D.C. United 0 - 1 Sporting Kansas City
Final
  for this game

Sporting beats D.C. to claim second place in the East

Aug 22, 2011 - 2:54 AM Kansas City, KS (Sports Network) - Sporting Kansas City took a big step towards the Major League Soccer playoffs Sunday night, as it defeated D.C. United 1-0 to move into second place in the Eastern Conference.

Kei Kamara provided the lone goal, as his seventh goal of the year proved to be all Sporting would need to claim all three points.

With the win, K.C. has now tallied 36 points on the season, taking the club ahead of the Philadelphia Union and the Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference standings. It sits just four points behind the first-place Columbus Crew, who lead with 40 points.

Kamara struck in the 19th minute with a cracking goal.

A cross from Omar Bravo was headed away by the D.C. United defense, but only to the top of the box where it found Kamara. The Sporting striker took a touch and beat a defender in front of him before quickly unleashing a rocket that made its way past United goalkeeper Joe Willis.

Kamara was one of four strikers in the starting lineup for Kansas City, as he suited-up along with C.J. Sapong, Omar Bravo, and Teal Bunbury.

With such an attack-minded team on the field, Sporting continued to press throughout the match in search of another goal, but it never came, as D.C. was stellar in defense for the remainder of the match.

Kansas City continues its tremendous form at Livestrong Sporting Park. Since its opening, the club has posted a 6-1-4 record at the soccer-specific stadium.

The loss snaps a four-match unbeaten streak for United, who have been about as good on the road as they have at home this season. The club has a 3-3-6 record at RFK Stadium in 2011 compared to a 4-4-4 record on the road.

D.C. remains in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 31 points on the season.

Sporting (9-7-9) is in the midst of a massive nine-game home stand to compensate for the mid-season opening of its new stadium. It will host FC Dallas in its next outing on Aug. 27.

D.C. United (7-7-10) will also return to action on the 27th, as it will host the Portland Timbers at RFK.






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