Sporting KC tops 9-man Rapids
Graham Zusi scored in stoppage time to give Sporting Kansas City a wild 3-2 victory Friday night over the short-handed Colorado Rapids in the MLS is Back tournament in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Jonathan Lewis scored in the 84th minute to pull the Rapids into a 2-2 draw after Alan Pulido’s penalty kick put Sporting up in the 72nd minute. The match was contentious, with two second-half red cards taking the Rapids down to nine players.
Colorado’s Danny Wilson pulled down Khiry Shelton as he was sprinting toward the goal. After a video review, Wilson was handed a red card and sent off in the 61st minute.
A controversial handball call on Diego
Rubio gave Pulido the penalty kick, which he buried to put Sporting up, 2-1.
Just moments later, Colorado’s Jack Price was sent off with another red card — which took the Rapids down to nine players — after it appeared he said something to the referee.
More MLS
Veteran Federico Higuain scored as a second-half substitute for a second match in a row, and D.C. United rallied for a 1-1 draw with the New England Revolution.
New England missed out on a chance to book a spot in the knockout round of the MLS is Back tournament thanks to a defensive blunder midway through the second half.
The draw left New England tied with Toronto FC on top of Group C with four points, while D.C. United earned its second draw in a row. D.C. United (1-1-2) will close the group stage Tuesday facing winless Montreal, while the Revolution close out against Toronto.
NWSL Challenge Cup
Rookie Morgan Weaver scored in the 68th minute to send the Portland Thorns into the semifinals of the Challenge Cup with a surprising 1-0 upset victory over the two-time defending league champion North Carolina Courage in Herriman, Utah. The win was eighth-seeded Portland’s first victory at the tournament, and it came with the team’s third-string goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom in net. The top-seeded Courage had won all four of its Challenge Cup games going into the match.