Zlatan Ibrahimovic can't reprise super-sub role as Galaxy fall to SKC

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:32 am

Daniel Salloi and Johnny Russell scored five minutes apart in the second half to lift Sporting Kansas City over the L.A. Galaxy 2-0 on Sunday night.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic came on as a substitute in the 62nd minute but could not repeat the heroics from his MLS debut last Saturday, when he helped rally the Galaxy from a two-goal deficit to defeat LAFC. Ibrahimovic had three shots on goal from distance and earned a corner when Sporting KC put his cross out of play.

Ibrahimovic had a breakaway in extra-time, but defender Ike Opara recovered in time to pressure the Swedish forward so his shot was not on goal.

Russell sliced through two defenders and beat goalkeeper David Bingham 1-on-1 to the far post in the 61st minute for his second goal.

Sporting KC went up 1-0 in the 56th minute when Jonathan dos Santos headed a corner down to Salloi, and he put it in at the near post. It was Salloi's first goal of the season.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will have two chances to put up points in this week's MLS action.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will have two chances to put up points in this week's MLS action.
Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire

The corner came when Bingham tipped Graham Zusi's long free kick over the bar after Daniel Steres received a yellow card for pulling down Khiry Shelton with both hands.

The Galaxy had the two best scoring chances in the first half. Chris Pontius headed a cross from Ashley Cole off the outside of the post in the 36th minute, and Cole's curling shot in the 43rd forced Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia to make a two-handed save, sending the ball off the post and out of play.

The Galaxy had two of their three designated players back in the starting lineup, with Romain Alessandrini and Jonathan dos Santos both returning from hamstring injuries. The Galaxy's other designated player, Giovani dos Santos, missed his third straight match because of a hamstring injury.