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WATCH: Sporting KC Overcomes Impressive Independiente Goalie, Moves on to CCL Semifinals

It took almost 73 minutes for Sporting KC to beat Independiente goalkeeper Jose Carlos Guerra but the MLS side scored three late goals to book its ticket to the CCL semifinals. 

Kellen Becoats

WATCH: Sporting KC Overcomes Impressive Independiente Goalie, Moves on to CCL Semifinals
WATCH: Sporting KC Overcomes Impressive Independiente Goalie, Moves on to CCL Semifinals /

Seventy minutes into Sporting Kansas City's second leg tie against Independiente, it looked like MLS's last hope for an American side to reach the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions League was all but over.

Sporting KC had looked the more threatening team for the majority of the game but was down 1-2 on aggregate and seemingly had no answer to get through Jose Carlos Guerra, the opposing goalkeeper who had made miraculous save after save to seemingly guarantee his side's chances of moving on.

Then a cascade of goals, the first and last of which came from Krisztian Nemeth, broke the deadlock Thursday and saw Kansas City advance in convincing fashion with a 3-0 win.

Sporting KC looked the better side from the beginning of the match but the first goal didn't come until the 73rd minute, when, off a corner, Botond Barath headed the ball into the path of Nemeth, who dutifully volleyed home the opening goal and sent the crowd at Childen's Mercy Park into hysterics. 

With the deadlock finally broken, Sporting KC continued to attack with venom and was rewarded with its second goal of the evening, courtesy of a sliding finish by Roger Espinoza.

And who else but Nemeth put the finishing touch on the game by scoring his second and guaranteeing Kansas City's spot in the semifinals with an outside-of-the-foot finish.

Independiente will likely regret not showing more offensive prowess during a game in which its goalkeeper was standing on his head, producing a number of jaw-dropping sides to try and keep his team in it. Among the better ones was a brilliant save on a dipping Graham Zusi free kick and denying Sporting KC at close range many times. 

Sporting KC will face Liga MX side Monterrey in the semifinals. 

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Kellen Becoats
KELLEN BECOATS

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