Leading up to Sporting Kansas City’s hosting of Vancouver Whitecaps Sunday afternoon at Children’s Mercy Park, their 2021 season begged for a dominating performance from start to finish. A smooth, high possession, ball-control display punctuated by three goals from a rounding-into-form attack and a team defense that needed only two saves from a returning Tim Melia delivered just that in a 3-0 win. Homegrown winger Daniel Salloi hit for one and Mexican striker Alan Pulido for two goals in the rout.
Coming into the match, both Sporting Kansas City and Vancouver Whitecaps held 2-2-1 records and identical roads to them early in the 2021 Major League Soccer season.