an MLS Western Conference Wild-Card Match at Children’s Mercy Park and advance to a series against St. Louis CITY.

“At the end of the day, we found a way,” Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said. “I think our guys have the ability to dig deep because they’ve been through a lot this season.”

The match was scoreless through regulation and five minutes of stoppage time. But Sporting KC was dominant through the first 45 minutes.

The home side peppered San Jose’s goal and pinned the Earthquakes in their defensive third. The Quakes didn’t even register a shot until the second half.

But Sporting KC generated few decisive moments, instead opting for shots outside the box. When they did get inside the box, they passed up shooting opportunities.

Pulido had a shot cleared off the line just a minute into the second half, and Russell had multiple chances at goal on free kicks from outside the box — including one that struck the post.

Sporting KC laid siege to the Earthquakes’ net for the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time but couldn’t get one into the net. With the league’s new playoff format, and a quick turnaround for the winner of the match, it went straight to penalty kicks.

Sporting KC’s Tim Melia stood tall, making the first penalty kick save.

“I think Tim is the best I’ve ever been around … in regards to penalty kicks,” Vermes said. “He’s absolutely incredible.”

Melia improved to 7-0 in penalty kick shootouts, three of which have come against the Earthquakes (2017 U.S Open Cup semifinals, 2020 MLS playoffs’ first round and Wednesday). Across the three shootouts, Melia saved five straight penalty kicks, and with Yueill’s shanked attempt, San Jose missed six in a row.

Johnny Russell, Erik Thommy, Gadi Kinda, and Daniel Salloi made PKs for Sporting KC, while Alan Pulido squibbed one that was saved by the Quakes’ keeper.

Salloi’s penalty kick was the match-winner. Trusted as the fifth taker, Salloi’s confidence never wavered.

“In a shootout, I’ve never missed a penalty,” Salloi said. “In the game, I’ve never made one. In shootouts, I’m confident.”

Russell blasting home the first penalty kick in the shootout ratcheted up the pressure on San Jose, and the save from Melia that came next compounded it.

“It’s always great to get up early,” Melia said. “I think it plays an incredible psyche against the other team, and it kind of starts to make every penalty shooter step up there and think about it a little more.”

Sporting KC advances next to a best-of-three series with I-70 rival St. Louis City SC. That series starts Sunday at CITY Park in St. Louis. Here’s the schedule for the series:

• Sunday at St. Louis, 9 p.m.

• Sunday, Nov 5th, at Children’s Mercy Park, 4 p.m.

• IF NECESSARY: Saturday, Nov 11, at St. Louis, 5 p.m.

St. Louis is the one seed in the West after a historic season as an expansion team. They played a three-game series with Sporting KC this season, winning two matches to one and outscoring Kansas City 9-3.

But the slate is wiped clean now.

“We had our mistakes; they were consistent all year long, and that’s why they are where they are,” Salloi said. “In this sport, you must forget those last games and keep going.

“They won the first three-game series. Let’s see who wins the second one.”