Revolution 0-3 Sporting KC: Red Cards Abound as New England Loses to Kansas City

The New England Revolution were thoroughly outplayed and out-coached against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night, losing 3-0 to the Eastern Conference leaders in a match they never looked likely to win. Kei Kamara did the damage, scoring one in each half, before Benny Feilhaber added insult to injury by doing what he never could in New England: scoring from a free kick. Beyond that, two Revolution players saw red: Dimitry Imbongo for a soft second yellow, and substitute Andy Dorman for a tackle from behind.

The match began fairly ugly, and it wasn't until the 19th minute that either side had a clear chance. Chance Myers ended up free and clear on the right flank after several Revolution players appeared to be fouled in the build-up, but when his cross reached Claudio Bieler on the half-volley the Argentine sent it over from just inside the box.

Kamara fired Sporting into the lead in the 27th minute with a combination of factors leading to the goal. Soony Saad received the ball on the left with far too much time and space, and crossed to the far post. Kevin Alston appeared to have it sized up, but Kamara soared in on a late run and jumped higher than the much-shorter Alston, beating him to the ball and punching a looping header to the opposite post and past Shuttleworth to gain the lead.

Saer Sene responded in the 30th minute by drilling one from 25 yards just over the bar. He had other options, but as it was the Revs' first chance of the match, it's tough to fault him for taking the shot. Dimitry Imbongo had the same idea in the 37th minute, though his was higher and wider.

One of the best chances of the night for New England fell in the 40th minute when a Lee Nguyen long ball found Imbongo in behind, by himself, and onside. His first touch wasn't bad, but his shot was straight at Nielsen, who knew very little about it when he saved it.

Kei Kamara had the first meaningful action of the second half, and it was a goal in the 50th minute. Saad again found himself with acres of space on the left, and crossed for Kamara. Alston got caught ball-side, and Kamara leaped over him and headed home.

The rest of the match was essentially an exercise in futility and frustration. Imbongo saw his second yellow in the 64th minute for bringing his arm high on Oriol Rosell. Andy Dorman, who had entered as a substitute, saw red for coming in hard from behind on Kamara about 20 minutes later. And then, comically, Stephen McCarthy was accidentally shown a red card in stoppage time when he conceded a soft free kick to Feilhaber. The mistake made by Baldomero Toledo was corrected, as McCarthy had not received a yellow previously and Toledo was trying to give him a second yellow.

Regardless, Feilhaber did what he was never able to do as a Revolution player; put in a good free kick. His strike cleared the wall and tucked into the near-post corner snugly, finishing off the 3-0 victory.

The Revolution next host Chicago on Saturday at Gillette Stadium.