Graham Zusi scored two goals, including one off a stunning 50-yard free kick in the 55th minute, to help Sporting Kansas City end a 10-game winless streak with a 4-1 victory over FC Dallas on Sunday night.
Kansas City (2-6-4) got its first victory since a 3-2 win over Chivas USA in the season opener on March 19.
''Obviously, any time you get some goals, it's gratifying,'' said Zusi, who entered the match with one goal in 42 career MLS contests. ''We came in here with a mission and a game plan and we really followed it to a 'T.' We let them kind of set the game and used our counter-attacking abilities to try to get some goals.''
Sporting had scored just two goals in the previous six matches.
''There's not a lot that has gone our way this season, but credit our guys because they've been committed all along,'' Kansas City coach Peter Vermes said. ''Scoring four goals tonight, against this team - this is a good team - so for us to be able to do that was a major bump up for us.''
For FC Dallas (7-4-4), the defeat was the first since April 17, snapping a 6-0-3 unbeaten streak. After surrendering just two goals and posting six shutouts in their previous seven contests, Dallas and goalkeeper Kevin Hartman allowed a season-high four.
''I thought it was a very disappointing performance on our part,'' FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman said. ''I think we're a much better team than what we showed today. It's an embarrassing moment for the coaches and for the players.''
Hartman, who leads the league with seven shutouts added: ''It was a poor representation of who we are as a group. It's one of those games you have to move on quickly from. They really kind of handed it to us today, to be honest. It's humbling, it's frustrating, it's embarrassing. All you can do is get back to work.''
Sporting played a man down from the 57th minute after Milos Stojcev was ejected after getting his second yellow card of the day.
Kansas City had a 3-1 lead at the time and added another when Luke Sassano connected in the 78th minute for his first career MLS goal, in his fourth year. Sassano, who had played just 193 minutes in three appearances this year, chased down a long lead ball from Birahim Diop and chipped it over Hartman.
''When we went a man down, I thought the guys did a great job of shutting everything down and not giving anything away,'' Vermes said. ''The goal we scored when a man down, I think, was a major dagger for them, because if it's 3-1 and they score a goal, they're going to get a lot of adrenaline flow and momentum and I thought to score that goal was monumental for us.''
Rookie Aurelien Collin scored in the 49th minute to give Sporting a 2-1 lead off a beautifully executed corner kick.
Zusi lofted the corner to the far side of the penalty box, where C.J. Sapong skillfully volleyed it out of midair back to Collin in the middle for a quick 3-yard redirect past Hartman.
''I'm a defender, so I'm here to defend, but when I score and can help the team, I'm very happy today,'' said Collin, who also notched his first MLS goal, in his eighth appearance.
Kansas City struck first as Zusi connected for his first of the night in the 28th minute, sidestepping Dallas defender Zach Loyd and drilled a right-footed ball just inside the far goalpost.
Zusi's goal marked the first time Dallas trailed in a game since falling behind 1-0 early to Vancouver back on April 23, in a game they ended up winning 2-1 to start their big streak.
Dallas tied it just four minutes later on a spectacular individual effort by Brek Shea in the 32nd minute for his team-leading fifth goal of the season.
Shea dribbled through four defenders, slipping past Chance Myers into the penalty area before slotting a low shot past goalkeeper Eric Kronberg.
