Facing its third MLS match in eight days, the Columbus Crew (9-14-5, 32 points) fell 3-0 to Eastern Conference rival Sporting Kansas City (13-9-6, 45 points) at Sporting Park on Saturday evening.
The loss is the first for the Black & Gold under Interim Head Coach Brian Bliss following Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo. Sporting got off to a fast start in the match and never looked back, as Wil Trapp was whistled for a foul inside the Crew’s area in the sixth minute, leading to a Claudio Bieler goal from the penalty spot. Bieler assisted on a Soony Saad strike in the 41st minute, and C.J. Sapong capped the scoring with a 55th-minute header.
“We never want to use excuses,” Crew defender Chad Barson stated. “Kansas City was just the better team on the night. Even when they are missing guys they can plug guys in and they can still have the same philosophy and style. They showed tonight that they deserved to win.”
The Black & Gold return to action with a trip to Montreal to face the Impact on Saturday, September 14 (2:00 p.m. ET / FOX Sports Ohio) in the third and final regular-season meetings between the two teams this year.
