Johnny Russell hat trick helps Sporting Kansas City rout nine-man Vancouver Whitecaps

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:31 am

Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire

A Johnny Russell hat trick helped Sporting Kansas City wallop the Vancouver Whitecaps 6-0 to remain atop the Western Conference on an eventful night that saw two Whitecaps players sent off in the first half. 

A Russell brace and a Jimmy Medranda goal after 30 minutes set the hosts on their way before ugly scenes and two Vancouver red cards soured the spectacle before halftime.

Russell scored his third soon after the break. Second-half substitute Cristian Lobato made it five and Yohan Croizet added another to complete the rout at Children's Mercy Park.

Russell opened the scoring after just 10 minutes when he smashed home a pullback from Roger Espinoza from the top of the box.

He added his second six minutes later, firing past Stefan Marinovic after cutting inside his marker in the box.

Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire

Medranda collected the third at the half-hour mark -- the Colombian left-footer sensationally beating Marinovic from distance on the left side of the box.

Confusion just before the half resulted in two Whitecaps red cards and a Sporting yellow when players clashed after a hard foul. 

VAR was used to sort the events of the scrum and match referee Kevin Stott eventually sent off Yordy Reyna and Efraín Juarez, and handed Russell a yellow.

Sporting pushed their advantage soon after and won a penalty in stoppage time but Marinovic turned away Ilie Sanchez's attempt to mitigate the first-half damage.

But the onslaught continued in the second half and Russell completed his hat trick three minutes after the restart with a fine chip from an angle. 

Lobato, who replaced Russell n the 52nd minute, added his goal two minutes later and Croizet rounded out the scoring on 77 minutes -- the talented No. 10 scoring his first goal for the club by poking past Marinovic after being played in behind the defense.

 The win gives Sporting 17 points from eight matches, seven more than the second-placed LA Galaxy.

Vancouver remain tied for second in the conference with 10 points.