Osaze DeRosario scored a pair of goals and Georgi Minoungou had two assists to lead Tacoma Defiance to a 4-1 win over Sporting KC II on Wednesday. Yu Tsukanome and Charles Dodzi also scored, with Peter Kingston picking up an assist as the Defiance overcame an early 1-0 deficit.
The Defiance now have 16 in five MLS Next Pro matches. That’s two more than any other team, some of whom have played three more matches. They are averaging more than 1.0 goals more per match than anyone else, which doesn’t even include the seven goals they’ve scored in their three U.S. Open Cup matches.
Highlights
Key Performers
Minoungou: After being left off the first team roster on Saturday, Minoungou seemed to be playing like someone with something to prove. He was a menace off the right wing, constantly making runs into the box and factoring into all four goals. It was his cross that set up DeRosario for the first goal, his pass that set up Kingston to make the assist on the second, his pass that put DeRosario into space on the third, and his cross that was deflected before Dodzi scored the final goal. Minoungou finished with two primary assists, six chances created and had 13 touches in the SKCII penalty area.
DeRosario: Fresh off scoring the game-winner in the U.S. Open Cup, DeRosario added two more goals to his league-leading tally of seven, two more than anyone else in MLS Next Pro. He now has eight goals in six games across all competitions and was a little unlucky not to get his first Defiance hat trick.
Reed Baker-Whiting: Although he didn’t get on the stat sheet, Baker-Whiting looked strong at right back. In addition to going 7/7 on duels, he won 3 of 4 tackles, completed 28 of 33 passes and was credited with three chances created. It was a mature performance for a player who was deployed at a position he rarely plays these days.
Stats
MATCH SUMMARY
Tacoma Defiance 4 – Sporting KC II 1
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Venue: Swope Park
Referee: Christian Campo
Assistants: Matt Trotter, Sarah Gaddes
Fourth Official: Tim Wagner
Weather: 73 and cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
SKC – Medgy Alexandre (David Zavala) 11’
TAC – Osaze De Rosario (Georgi Minoungou) 32’
TAC – Yu Tsukanome (Peter Kingston) 39’
TAC – Osaze De Rosario (Georgi Minoungou) 45+1’
TAC – Charles Dodzi 54’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SKC – Pierre Lurot (caution) 2’
SKC – Nati Clark (caution) 38’
LINEUPS & STATS
Tacoma Defiance – Mohammed Shour; Reed Baker-Whiting (Antino Lopez 62’), Kaito Yamada, Elias Katsaros (Danny Robles 62’), Travian Sousa; Charles Dodzi, Peter Kingston; Georgi Minoungou, Yu Tsukaome (Birame Diaw 75’), Sebastian Gomez (Rafferty Pedder 62’), Osaze De Rosario – captain (Jackson Khoury 77’)
Substitutes not used: Lars Helleren, Demian Alvarez
Total shots: 22
Shots on goal: 10
Fouls: 9
Offside: 1
Corner-Kicks: 11
Saves: 4
Sporting KC II – Jack Kortkamp; Anthony Samways, Pierre Lurot, Cielo Tschantret, Nati Clarke; David Zavala (Carter Derksen 60’), Gael Quintero, Bryan Arellano (Massud Habibullah 68’); Medgy Alexandre (Shane Donovan 60’), Maoloune Goumballe, Beckham Uderitz (Leo Christiano 84’)
Substitutes not used: Zane Wantland, Kael Taylor, Johann Ortiz, Luis Cruz-Ayala
Total shots: 9
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 12
Offside: 0
Corner-Kicks: 4
Saves: 6
