Rookie Connor Hallisey Makes Most of First Start For Sporting KC

Posted On May 30, 2015 by PUSC

by Tod Palmer  tpalmer@kcstar.com

May 30, 2015 — Sporting Kansas City rookie Connor Hallisey made his first MLS start with forward Dom Dwyer sidelined by a sore neck and Hallisey made it count.

Hallisey, the club’s 2015 first-round pick from California-Berkeley, had played 51 minutes in four career appearances before a 4-0 win Friday against FC Dallas at Sporting Park.

Hallisey went a career-high 64 minutes and notched his first MLS assist on a goal by Graham Zusi a minute before subbing off to thunderous applause.

“It was awesome,” Hallisey said. “Obviously, leading up to the game, there were nerves, but nerves are good. They get your adrenaline going and get you out there feeling good. Once the game started, you get in the zone and don’t even think about it.”

Hallisey also earned a corner kick in the third minute with his hustle up the right flank and later broke up a promising FC Dallas attack in the ninth minute by tracking back and knocking Mauro Diaz off the ball at the top of the penalty box.

But the unquestionable highlight was his back-heel pass in the box to tee up Zusi.

“I probably could have taken the shot, but Zeus was streaking through and I’m pretty sure he was yelling ‘back heel,’ so he made it easy on me,” Hallisey said. “When somebody makes a run like that, you have to reward them.”

• Four Sporting KC players — Chance Myers, Benny Feilhaber, Tim Melia and Roger Espinoza — will be the at the Kansas City Zoo on Sunday for Sporting KC Day at the Zoo.

Among the festivities, the zoo’s six orangutans will be outfitted in Sporting KC merchandise and the club’s futsal court will be set up for use by guests from noon to 4 p.m.

Myers and Feilhaber will play soccer with sea lions at 1:30 p.m. and Melia and Espinoza braving the cold with the penguins at 2:30 p.m.

After those activities, the players will take part in a 30-minute autograph session/meet-and-greet.

• Fewer than 1,000 tickets remain Sporting KC’s opening game in the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against St. Louis FC at 7:30 p.m. on June 16 at Sporting Park.

St. Louis FC, a United Soccer League expansion team, advanced to the fourth round of the Open Cup by knocking off Minnesota United FC on Wednesday in a penalty-kick shootout.