Russell’s hat trick helps Sporting beat Sounders, snap skid

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Johnny Russell had a hat trick and Sporting Kansas City beat the Seattle Sounders 3-2 on Sunday to snap a seven-game winless streak.

Nicolas Hasler took it away from Seattle's Handwalla Bwana near midfield and then led Yohan Croizet with a low pass to the right corner of the area. He won a battle with Kim Kee-hee and fed Russell for the finish from the top of the box to open the scoring in the 29th minute. Then, seconds into first-half stoppage time, Russell weaved through three defenders and side-netted a left-footer to make it 2-0.

Kelvin Leerdam stopped, turned 360 degrees to avoid a defender and raced to the corner of the 6-yard box, where, as defender Kelyn Rowe and goalkeeper Tim Melia converged, tapped it to Raúl Ruidíaz for the empty-netter in the 63rd minute.

Rowe tapped it to Russell at the top of the box where he bent a first-timer inside the post in the 68th. Leerdam headed home a corner kick by Nicolás Lodeiro in the 71st to cap the scoring.

Sporting Kansas City (3-4-5) won for the first time since March 30.

Seattle (7-2-5) had its six-game unbeaten streak snapped.