In many ways, Sporting Kansas City’s 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy on Saturday felt extra sweet.
A gutsy performance away from home — highlighted by Roger Espinoza’s thunderous (and slightly fortuitous) strike and a sublime overhead kick from the colossal Ike Opara — resulted in Sporting Kansas City’s first road win against the Galaxy since 2010 and gave Manager Peter Vermes’ side a five-point cushion atop the Western Conference table.
A few ominous statistics shrouded the matchup heading into Saturday, with LA unbeaten in eight straight games and facing a Sporting Kansas City outfit that had failed to score in seven of nine road fixtures this season.