Thommy, Pulido lead Sporting KC to 2-1 victory over Earthquakes
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Erik Thommy and Alan Pulido scored in the second half with assists from Nemanja Radoja and Sporting Kansas City withstood a late own goal by Khiry Shelton to post a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night.
Sporting KC (6-13-5) won back-to-back league matches for the first time this season. They beat FC Dallas last Saturday in league play and beat them again in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Thommy used assists from Nemanja Radoja and Johnny Russell to score three minutes into the second half and give Sporting KC a 1-0 lead. Russell, who subbed in to begin the half, earned his fourth assist of the season on Thommy’s fifth netter.
Pulido made it 2-0 in the 57th minute. Radoja notched his fourth assist on Pulido’s fourth goal of the campaign.
Shelton’s own goal came in the 83rd minute.
Tim Melia turned away one shot in goal for Sporting KC, which sweeps the season series after beating San Jose 2-1 at home in March. William Yarbrough did not have a save for the Earthquakes (4-17-2).
The visitors won for just the fifth time in a series that Sporting KC leads 33-28-12. Both teams posted 3-0 wins at home last season.
Sporting KC improves to 4-2-2 in its last eight visits to PayPal Park after failing to win there from 2000-2016.
Sporting KC heads north to play the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday. The Earthquakes will host the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday.
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