Kansas City pip Sounders; Finlay stars in United win over Timbers

Felipe Gutierrez scored twice in the first half, including his fifth penalty kick conversion of the season, boosting KC past the Sounders 3-2 on Sunday night.

Erik Hurtado also scored for Sporting (7-9-7, 28 points), which snapped a two-game losing streak.

Gutierrez put Kansas City on the board in the 12th minute. Seth Sinovic sent a short pass down the left wing side.

The unmarked Gutierrez caught up with the ball, took it into the left side of the penalty area and sent a shallow 8-yard shot into the net just inside the far post for his ninth goal of the year.

In the 33rd minute, KC’s Gerso Fernandez took the ball into the right side of the box near the goal line. He was pushed down by Seattle’s Nouhou, who was whistled for the foul.

Referee Ismail Elfath then went to the video review, and barely 30 seconds later came back and pointed to the penalty spot. Gutiereez drilled his penalty kick into the upper center of the net.

Jordan Morris scored twice for the Sounders (11-7-5, 38 points), giving him seven goals for the season and three in the past two games.

Morris cut Kansas City’s lead to 2-1 just 55 seconds into the second half.  Nico Lodeiro set it up with a long pass down the left wing. Morris took it toward the top of the 6-yard box and fired a shot from past goalkeeper Tim Melia to the far post.

Hurtado’s goal off a counterattack in the 58th minute restored the two-goal margin. It was his first of the season. Morris’ goal in the 82nd minute again got Seattle within one.

Elsewhere, Ethan Finlay scored on a penalty kick in stoppage time, Vito Mannone had five saves for his second consecutive shutout and Minnesota United beat the Portland Timbers 1-0 on Sunday.

Mannone has shutouts in three of his last four games. Minnesota (11-7-5) is unbeaten, with five wins, in its last seven. Portland’s Larrys Mabiala was called for a hand ball in the area and, after video review confirmed the call, Finlay converted from the spot in the second minute of stoppage time. The Timbers had 57% possession and controlled much of the action but couldn’t convert. Sebastian Blanco missed wide on a chance in the third minute and his long-range shot in the 16th was tipped over the crossbar by Mannone - who made a double-save in the 29th minute.

Agence France-Presse