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GAMEDAY REPORT: Harris Lifts SKC II Late Against Louisville

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 07/29/20, 10:14PM EDT

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Young striker’s finish gives Sporting first win of the 2020 season

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Wilson Harris scored a late winner to give Sporting Kansas City II its first victory of the season as it defeated Louisville City FC 2-1 at Lynn Family Stadium on Wednesday night.

Looking to build on victory in the first meeting between the sides on Saturday night, Louisville almost struck inside the opening two minutes when Cameron Lancaster fired a shot just wide of the right post after a good low cross by Akil Watts from the right. Niall McCabe also had a chance a few minutes later as his looping header came back off the crossbar and was gathered by SKC goalkeeper Remi Prieur

It was Sporting that took the lead, however, as a low cross from the left by Dillon Serna deflected to Dominik Resetar near the penalty spot, and the young forward shot low into the bottom-right corner. Prieur then kept the visitors ahead in the 14th minute with a spectacular double-save that first denied Lancaster from close range off a cross from the left, and then saw him recover in time to keep out the rebound from Napo Matsoso.

There was little Prieur could do in the 21st minute, however, when LouCity was awarded a free kick 20 yards from goal just to the right of the center of the penalty area. Lancaster stepped up and curled a perfectly placed shot into the top-left corner of the net for his sixth goal directly from a free kick since the start of the 2017 season.

The pressure kept coming from Louisville, and a clever pass over the top by McCabe sent Abdou Thiam in behind the defense, but his first-time finish looped high over the crossbar. Sporting was able to get the game to the break even, but almost gave away a goal on an errant pass by Camden Riley that put Prieur into a foot-race with Brian Ownby for the loose ball in the SKC II penalty area with 18 minutes to go. Prieur made it back in time to smother Ownby’s effort out for a corner and keep the game level.

Sporting had chances of its own as well. With 10 minutes to go, Serna found space in the penalty area for a shot that was smothered by LouCity goalkeeper Ben Lundt, and then corralled the rebound and laid a pass back to Harris, who had his effort with Lundt recovering blocked away by Sean Totch.

Harris would provide the game’s decisive moment three minutes later, however, as a mistake in midfield by Louisville allowed the young standout to get out on the break. As LouCity’s Watts cut across field to try and deny his finish, Harris cut centrally from the left channel and then squeezed a shot home that took a slight deflection before finding the back of the net, restoring the lead for the visitors. The goal proved enough as LouCity was unable to find a response in stoppage time and fell for the third time in four games at its new home.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Remi Prieur, Sporting Kansas City II – Prieur recorded eight saves on the contest, including a big double-save in the first half, to help SKC II claim its first three points of the season.

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