Sporting Kansas City vs. Columbus Crew SC
Wednesday, Feb. 17 — 7 p.m. CT
Desert Diamond Cup
Grandstand Field | Tucson, Arizona
Sporting KC kicks off the second leg of its 2016 preseason, presented by Children’s Mercy, with its first match against the 2015 Eastern Conference Champions Columbus Crew SC. The match is part of the FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup and will take place at 7 p.m. CT at Grandstand Field in Tucson, Arizona. Live coverage of the match is available on Twitter @SKCgameday or online at SportingKC.com/gameon.
The Desert Diamond Cup runs from Feb. 17-27 and will feature MLS teams Sporting KC, Columbus Crew SC, New England Revolution, Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids. Three USL teams will also compete in the tournament: FC Tucson, Arizona United and the Swope Park Rangers, Sporting Kansas City's USL affiliate.
Sporting KC comes off a season highlighted by a shiny addition to the team’s trophy case. Its victory in the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup made it the only Major League Soccer team to win three major trophies since 2012. It also marks the third time the club has claimed the title.
Sporting KC ended its 2015 campaign after being eliminated in the MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Knockout Round against eventual champions Portland Timbers. The longest penalty kick shootout in MLS postseason history ended when Portland goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey converted his penalty kick in the 11th round and went on to make a crucial save to advance the Timbers to the Western Conference Semifinals.
The 2015 season was also marked by injuries, including a ruptured Achilles tendon for Ike Opara and a fractured left foot for Roger Espinoza. The year’s injuries and frustrating end to the season led to an offseason of changes for Sporting KC. The team increased its depth in the midfield with the addition of Brad Davis and free agent Justin Mapp, brought in Portuguese defender Nuno André Coelho and added Homegrown forward Daniel Salloi.
Like Kansas City, Columbus Crew SC fell to the Timbers in the 2015 postseason. The two faced off the in the 2016 MLS Cup Championship on Dec. 6, with Portland ultimately overtaking Columbus with a 2-1 victory.
Sporting KC will continue play in the Desert Diamond Cup against New England Revolution at 8:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Feb. 20, followed by a match against the Colorado Rapids at 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Feb. 24. Saturday’s game will be streamed live on SportingKC.com. For information on preseason events, to find tickets, and for accommodations, check out Visit Tucson.
