CCL: Sporting KC and Red Bulls draw on road

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Aug 17, 2016

Sporting Kansas City needed a goal from Kevin Ellis in the 70th minute to rally for a 2-2 draw at Trinidad & Tobago's Central FC in its opening match of the 2016-17 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League group stage.

Week 2, Results:
TUESDAY, AUGUST 16
Central FC (TRI) 2 Sporting KC 2
Alianza FC (SLV) 1 NY Red Bulls 1
Olimpia (HON) 4 Police United (BLZ) 0

Ellis' goal came a quarter of an hour after three goals were scored in five minutes, first Seth Sinovic for Sporting KC and then Marcus Joseph and Kenwyne Jones for Central FC.

The game marked the Sporting Kansas City debut for 21-year-old center back Amer Didic, called up from USL affiliate Swope Park Rangers.

"He did a very good job," said Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes. "He learned a lot as the game went on. It's not easy to play against a guy [Jones] with that strength and power, but he learned very quickly."

The game was Jones' debut for Central FC. The T&T international is playing on loan from Atlanta United DC, which will begin play in MLS in 2017.

The result comes a week after the Vancouver Whitecaps won, 1-0, in Trinidad. Sporting KC hosts the 'Caps in MLS play on Saturday, then meets then at B.C. Place in the first of their two CCL meetings.

Aug. 16 in Couva
Central FC 2 Sporting KC 2. Goals: Joseph 54, Jones 56; Sinovic 51, Ellis 70.
Central FC -- Sample; John, Ettienne, Goodridge (Gabriel 81), Villaroel; Garcia, Paul, Joseph, De Silva (Marcano 76), Mitchell (Cummings 53); Jones.
Sporting KC -- Kempin; Abdul-Salaam, Didic, Ellis, Sinovic (Alvarado 66); Nagamura (Nuno Coelho 67), Mustivar, Espinoza; Davis, Rubio, Hallisey (Porter 81).



New Israeli signing Omar Damari came off the bench to score his first goal for the New York Red Bulls that earned them a 1-1 tie at El Salvador's Alianza.

The Red Bulls, who had never won on the road in three games in the CCL, fell behind on Alexander Larin's free kick in the 54th minute, the first goal Alianza has scored ever scored in the regional competition. Damari scored from close range in the 71st minute to even the score.

The Red Bulls, who opened group play with a 3-0 win over Guatemala's Antigua, had an almost 2-1 edge in possession and 16-8 edge in shots but could not find the winner.

Aug. 16 in San Salvador
Alianza 1 NY Red Bulls 1. Goals: Larin 54; Damari 71.
Alianza -- Arroyo, Larin, Abarca, Silva, Jacobo, Sosa (J.C. Portillo 79), I.Portillo, Ceren, Rivera, Valencia, Zelaya (Vazquez 86).
NY Red Bulls -- Robles, Long, Collin, Bilyeu (Lawrence 78), Zizzo, Etienne (Damari 67), Felipe, Davis, S.Wright-Phillips (Kljestan 61), B.Wright-Phillips, Veron.

Week 2, Schedule:
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17
Monterrey (MEX) vs. Arabe Unido (PAN)
Herediano (CRC) vs. Tigres (MEX)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18
Suchitepequez (GUA) vs. Real Esteli (NCA)
UNAM (MEX) vs. Honduras Progreso (HON)
Saprissa (CRC) vs. Dragon (SLV)