D.C. United has looked distinctly second-best in the first half of their big Eastern Conference match-up against Sporting Kansas City, and the scoreboard at halftime reflects that. Kei Kamara's 19th minute strike from the top of the penalty area beat Joe Willis to give the home side a 1-0 halftime lead at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park.
For the second game in a row, a weak clearance by Daniel Woolard set up the opposition's opener. The left back's header of Omar Bravo's cross from the left-wing only made it as far as Kamara, who took a few seconds to settle the ball before firing into the corner of Willis' net. That goal could easily have been Sporting Kansas City and Kamara's second, rather than their first, but the Sierra Leonean's header from Chance Mayers' right-wing cross smacked squarely against the crossbar in the 16th minute.
For their part, D.C. United didn't record a shot on goal until the 40th minute, though it was a decent chance as Santino Quaranta picked out Blake Brettschneider in the penalty area, but the forward's shot was well saved by Jimmy Nielsen.