Technically Speaking: #SKCvNE

Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com

You might think that, with a sizeable statistical advantage (63% to the Revs’ 37% ball possession, 7 corners to the Revs 2, and so on), Sporting Kansas City should have won Friday’s match fairly easily.  But the numbers alone weren’t enough for the hosts to come away with three points.

Their problem was that they practically handed three goals to the Revolution, resulting in a 3-2 loss. The Revs, strangely enough, came close to repaying the favor a third time themselves. All five goals on Friday exposed defensive weaknesses on both teams (though these defensive faux pas were forced by some very skillful execution on the part of both offenses).

I will never figure out why Kelyn Rowe was left so open in a prime scoring position before he scored in the 22nd minute. He was ignored completely, with no Sporting defender within 10 yards of him. The first time he was even noticed was as the ball floated over keeper Eric Kronberg’s head to his left foot. He then deftly one-timed the ball inside the far post with the inside of his foot, ankle properly dorsi-flexed. A very pretty finish, but how could a supposedly strong professional defense have allowed such a lapse?

In the 35th minute, the Sporting defense flopped again, letting Jose Goncalves get the ball in his own territory, dribble almost 60 yards up the field, and shoot it with plenty of authority from just outside the penalty area. The defenders looked more like spectators than players here. Where was Jorge Carlos, for example, the supposed defensive midfielder? In this situation Aurelien Collin, KC’s injured starting centerback, was sorely missed. He is a strong and experienced tackler, and very possibly would have nipped Goncalves’ run in the bud.

But turnabout is fair play. In the 54th minute, the Revs fell victim yet again to their unfortunate propensity to rely on the off-side trap, as Paulo Nagamura ran laterally, more or less parallel to the Rev back line, took an accurate pass from Kevin Ellis (while Goncalves vainly claimed offside with a raised hand) and finished off by elegantly chipping the ball past Bobby Shuttleworth.

Before this goal, the Revs held a two-goal advantage. So why would they put their lead at risk with a hit-or-miss tactic particularly designed to even the odds for a weaker team? The Revs’ defense should prioritize running with opposing forwards, to stop these open shots.

Dom Dwyer’s close-in header for goal two minutes later was the most difficult goal of the game to stop, but if I were a Revs’ defender I would have kept a closer eye on a player sitting on 19 goals, a player who is always focused and constantly looking for scoring opportunities. It may be a bit unfair to fault Goncalves alone for lax coverage of Dwyer, but the skipper was trailing ineffectually behind Dwyer as he scored. I suppose I expect better defensive positioning from a prime professional.

Jermaine Jones’ classy, late-game goal replicated Goncalves’ in that both were given way too much time to shoot. The almost total absence of KC defenders around Jones as he teed up from 30 yards was surprising to see. They looked like a tired bunch.

All three Revs goals entered the frame on the ground, my favorite location when so many others are shot over the bar.

If anyone wants to see a picture-perfect instep drive, check out Phil Jagielka’s sensational game-tying extra-time goal during Saturday’s Liverpool-Everton match. From a technical standpoint, the shot was as good as any I have seen.

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