Preview: Erik Palmer-Brown and MLS Homegrowns set to face Chivas U-20s

Sporting Kansas City center back Erik Palmer-Brown has joined the brightest young talent in Major League Soccer for the 2017 MLS Homegrown Game presented by Energizer. The annual showdown will see the league's best homegrown players face the Chivas de Guadalajara U-20s tonight at 7 p.m. CT. Live action will be streamed in English on the Univision Deportes Facebook Page, while a Spanish telecast will air on Univision Deportes Network.

The 20-year-old Palmer-Brown was a late addition to the MLS Homegrown roster, replacing injured Portland Timbers defender Marco Farfan. The Sporting Kansas City Academy product is in line for his second appearance in the MLS Homegrown Game, having started and played 71 minutes in the 2015 edition agains the Club America U-20s. The Homegrown Team will be coached by MLS legend Brian McBride and 2013 MLS MVP Mike Magee.

A solid month of July included three starts for Palmer-Brown, who made his 2017 MLS debut with an MLS Team of the Week performance against the Philadelphia Union on July 6. Five days later, he anchored a superb backline display as Sporting Kansas City defended a man down for 86 minutes en route to a 3-0 extra-time win over FC Dallas in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals. The Lee's Summit, Missouri, native also went the full 90 minutes to help Sporting KC collect a solid road point against Real Salt Lake on July 22.

The 2017 Homegrown squad boasts six players from the U.S. U-20 Men's National Team that won this year’s CONCACAF Championship and reached the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Korea Republic. Palmer-Brown notably captained the side, which also featured defenders Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake) and Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union) as well as midfielders Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Derrick Jones (Philadelphia Union) and Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake).

The Homegrown Team will enter Tuesday's clash with the intent of knocking off a Mexican powerhouse. The Chivas de Guadalajara U-20s won the Liga MX Clausura championship in May and feed into a senior team that hoisted both the Liga MX and Copa MX titles in the 2017 Clausura this spring. Notable products of the Chivas academy include Omar Bravo, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Carlos Vela, Marco Fabian and Carlos Salcido.

Chivas U-20 midfielder Kevin Magana and defenders Diego Cortes and Juan Aguayo played for Mexico at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, while goalkeeper Antonio Torres and midfielder Erich Hernandez represented El Tri at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The MLS Homegrown Game is Major League Soccer's platform to showcase the best young talent from the U.S. and Canada while also drawing attention to the league's blossoming youth development system. MLS academies have collectively produced more than 170 Homegrown Players who have signed professional contracts since the Homegrown initiative began in 2008.

MLS Homegrown Roster

Goalkeepers: Jesse Gonzalez (FC Dallas), Evan Louro (New York Red Bulls)

Defenders: Kortne Ford (Colorado Rapids), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City), Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union)

Midfielders: Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Derrick Etienne Jr. (New York Red Bulls), Chris Goslin (Atlanta United), Jose Hernandez (Real Salt Lake), Derrick Jones (Philadelphia Union), Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake), Djordje Mihailovic (Chicago Fire), Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas)

Forwards: Andrew Carleton (Atlanta United FC), Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jordan Hamilton (Toronto FC), Bradford Jamieson IV (LA Galaxy)

Chivas de Guadalajara U-20 Roster

Goalkeeper: Antonio Torres

Defenders: Juan Aguayo, Diego Cortes, Jose Ramirez

Midfielders: Fernando Beltran, Ruben Dominguez, Ivan Gutierrez, Erich Hernandez, Oscar Macias, Kevin Magana, Juan Carlos Orozco, Jose Peralta, Hector Reynoso, Carlos Zamora

Forwards: Eduardo Cedillo, Jose de Jesus Godinez, Angel Lopez, Jose Salas