KC Reporter

Sporting Kansas City lost 3-1 to Orlando City SC on Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium after a weather delay pushed kickoff more than three hours later than planned. The match began at 10:43 p.m. ET, following a postponement due to inclement weather.

Orlando City opened the scoring just 70 seconds into the match with a goal from Tyrese Spicer, who was making his first start for the club after joining in a trade from Toronto FC earlier this month. Spicer previously played for Trinidad and Tobago in the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Sporting Kansas City created several opportunities to equalize early in the first half. Dejan Joveljic narrowly missed with a long-range shot in the seventh minute, and Mason Toye’s effort went wide in the 20th minute after receiving a through ball from Jake Davis. Toye, making his first start for Sporting KC, forced a save from Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese before assisting on Sporting’s only goal of the night. In the 25th minute, Toye beat Gallese to a pass inside the box and set up Joveljic for an easy finish near the goalline.

Joveljic now leads Sporting KC with 14 goals this season, ranking him seventh in Major League Soccer’s Golden Boot race. His tally is also the highest by any Kansas City player in their debut season since Preki scored 18 goals during the team’s inaugural campaign in 1996.

Both teams had chances to take the lead before halftime but were unable to convert. Shapi Suleymanov curled an attempt wide for Sporting KC in the 39th minute, while Orlando’s Luis Muriel sent his shot over just before halftime.

In the second half, Orlando took control with two goals seven minutes apart. After surviving several close calls—including saves by John Pulskamp and missed opportunities by Martin Ojeda and Alex Freeman—Sporting nearly went ahead themselves but were denied twice by Gallese. Substitute Ramiro Enrique put Orlando back on top with a goal in the 76th minute, assisted by Ojeda, who extended his streak of goal contributions to 12 consecutive MLS matches—a mark that ties Sebastian Giovinco for second longest all-time.

Nicolas Rodriguez added another goal for Orlando in the 83rd minute, scoring six minutes after entering as a substitute. With this win, Orlando has now won four straight league matches and is tied for third place in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference standings.

Sporting Kansas City has now lost three consecutive games and remains winless in its last five matches dating back to late July. The team will face Seattle Sounders again next Sunday at Lumen Field as part of MLS Matchday 30. The game will be available via MLS Season Pass or Apple TV+, as well as nationally televised on FS1 and FOX Deportes.

The match was attended by over 20,000 fans at Inter&Co Stadium under partly cloudy skies and temperatures around 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

"Joveljic now has a team-high 14 goals this year, placing the Serbian striker seventh in the MLS Golden Boot race and giving him the most goals by a KC player in their first season with the club since Preki scored 18 times in the team's inaugural campaign back in 1996."

"However second-half substitute Ramiro Enrique would put Orlando ahead with the game-winning goal in the 76th minute -- five minutes after coming off the bench -- as Ojeda earned his 14th assist of the season to extend his goal contribution streak to 12 straight MLS matches, tying Sebastian Giovinco for the second longest streak in MLS history."

"Orlando City sealed the victory with a third goal in the 83rd minute, again from a substitute, as 21-year-old Nicolas Rodriguez scored his first MLS goal just six minutes after entering the match."

"Orlando, the highest scoring team in MLS, now has four straight league wins and sits in a share of third place in the Eastern Conference."

"Sporting, on the other hand, has suffered three straight defeats and is winless in five dating back to a 3-2 loss against Seattle last month."

"SKC and the Sounders will meet again next Sunday, Aug. 24 with kickoff at 8:25 p.m. CT at Lumen Field in the MLS Matchday 30 finale."

"Fans can watch SEAvSKC live with an MLS Season Pass or Apple TV+ subscription and the Western Conference match-up will also be nationally televised on FS1 and FOX Deportes."