Sporting Kansas City (7-10-7, 28 points) fell 2-1 to rivals Real Salt Lake (11-9-4, 37 points) on Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park, dropping eight points below the Western Conference playoff line with 10 regular season matches remaining.
Johnny Russell fired the hosts ahead with a scintillating free kick in the 31st minute, but RSL overturned the deficit behind a brace from Corey Baird. The 23-year-old forward restored parity seven minutes before halftime and bagged the game-winner in the 70th minute to condemn Sporting to their fifth home defeat of 2019 and strengthen RSL’s hold on sixth place in the West.