Giacomo Vrioni scored two goals in a span of four minutes in the first half to lead the host New England Revolution to a 2-1 victory over reeling Sporting Kansas City on Saturday in Foxborough, Mass.
The Revolution (6-1-2, 20 points) remained atop the Eastern Conference by extending their unbeaten streak to six games (4-0-2).
Johnny Russell scored for Sporting Kansas City (0-5-3, 3 points), who remained winless and in last place in the Western Conference. They’ve been outscored 13-3 this season.
New England goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic made two saves, while Sporting Kansas City’s Tim Melia made seven.
Trailing 2-0 at halftime, Sporting Kansas City cut their deficit in half on a set piece in the 50th minute. Daniel Salloi curled a free kick from the left wing to the far post, where Russell one-timed it past Petrovic from just a few feet away for his first goal of the season.
Russell’s goal was Sporting Kansas City’s first since the fifth minute of a 4-1 loss to Seattle on March 25.
Sporting Kansas City was forced to play with 10 men after defender Andreu Fontas drew his second yellow card — an automatic red card — when he tripped Vironi just outside the penalty box in the 57th minute.
Sporting Kansas City’s best chance to equalize came in the 91st minute when Felipe Hernandez’s shot from a few feet inside the penalty box hit the post.
The Revolution took a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute when Emmanuel Boateng sprinted up the left wing before crossing a pass to Vrioni, who one-timed a volley off defender Dany Rosero’s chest and past a helpless Melia.
New England doubled its lead four minutes later. After getting a pass from Boateng in the penalty box, Carles Gill unleashed a shot that Melia turned away with a diving save. But the rebound went straight to Vrioni, who deposited it into the open net for his team-high third of the season.
The Revolution maintained possession for 52.5 percent of the match and took 16 shots — nine on target — and completed a whopping 84.9 percent of their 538 passes.
Sporting Kansas City put just three of their eight shots on net.
–Field Level Media
