• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Sporting strikes early to hold off Chicago

Jul 7, 2013 - 9:14 PM Bridgeview, IL (Sports Network) - Sporting Kansas City scored twice inside the first 10 minutes of play on Sunday and held on for a 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park.

Sporting got off the mark quickly as Benny Feilhaber and Graham Zusi each found the back of the net in the sixth and eighth minutes, respectively, to jump out to a quick lead.

The Fire responded through Mike Magee in the 38th minute, but were unable to find an equalizer as their nine-match unbeaten streak in league play went by the wayside.

The visitors controlled the action early on and opened the scoring through a set-piece opportunity when defender Matt Besler launched a long throw-in into the penalty area. The ball fell to the feet of Feilhaber, who blasted it off the left post and in for his first goal of the season.

Just two minutes later, Sporting doubled its lead as Zusi found himself alone with the ball just outside the box. He whipped a curling ball toward the back post that flew over the outstretched arms of Chicago goalkeeper Paolo Tornaghi and into the side netting.

The hosts pulled one back in the 38th minute as Jeff Larentowicz sent a nice ball forward that was flicked on by Chris Rolfe for Magee, who ran onto it and calmly put it past Jimmy Nielsen to make it 2-1.

Chicago pushed for an equalizer in the second half and had one final great opportunity with a corner kick in the final minute of stoppage time, but the Fire weren't able to make anything of it and ultimately came up short.