Sapong helps Sporting KC win home opener

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) C.J. Sapong scored for the second time in as many games, and Sporting Kansas City beat the short-handed New England Revolution 3-0 in its home opener on Saturday night.

Graham Zusi and Kei Kamara also scored for Sporting (2-0), and Jimmy Nielsen made six saves in his second shutout.

New England (0-2) is winless in its last eight league matches since a 2-0 victory over FC Dallas on Sept. 10.

New England had to play a man down after the 14th minute, when Stephen McCarthy was given a straight red card for a bad foul on Sapong.

Sporting made the man advantage pay off with goals from Zusi in the 28th minute, Kamara in the 39th and Sapong in the 47th. Zusi and Kamara both scored on putbacks.

Updated March 17, 2012