After-effects of the Kansas Seven ...

If results are anything to hang your hat on, it appears that Montreal Impact and Sporting KC are headed in opposite directions since the ‘Mauling in Missouri’. And perhaps not in the way you’d have expected.

The Bleu/Blanc/Noir have recorded shut-outs in all three games since leaving ‘Blue Hell’, tying two on the road and winning on Saturday, picking up a total of 5 points. Sporting conversely, has exited the Champions League on an aggregate 2-10 defeat to Mexican outfit, Monterrey, and failed to win either of it’s two MLS encounters.

In their latest outing this evening, New York Red Bulls almost upset Sporting at Children’s Mercy Park, the game ending 2-2, after the Eastern Conference side had led 2-1 with the game entering its final two minutes.

Red Bulls looked home and dry and will be disappointed at not seeing the game out with all three points, although they could’ve ended with nothing at all, Salloi’s fierce shot striking the bar in added time with SKC pushing for a winner. As it was, sixteen-year-old substitute, Gianluca Busio was the Kansas City saviour, scoring his third goal in the last three MLS games to equalize. Quite the story building up around that young man.

Peter G. Aiken

The game was a rip-roaring contest, fast and furious, although lacking finesse in the final third, but Red Bulls showed enough to suggest their record of one win in six so far this season is likely to improve.

Montreal go there in early May. The Red Bull Arena has been a graveyard for successive Montreal teams, and they’ll be hoping to avoid defeat for the tenth successive time at the venue in MLS Regular Season play.

The Impact will look for a similar result to their 2016 play-off victory there (2-1 - Piatti 2), and hope Chris Armas’ Red Bulls have not yet turned the corner before the sides meet.

After tonight’s game, Red Bulls are six points adrift of the Impact with a game less played.