As Sporting Kansas City’s 2022 MLS regular season home opener looms, SportingKC.com is rolling out a 15-day countdown until MLS is back at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting began its 2022 campaign with a 3-1 loss at Atlanta United FC. The attention now turns to Saturday’s home opener against longtime rival Houston Dynamo FC at 2:30 p.m. CT at Children's Mercy Park.
The 2022 Preseason Countdown will provide fans with key storylines to keep an eye on as we approach Sporting’s home opener. From player highlights and coaching spotlights to new features at Children’s Mercy Park, the 2022 Preseason Countdown will highlight the many reasons to be excited for what’s ahead.
Children’s Mercy Park has been Sporting KC’s home since June 2011 and has seen 95 Sporting KC MLS regular season wins and 494 goals in all competitions. Saturday, Sporting has the opportunity to add to both of those totals against Houston Dynamo FC.
Throughout its entire history, Sporting has found success in home-opening matches. Sporting is 15-3-8 in MLS regular season home openers and 4-1-6 in MLS home openers at Children’s Mercy Park. In today’s ever-shrinking countdown we will dive into some memorable moments from Sporting’s MLS home openers at Children’s Mercy Park.
The First Match at Children’s Mercy Park
The first MLS match at what is now called Children’s Mercy Park came after 11 consecutive road games, on June 9, 2011. Sporting hosted the Chicago Fire and battled to a goalless draw. Well, the match was not entirely goalless as the first goal ever scored in Children’s Mercy Park was by a pitch invader in a cow costume, who ran on the field and put a ball in the back of the net.
Sporting’s lone MLS home opener defeat at CMP
To open the 2018 season, Sporting hosted New York City FC at Children’s Mercy Park for the second time ever. Maxi Moralez, who led NYCFC in assists in 2021, scored in the 32nd and Jesus Medina doubled their lead in the 53rd thanks to an assist from current Sporting defender Ben Sweat. The Pigeons held on to win 2-0 and hand Sporting their first and only MLS home-opening loss at Children’s Mercy Park.
Demolishing the Dynamo
The 2020 MLS season started red hot for Sporting with the club traveling to the great white north and coming back with a 3-1 battering of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Eight days later, Sporting beat the keeper four times against Saturday’s opponent, the Houston Dynamo. Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda scored their second goals of the 2020 season, while Roger Espinoza and Khiry Shelton netted their first. Sporting controlled the match from beginning to end, kicking off 2020 with seven combined goals in the first two matches of the season.
Sporting’s impressive 4-1-6 record at Children’s Mercy Park is a testament to the fans. Almost 100 MLS regular season home wins in an 11-year span is not something that happens on accident. Saturday presents the chance for Sporting to add another win into their impressive resume. Fans can still get their tickets at SeatGeek.com as Sporting prepares to welcome familiar foes in the Dynamo.
