Minnesota United 3-1 Sporting KC: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings

How Minnesota United won it

Taylor Calheira put Sporting KC ahead in the 31st minute. Minnesota United levelled at 1-1 in the 72nd minute through Anthony Markanich Jr., set up by Joaquín Pereyra. Minnesota United turned it round: Mauricio Gonzalez made it 2-1 in the 76th minute, set up by Nectarios Triantis. Kelvin Yeboah made it 3-1 to Minnesota United in the 88th minute, set up by Tomás Chancalay.

It was 0-1 at half-time, and the second half turned the match the other way.

The lead changed hands once.

The referee, S. Boiko, showed 4 yellow cards: 4 to Minnesota United and 0 to Sporting KC.

Minnesota United: C. Knowles, 4-4-2 · Sporting KC: R. Wicky, 4-4-2.

Moneyball's prediction against the result

The prediction got the result right. Before kick-off Moneyball made a Minnesota United win the most likely outcome at 62%, and that is what happened, though the most likely score was 2-1 rather than 3-1.

On goals the estimate was close: about 3.5 expected, 4 scored.

Over 2.5 goals had been put at 67%; with 4 goals the over came in, as the estimate leaned.

Both teams to score was 63%; both did, in line with the estimate.

Computed before kick-off from both sides' season goals and expected goals as of 2026-10-28, through a Dixon-Coles score model, and left as it was.

Why it went this way

On the day the expected goals were 0.80 for Minnesota United and 2.32 for Sporting KC.

Minnesota United scored about 2.2 more than their chances were worth: clinical finishing, or a goalkeeper having a bad day.

Sporting KC left about 1.3 goals' worth of chances on the pitch.

Sporting KC created the better chances, 2.32 xG to 0.80, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.

The run of play itself went against the pre-match reading: Moneyball expected Minnesota United to create more, and Sporting KC did.

Minnesota United had 8 shots on target, Sporting KC 2.

Sporting KC's goalkeeper made 5 saves.

Minnesota United had 57% of the ball and turned it into the win.

Where the two sides stood before this match

Minnesota United came into it with 34 MLS matches played, scoring 1.6 and conceding 1.7 a match, with 1.70 expected goals for and 1.63 against, and had won 32% of their matches.

Sporting KC came into it with 34 MLS matches played, scoring 1.2 and conceding 2.4 a match, with 1.20 expected goals for and 1.91 against, and had won 21% of their matches.

Minnesota United vs Sporting KC: the match in numbers

Team statistics from Sportmonks.

Player ratings and man of the match

Man of the match: Anthony Markanich Jr. (Minnesota United), rated 7.8 by Sportmonks, with 1 goal.

Minnesota United

• Anthony Markanich Jr. 7.8 1 goal
• Mauricio Gonzalez 7.7 1 goal
• Nectarios Triantis 7.6 1 assist
• Jefferson Díaz 7.5
• Tomás Chancalay 7.2 1 assist

Sporting KC

• Taylor Calheira 7.3 1 goal
• Kwaku Agyabeng 7.3
• Stefan Cleveland 7.1
• Jansen Miller 6.9
• André Luiz 6.9

The lowest-rated starter was Emir Karic at 6.0. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.

Questions about Minnesota United vs Sporting KC

What was the score in Minnesota United vs Sporting KC?

Minnesota United 3-1 Sporting KC (half-time 0-1), MLS, Thursday 29 October 2026.

Who scored in Minnesota United vs Sporting KC?

Taylor Calheira 31', Anthony Markanich Jr. 72', Mauricio Gonzalez 76', Kelvin Yeboah 88'.

Did Moneyball predict Minnesota United vs Sporting KC correctly?

The prediction got the result right. Before kick-off Moneyball made a Minnesota United win the most likely outcome at 62%, and that is what happened, though the most likely score was 2-1 rather than 3-1.

Who was man of the match in Minnesota United vs Sporting KC?

Anthony Markanich Jr., rated 7.8 by Sportmonks.

Who refereed Minnesota United vs Sporting KC?

S. Boiko.