Kansas City shock St. Louis to advance in MLS playoffs

Kansas City shock St. Louis to advance in MLS playoffs

© AFP 2022
November 6, 2023 at 1:05 AM
Sporting Kansas City defeated St. Louis City to advance in the MLS playoffs
Sporting Kansas City defeated St. Louis City to advance in the MLS playoffs. Photo: Patrick Smith / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP/File
Source: AFP

Sporting Kansas City ended Western Conference top seeds St. Louis City's magical first MLS season on Sunday with a 2-1 victory that sealed a 2-0 win in their first-round playoff series.

Goals from Logan Ndenbe and Daniel Salloi lifted Kansas City to victory, Ndenbe notching his second career goal a week after grabbing his first in Kansas City's 4-1 triumph in the series opener.

Kansas City had dominated possession in the first half, and Ndenbe made sure they were rewarded in stoppage time.

Salloi fed Alan Pulido from the left and Pulido found Ndenbe, who fired a left-footed shot past Roman Burki to put the hosts up 1-0 at the half.

With a desperate St. Louis pressing in the second half, Salloi doubled Kansas City's lead in the 73rd minute against the run of play.

Gadi Kinda collected the ball at the top of the area and beat a charging defender with a pass to Salloi, who fired past Burki.

St. Louis pulled one goal back with Celio Martins scoring in the 86th minute, but Kansas City held them off through more than 12 minutes of stoppage time.

Eighth-seeded Kansas City will now play either the Houston Dynamo or Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference semi-finals. Houston lead their series 1-0 heading into game two on Monday.

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© AFP 2022 photo
© AFP 2022