Anthony Markanich scored twice to lift Minnesota United to a 3-0 win over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night in St. Paul, Minn.
Joaquin Pereyra also scored for Minnesota United (16-7-10, 58 points), which tallied one goal in the first half and two in the second half.
Sporting Kansas City (7-20-6, 27 points) was out-shot 14-8 while being blanked.
Minnesota United scored off a set piece in the 25th minute. Pereyra lofted a high, curling kick toward the net and Markanich headed the ball for a perfect redirection. Sporting Kansas City goaltender John Pulskamp dropped to his left to try to make the save, but the ball bounced off him and ricocheted off the post and into the net.
It marked Markanich’s eighth goal of the season, which ranks third on the Loons. He trails only Tani Oluwaseyi (10 goals) and Kelvin Yeboah (nine goals), both of whom were unavailable Saturday with Oluwaseyi playing in Europe and Yeboah dealing with a hamstring injury.
On the other end of the field, Minnesota United goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair came up huge in a pivotal moment late in the first half. Mason Toye had a terrific scoring opportunity and reeled off a point-blank shot, but St. Clair stuck out his right foot just in time to make the save.
Pereyra made it 2-0 in favor of Minnesota United in the 60th minute. Robin Lod ripped a booming kick that Pulskamp saved, but the rebound bounced out toward Pereyra as he sprinted down the right side.
Pereyra converted with a blast past a diving Pulskamp, who could not recover in time. It was Pereyra’s fifth goal of the season.
In the 63rd minute, Minnesota United struck again to increase its lead to 3-0. Nectarios Triantis lifted a pass toward the middle and Markanich headed it off one bounce and into the net.
Pulskamp laid on his stomach and buried his head into the grass after allowing another narrow goal.
The match marked the final home game of the regular season for Minnesota United and the final road game of the regular season for Sporting Kansas City.
–Field Level Media
