Tim Meila delivered another stellar performance in a shootout as Sporting Kansas City defeated the San Jose Earthquakes 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the Western Conference Wild Card Game at Children's Mercy Park.

After playing out a 0-0 draw over 90 minutes, Meila saved San Jose's first penalty kick, taken by star man Cristian Espinoza and Johnny Russell, Erik Thommy, Gadi Kinda and Daniel Salloi converted to send SKC into the next round.

The Earthquakes had zero shots on goal marking the first time Kansas City had ever held an opponent without a shot on target in the franchise's postseason history.

Next up for SKC is a best-of-three Round one series against top seed and archrival St. Louis City SC with Game 1 set for Sunday night in St. Louis.

Story of the match

Kansas City threatened inside the opening minute as Salloi forced a near-post save from San Jose goalkeeper Daniel and Alan Pulido had his shot deflected just wide in the third minute.

Jake Davis and Russell combined well on the right before the latter's chip from a difficult angle was batted over the crossbar by Daniel.

Eight minutes later, the in-form Russell took a pass from Nemanja Radoja on the right wing and cut in centrally before his curler from 20 yards out went just narrowly wide.

The Earthquakes managed to hold out for the remainder of the first half despite not generating a single shot on goal, the first time SKC has held an opponent without a shot on target in the first half of a playoff game in club history.

A minute into the second half, Salloi found an unmarked Pulido with a sublime cutback pass to the penalty spot but his shot was cleared off the line by San Jose center-back Rodrigues.

Espinoza then picked out Carlos Gruezo at the top of the box his bulldozer of a shot was blocked by Kansas City defender Andreu Fontas.

In the 51st minute, Daniel had to be alert to leap and palm away Logan Ndenbe's vicious effort, and soon after Radoja's diagonal pass was chested down by Russell and shot over from 15 yards.

While the visitors were content to defend, they did generate a chance in the 67th minute from a counterattack. Cade Cowell made his way into the attacking third and seemed to have found the left corner with his shot only for Fontas to make a goal-saving block.

Russell had a couple of chances from free kicks over the final 20 minutes, his first going marginally high and wide and the second bending onto the frame of the near post.

With time running out, Kinda and Pulido connecting on a series of passes near the end line to set up Salloi, Daniel stretching out to deny him.

In the penalty shootout, Russell scored into the top right corner and Meila dove to his left to deny Espinoza to give SKC a big advantage.

Daniel did save from Pulido, but Earthquakes captain Jackson Yueill went well over the crossbar, and Thommy, Kinda, Jack Skahan, and Carlos Akapo all finding the back of the net.

Salloi then stepped up with a chance to end things and he calmly beat Daniel into the roof of the net to spark joyous celebrations.

Man of the match: Tim Meila

His track record of being successful in shootouts continued as he set the tone with the opening save of Espinoza's penalty and he is now 7-0 in his professional career in shootouts and 5-0 with Kansas City.