When your scroll through the list of results in MLS NEXT Pro Matchday 15 action, there is one that stands out from the others. That would be Sporting Kansas City II's whopping 7-1 win over Western Conference foe Whitecaps FC 2.
Sunday's performance set a new watermark for the most goals scored in a game in 2023 as well as set an all-time league record for most goal scorers in a match (7) and earned SKC II Team of the Matchday honors for the first time this year.
Head coach Benny Feilhaber obviously liked plenty of what he saw on Sunday, but did offer a little extra praise for Andrew Draper's 84th-minute effort as one of the memorable goals of the game.
"Late in the game, we pressed them, we created an opportunity to steal it. Lucas (Rosa) read it really well and was able to scoot around a couple of guys to deliver a really good cross to the back post where we had the opposite winger making a run," said Feilhaber. "Which we talk about in training. One of my favorites."
The goal was every bit stylish as it was rewarding. It was the soccer equivalent of an alley-oop you'd see in a basketball game. It was also the punctuation mark of a scoring outburst that delivered the most lopsided win of the Matchday and adds to the SKC II's recent surge in power. The win puts Feilhaber and his men in fifth place in the Western Conference. In the driver's seat to claim the first playoff berth in the club's MLS NEXT Pro era. It also rose their unbeaten streak to five.
The seven contributing goal scorers (plus five different assisters) showed SKC II hitting a new gear, Feilhaber shared.
"It's about winning. I tell these guys every day, whether it be second-team guys or first-team guys coming down. That was one of the best things I saw today, the unity of the group. We didn't get that last year in terms of the unity between first-team guys, second-team guys and both wanting to win.
"What I saw today was great."
As we cross into the home stretch of the season, SKC II is hitting stride at a perfect time. They'll look to keep the vibe alive on Sunday, July 9 when they return to action against Timbers2 at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon.
You can catch all the MLS NEXT Pro action on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and MLSNEXTPRO.com.
