Russell scores Toronto’s lone goal; TFC’s winless streak stretches to 8

TORONTO – C.J. Sapong scored twice as Sporting Kansas City defeated Toronto FC 2-1 on Saturday, stretching Toronto’s winless streak to eight consecutive games.

Darel Russell recorded the lone goal for Toronto in a rain-drenched affair at BMO Field, the gloomy, grey weather matching the mood around the Major League Soccer club.

A bad game ended on an even worse note when Toronto head coach Ryan Nelsen and assistant Fran O’Leary were ejected in the final minute.

A week after Toronto (4-14-12) was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs for the seventh straight year, and with four games to go on the season, a sparse crowd — announced at a season-low 12,627, but appearing much smaller — braved the inclement weather to watch.

The previous season-low attendance was 15,217, two weeks earlier versus Chicago.

Toronto hasn’t won since Aug. 4 at New England, and despite several scoring chances Saturday, two defensive miscues proved costly.

Sapong opened scoring for Kansas City (14-9-6) in the 18th minute, when Graham Zusi found the head of Dominic Dwyer with a long cross. Dwyer headed the ball to a wide open Sapong who launched a header past Toronto ‘keeper Joe Bendik.

Sapong, who’d only scored twice previously this season, doubled his season output in the 53rd minute when he headed in a long cross from Chance Meyers. Defender Mark Bloom, in his second appearance for Toronto, seemed to lose sight of Sapong as he was tracking him back toward the net.

Russell scored to the 38th minute to pull Toronto even 1-1 on a bad clearance by Kansas City defender Aurelien Collin. Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen passed the ball to Collin, who misplayed it leaving Alvaro Rey to swoop in, passing to Russell, who slotted it past Nielsen.

The goal came after a near-miss moments earlier as Toronto’s offence had Sporting KC on its heels late in the first half. Rey went down right on the 18-yard box after what looked like an elbow to the face. The referee gave Toronto a free kick outside the box, which Steven Caldwell nearly scored on.

Toronto had another excellent scoring chance at the 45-minute mark when a header by Bright Dike — who was strong in his first start for Toronto as a force up front —was cleared off Kansas City’s goal line.

Toronto was reduced to 10 men in the 86th minute when Caldwell shown a red card for a studs-up tackle on Josh Gardner.

The loss came a day after Toronto introduced Tim Bezbatchenko as its new general manager.

Kansas City’s victory propelled it to the top of the Eastern Conference standings in a tie with the New York Red Bulls. New York plays FC Dallas on Sunday.

Toronto was missing several key players including midfielder Jonathan Osorio, who was serving the first of a two-game suspension for kicking the ball at an opponent’s head in Toronto’s 2-0 loss at New York last week.

Osorio booted the ball directly to the side of the head of Red Bulls defender Kosuke Kimura, who had fallen to the ground. Kimura was not injured on the play.

Striker Robert Earnshaw missed the game with a hamstring injury. Danny Koevermans, who’s struggling in his recovery from last season’s ACL surgery, didn’t dress, nor did Matias Laba, who’s out a month after fracturing his big toe.

Toronto hosts D.C. United next Saturday.