Minnesota United gets back to winning ways by topping Sporting Kansas City 3-1

Minnesota United and Sporting Kansas City aren’t really rivals, no matter the occasional attempts to brand their matches as the “Nicest Rivalry in Sports.” It’s especially true now that St. Louis has joined MLS, giving Kansas City a much more natural rival.

It’s too bad, because for once, the “rivalry” is turning in Minnesota’s favor.

The Loons beat Sporting KC 3-1 on Saturday night at Allianz Field, Minnesota’s second home victory over SKC in 36 days. It meant that the Loons ended a stretch of three games in eight days with a solid victory, following a draw at Colorado last weekend and a loss at LAFC on Wednesday.

Loons coach Eric Ramsay called it “as close to a complete performance” of any in his tenure, something that fullback Devin Padelford echoed.

“I think we were great,” Padelford said after the Loons improved to 8-3-4. “We really executed what we wanted to do, by switching the ball and getting down the line and taking advantage of the space.”

It was the seventh consecutive league loss for last-place Sporting KC (2-9-5), a run that has put coach Peter Vermes’ job in danger — even though he has held the job since 2009, so long ago that the team was still known as the Kansas City Wizards back then.

The statistics will tell you Bongokuhle Hlongwane got the assist on Tani Oluwaseyi’s 33rd-minute goal, a unsavable header after a beautiful cross. What they won’t show is the contribution of Sang Bin Jeong, who started the whole move with pure effort and a sprint from midfield.

“We notice those things a big way because they’re a big part of what we try and do,” Ramsay said. “There’s a lot that’s really, really pleasing about each of those goals that would maybe go unnoticed to those that perhaps haven’t watched us an awful lot this year.”

Oluwaseyi turned into the provider in the second half, getting behind the Sporting KC defense to set up a cross to Robin Lod. The midfielder, who had been on the field for less than five minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute, turned the ball into the back of the net to double the Loons’ lead in the 67th minute.

BOXSCORE: Loons 3, Sporting KC 1

Kervin Arriaga added insult to SKC’s injury in the 83rd minute, blasting a shot under Melia from a sharp angle, after a terrible attempted clearance by the Sporting defense. Johnny Russell blasted in a consolation goal three minutes later, continuing his history of feasting on the Loons, but it came too late to make a difference in the game.

The Loons’ tactical plan involved pushing the right wingback much higher up the field than usual — a plan that had a couple of wrenches thrown into it before halftime.