Five Things, presented by Keith + Associates Dentistry, is a weekly series on SportingKC.com that highlights the top storylines, players to watch and matchday programming ahead of each game throughout the season.
A whirlwind road trip to Mexico, Los Angeles and Panama is finally in the rearview mirror, allowing Sporting Kansas City to return to hallowed Children’s Mercy Park for Sunday’s MLS home opener against the Philadelphia Union. Tickets for the 2 p.m. CT matchup are available at SeatGeek.com as Sporting aim to secure their first league victory of the new campaign.
FOX Sports Kansas City and FOX Sports Midwest Plus will televise three hours of live coverage on Sunday beginning at 1:30 p.m. CT, while local radio broadcasts will air on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM (Spanish). The game will also stream live on FOX Sports GO.
As is usually the case with any highly anticipated curtain raiser at Children’s Mercy Park, Sunday isn’t your typical matchday in Kansas City. Let’s jump into five things you absolutely must know about this interconference showdown.
1. Fan Appreciation Match
Supporters in attendance on Sunday will be treated to a special season-opening experience as Sporting celebrates its Fan Appreciation Match to kick off the new year. As part of the afternoon’s programming, supporters are encouraged to download or update the new Sporting KC App and participate in a halftime trivia game that will award thousands of prizes—including grand prizes such as Sporting tailgating equipment, yeti coolers, team-signed memorabilia and VIP experiences.
But we’re only scratching the surface of what ticket holders can look forward to this weekend. Fans can get their photos taken for free outside of No Other Bus at the Fan HQ tent on the Toyota Plaza, free popcorn will be available at all concession stand locations, and a fan-curated music list will play during pregame. Upon exiting the stadium after the match, supporters will receive a Sporting 2019 magnetic schedule courtesy of SeatGeek.
2. Frequent Flyers
Sporting has faced unprecedented travel over the last two and a half weeks. After trekking from Arizona to Kansas City for a Feb. 21 battle with Toluca, the club made stops in Albuquerque, Mexico, Los Angeles and Panama while juggling the Champions League with the start of the MLS campaign. Manager Peter Vermes’ side has logged nearly 10,000 air miles during one of the craziest travel stretches in team history.
At long last, the team is back home (more on that below). What effect, if any, will Sporting’s recent globe-trotting have in Sunday’s match? That remains to be seen, but players and coaches alike will nevertheless be thrilled to return to the friendly confines of Children’s Mercy Park.
3. Home Sweet Home
Sporting will aim to parlay a festive atmosphere on Sunday into their first league victory, having slipped to consecutive 2-1 losses over the last six days—first against LAFC in their MLS season opener and three days later against Panamanian side Independiente in the first leg of the Champions League.
Despite this blip, it’s safe to say Sporting will like their chances against the Union: Vermes’ men went 10-2-5 in regular-season home games last year, outscoring opponents 34-17 in the process. Additionally, Sporting boast a 13-3-7 all-time record in MLS home openers and have just one loss in eight such fixtures at Children’s Mercy Park. The club has leveraged a special homefield advantage into an eight-year playoff streak that began when the world-class venue opened in 2011.
4. Know the Foe
Led by sixth-year head coach Jim Curtin, the Union reached new heights in 2018 with a franchise-best 15 regular-season wins and their third postseason appearance in club history. Philadelphia’s current campaign got off to a rocky start, however, as Toronto FC dealt the side a 3-1 home loss last Saturday at Talen Energy Stadium.
The Union will nevertheless take solace in the fact that MLS debutant and Mexican international Marco Fabian found the back of the net with a second-half penalty kick. Fabian was Philadelphia’s biggest offseason acquisition and will aim to bolster an attack that saw dynamic forwards Cory Burke and Fafa Picault score 10 goals each last year.
5. Thick and Fast
Between Feb. 28 and March 17, Sporting will have played six matches in 18 days. Those games will have taken place in four different time zones and three different countries. Combine a crowded fixture list with tons of travel, and the squad will inevitably be rotated. We saw the first wave of changes on Wednesday when Vermes introduced eight fresh faces to the starting lineup. Captain Matt Besler and midfielder Ilie Sanchez are the only ones who have played every minute of all four matches thus far.
With Roger Espinoza serving a one-game red card suspension, Vermes is likely to continue his roster rotation on Sunday, and by no means is that a bad thing. Sporting boast a deep and balanced squad that the technical staff has built over the last few years with this exact situation in mind: being able cope with the demands of two major competitions simultaneously.
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