MLS: Kansas City wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Aurelien Collin scored the equalizer in the second half of the MLS Cup, then drove home the deciding penalty kick to give Kansas City a dramatic win over Real Salt Lake on Saturday and Sporting's first Major League Soccer title since 2000.

Alvaro Saborio scored for Real in the 52d minute, but Collin answered with a header in the 76th minute.

It remained that way through regulation and 30 minutes of overtime, and then the teams engaged in the longest penalty-kick shootout in MLS championship history - one that both sides had chances to win before Collin's shot and Jimmy Nielsen's save gave Sporting the 7-6 victory.

Sporting's Graham Zusi had a chance to wrap it up in the first stage of penalty kicks, but he missed high and Salt Lake's Javier Morales made good to force sudden death. Real Salt Lake had a chance when Lawrence Olum missed wide, but Nielsen made a diving save on Sebastian Velasquez.

Two rounds later, Collin placed his penalty kick just out of the reach of goalkeeper Nick Rimando, and Salt Lake's Lovel Palmer was unable to answer him as Kansas City players and coaches spilled off the sideline and fireworks began popping over a sold-out Sporting Park.

It was the third time the MLS Cup has gone to a penalty-kick shootout. Houston beat New England in 2006, and Salt Lake topped the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2009 for its only title.

It also was the coldest MLS Cup in history, with a game-time temperature of 22 degrees and a wind-chill of 12 - and that dropped as the sun set and the game pressed through overtime.

Even in the frigid Midwestern weather, tempers ran hot from the start.

Real's Chris Wingert picked up a yellow card midway through the first half when he plowed over C.J. Sapong, and Collin earned one for a reckless tackle. Saborio picked up his yellow card for running through Sporting's Benny Feilhaber, then bumping him back to the pitch.

The physical nature of the first half resulted in precious few scoring chances.

Real, taking advantage of the wind suddenly at their back, finally broke through in the second half. A weak clear by Collin was tracked down by Kyle Beckerman, and he passed to Saborio, who made a nifty move around defender Matt Besler and put a shot in the corner of the net.

Sporting answered in the 76th minute when Zusi sent a corner kick toward the goal, and Collin leaped up and headed into the net.

Both teams had chances to end it in overtime. Zusi's shot from the point was deflected high by Rimando in the 93d minute, and a header by Saborio into the net in the 105th was waved off because of offsides.