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SPORTS Thursday 12 april 2018

Tim Melia’s big day puts focus on KC’s defensive rebound

By ANNE M. PETERSON “I think that every shot as a
AP Sports Writer goalkeeper that you save,
Tim Melia made his 100th you get a little bit more
appearance with Sporting confident, you get a little
Kansas City memorable more comfortable in your
with a career-high 10 saves. positioning, your decision-
Thing is, he didn’t even making becomes clearer,”
know he had reached ei- he said. “But to be honest
ther milestone until after- I didn’t feel like that in this
ward. game. I feel like I’m getting
“Of all the things that I’ve a ton of credit because of
gone through in my career, the statistics that were hap-
I’m proud of the fact that pening during the game,
I’m able to accomplish but I want to say all but
and have these statistics one of those shots was from
here,” the goalkeeper said pretty far out. And that’s on
in retrospect Wednesday. our team. That’s because
“This club is very special to our team is doing such a
me. This was the club that good job defensively.”
gave me the opportunity Earlier this season, Kan-
and stuck with me in good sas City faced questions
and bad times.” about its defense after al-
Melia’s saves came in a 2-0 lowing nine goals in its first
road victory over the LA four matches. The team al-
Galaxy on Sunday. It was lowed just 29 goals all of last
his second straight clean season, best in the league. In this Saturday, April 22, 2017, file photo, Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia (29) defends
sheet and earned him MLS But a stellar attack has the goal during the second half of an MLS soccer match against FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas.
Player of the Week honors . helped offset any defen- Associated Press
He even turned away sive struggles the team cause we had back-to- The 6-foot-1 keeper’s ca- NYCFC’s Sean Johnson has
Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the might have had. Sporting back shutouts doesn’t reer started in 2010 when 21 saves, while Melia and
high-profile newcomer’s sits atop the Western Con- mean anybody’s comfort- he was signed by Real Salt Minnesota’s Matt Lampson
second MLS appearance. ference at 4-1-1 with a able. Lake — but he never ap- each have 20.
“It’s a guy who has accom- conference-high 12 goals The reason we are getting peared in a league match GAME OF THE WEEK: While
plished a ton in professional so far this season. Only At- those shutouts in the past with the club. on the topic of goalkeep-
soccer. He’s obviously a lanta United (13) has more two games is because of He played in six matches ers, Melia will face counter-
huge talent, a world star, so in MLS. our commitment defen- for Chivas from 2012 until part Stefan Frei when Kan-
to have an opportunity to The two straight shutouts sively. And that’s just not he was waived in 2014. sas City hosts the Seattle
play against him, it’s fun,” indicate a defense on the the goalkeeper, the back Originally signed by Kan- Sounders on Sunday.
Melia said. rebound. four, it’s the entire team.” sas City as backup to Luis The Sounders are still look-
“He came on later in the “It’s way too early in the Melia, 31, is the reigning Marin, Melia started the ing for their first win of the
game and you could kind season. I think what’s most MLS Goalkeeper of the team’s ninth league match season with three losses.
of feel the energy that he important, with just being Year. Last season he had of 2015 and won the start- THE ZLATAN EFFECT: The Chi-
brought in when he got an athlete, is kind of never a career-high 12 wins, 10 ing nod with shutouts in six cago Fire announced that
subbed in. I think it’s going being too high or too low, shutouts, 91 saves and 31 of his first nine starts. Saturday’s game against
to be good for the league understanding that there’s starts. He led MLS with a As far as goalkeepers go in the Galaxy at Toyota Park
and good for the LA Gal- going to be ebbs and flows 0.78 goals-against average Major League Soccer, Me- is a sellout.
axy.” to the season,” Melia said. and a 78.4 save percent- lia’s performance against The match will be Ibrahi-
While goalkeepers can feel “Our start was not accept- age. He saved three pen- the Galaxy (remarkably) movic’s first on the road this
momentum and use it, Me- able by any means. Nine alty kicks. didn’t even put him atop season and he’ll be reunit-
lia said more of the credit goals in four games is com- Melia was also the league’s the saves list: That honor be- ed with former Manchester
for his performance Sunday pletely unacceptable and Comeback Player of the longs to RSL’s Nick Rimando United teammate Bastian
goes to Sporting’s defense it’s not who we are.” Year in 2015, his first season with 22 saves in five match- Schweinsteiger, who now
overall. But he added: “Just be- with Kansas City. es so far this season. plays for the Fire.q