After being sidelined for 11 months due to injury, Ike Opara stole the headlines in Sunday's season opener by completing his comeback with the club's lone goal in a 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bulls at Sporting Park.
However, it was another Sporting Kansas City centerback making his return from a season-ending injury of his own that is the focus of the first edition in this year's Beyond the Box Score series.
Seventeen-year-old homegrown defender Erik Palmer-Brown came off the bench, replacing Graham Zusi in the 85th minute, for his first league cameo inside Sporting Park and his first MLS minutes since finding his way onto the field in three straight away matches in 2014 (May 18, May 31, June 6). In doing so, he became the youngest MLS player to appear in a team's regular season opener since 2010.
WEEK 1: YOUNGEST MLS PLAYER TO APPEAR
<strong>Year</strong> |
<strong>Player</strong> |
<strong>Team</strong> |
<strong>Age</strong> |
2015 |
Erik Palmer-Brown |
SKC |
17 years, 10 months, 12 days |
2014 |
Kellyn Acosta |
DAL |
18 years, 7 months, 12 days |
2013 |
Kekuta Manneh |
VAN |
18 years, 2 months, 2 days |
2012 |
Luis Gil |
RSL |
18 years, 3 months, 25 days |
2011 |
Andy Najar |
DC |
18 years, 3 days |
Looking back through Major League Soccer's 20-year history, Palmer-Brown is one of the youngest all-time to play a part in his team's first matchday of a new campaign. The only others to have done so at a younger age....
<strong>Year</strong> |
<strong>Player</strong> |
<strong>Team</strong> |
<strong>Age</strong> |
2000 |
DaMarcus Beasley |
CHI |
17 years, 9 months, 23 days |
2000 |
Bobby Convey |
DC |
16 years, 9 months, 27 days |
2001 |
Bobby Convey |
DC |
17 years, 10 months, 11 days |
2002 |
Santino Quaranta |
DC |
17 years, 5 months, 9 days |
2003 |
Craig Capano |
CHI |
17 years, 9 months, 6 days |
2004 |
Eddie Gaven |
NY |
17 years, 5 months, 9 days |
2004 |
Freddy Adu |
DC |
14 years, 10 months, 1 day |
2005 |
Freddy Adu |
DC |
15 years, 10 months |
2005 |
Michael Bradley |
NY |
17 years, 8 months, 2 days |
2005 |
Danny Szetela |
CLB |
17 years, 9 months, 26 days |
2006 |
Freddy Adu |
DC |
16 years, 10 months |
2007 |
Freddy Adu |
RSL |
17 years, 10 months, 5 days |
2007 |
Jozy Altidore |
NY |
17 years, 5 months, 1 day |
2010 |
Jack McInerney |
PHI |
17 years, 7 months, 20 days |
2010 |
Andy Najar |
DC |
17 years, 11 days |
*Note: All but two (Capano, Najar) joined the U.S. MNT during their careers
In his five minutes of action, Palmer-Brown was credited with one interception, one recovery, one duel won and one foul suffered -- drawing a yellow card on Sacha Kljestan a minute after entering the match.
With Sporting KC captain Matt Besler set to serve a one-game suspension following his 70th-minute red card on Sunday, Palmer-Brown will now be in contention for a starting spot on the squad's backline when Sporting Kansas City travels to FC Dallas on Saturday (7:30 p.m. CT on SKCTV) -- coincidentally, the first day of spring break for the high school senior.
