Ike Opara’s 52nd-minute header helped Sporting Kansas City (15-8-7, 52 points) to a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake (13-11-7, 46 points) on Sunday at Children’s Mercy Park. Rookie forward Corey Baird had fired the visitors ahead in the ninth minute before Opara restored parity early in the second half, effectively splitting the points in a tense battle between Western Conference rivals.
The result keeps second-place Sporting KC two points behind Western Conference leaders FC Dallas with four regular season games still to play. Real Salt Lake, meanwhile, holds a two-point cushion over the LA Galaxy for the sixth and last playoff spot heading into the decisive month of October.