Sporting Kansas City’s season ended Thursday night with a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Seattle Sounders FC in the Western Conference Knockout Round at rainy CenturyLink Field.
Second-half substitute Nelson Valdez nodded home the decisive goal amidst controversy in the 88th minute, propelling Seattle to the conference semifinals and eliminating Sporting Kansas City from the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Despite totaling seven shots on target to Seattle’s one, Sporting Kansas City suffered an agonizing road defeat in the single-elimination knockout round for the third straight year.
Coming off consecutive shutouts to end the regular season, Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes fielded the same lineup for a third straight game.