Italian-Ghanaian striker Kelvin Yeboah struck late to cap a 3-1 fightback over Sporting Kansas City and keep Minnesota United's playoff dream alive.
Kelvin Yeboah is writing his name into Minnesota United history. The Italian-Ghanaian forward netted in the 88th minute at Allianz Field to cap a stirring 3-1 comeback win over Sporting Kansas City, a result that keeps the Loons firmly in the MLS playoff hunt.
It was a tough first half for the hosts. Taylor Calheira put Sporting Kansas City ahead in the 31st minute, pouncing on a deflected pass before beating goalkeeper Drake Callender. Minnesota thought they had a quick response after the restart when Mauricio González found the net, but a video review ruled it out for a foul in the build-up.
The Loons refused to fold. Anthony Markanich levelled in the 72nd minute, heading home a Joaquín Pereyra corner, and four minutes later González got his redemption. He finished off a move that began when Nectarios Triantis won back possession and slipped in the decisive pass, putting Minnesota 2-1 up.
Then came Yeboah's moment. Picking up a pass from Tomás Chancalay inside the box, he calmly placed his shot into the bottom-left corner to seal the win with two minutes of normal time left. The strike was his 18th of the MLS season and his 40th for Minnesota in all competitions, making him the club's all-time leading scorer. With the playoff race tightening, the Ghanaian-heritage striker is delivering exactly when his team needs it most.
