KANSAS CITY, Kan. – If you're keeping score at home, Sporting Kansas City have now started five different goalkeepers since Jimmy Nielsen retired at the end of their MLS Cup-winning season in 2013.
The fifth one just made a credible case to be the new No. 1.
Tim Melia made three saves and recorded a clean sheet in Sunday's 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire, as second-half sub Paulo Nagamura's 74th-minute goal stood up for Sporting's first victory since a 3-2 home comeback over Philadelphia on April 5.
Kansas City (3-2-4) recorded their fourth shutout of the year and broke a three-match winless streak, while the Fire (3-4-0) had a three-match winning streak broken. Chicago had to play a man down after the 89th minute, when midfielder David Accam was sent off for backhanding Sporting right back Jalil Anibaba in the face.
Melia, a former league pool ’keeper making his first start in a year, made the XI after Luis Marin gave up four goals in last week's road draw at Houston – and got put to the test early on for Sporting.
Melia made two saves in the first 19 minutes – and might have had three over that span, but wasn't credited with one for parrying away a chip from Accam. He also helped clean up several passing lapses in the defensive third and did a solid job of controlling the penalty area, something that Marin had struggled with in recent matches.
Sporting, for their part, controlled the bulk of possession through the first half and had several good chances to go up 1-0 around the half-hour mark. Both went for naught though: Dom Dwyer headed Benny Feilhaber's pass just high in the 31st minute, and another header – this one from Kevin Ellis – hit the crossbar in the 34th.
Kansas City continued to generate chances through Feilhaber, who shares the MLS assist lead with five, after the break – but it was Anibaba who delivered the ball to Nagamura for the match-winner.
Graham Zusi played the ball out to Anibaba on the right flank, and he returned it into the area for Nagamura's header past Sean Johnson into the upper left corner
The Fire got a spark of energy in the 71st minute, when Quincy Amarikwa came on at center forward for Guly do Prado, but couldn't translate that into enough offensive cohesion to seriously threaten Melia's goal – especially after Accam's red-card infraction, which took place right in front of fourth official Nima Saghafi.
Their best chance for an equalizer came on a corner kick in the second minute of stoppage time, but Jeff Larentowicz's fallaway header sailed well and harmlessly high.
Both teams are in action again on Saturday with Sporting at D.C. United and the Fire at home against Real Salt Lake.
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
