Sporting Kansas City will host French Ligue 1 champions Montpellier Hérault SC in an international friendly at 7:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or at the LSP Box Offices.
In advance of Tuesday’s match, MHSC will train at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park at 6:30 p.m. CT tonight. The session is open to the general public and all media outlets are encouraged to attend for photo, video and interview opportunities (a French translator will be provided). Following the training, a mixed zone will take place for credentialed media members to conduct interviews with select MHSC players and staff.
Media wishing to obtain a credential to cover tonight’s training or Tuesday’s match must contact the Sporting Kansas City media relations department.
Parking is available in Lot D (television trucks are permitted to park along Village West Parkway outside of the North Premium Entry) and all guests should enter through the North Premium Entry. Doors open at 6 p.m. CT and the first 150 fans to arrive at the stadium for tonight’s training will have access to an autograph session to be held immediately after training inside the LSP Field Club.
Founded in 1974, Montpellier Hérault SC is coming off the club's best season in the team's storied history, winning the French Ligue 1 Title for the 2011-12 campaign. Led by captain and French national team player Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Montpellier won 25 games and finished three points ahead of Paris Saint-Germain.
The first-place finish qualifies Montpellier Hérault SC for the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League group stage to compete against the top clubs in Europe next season. Tuesday’s match against Sporting KC will serve as a precursor for Montpellier as they face Coupe de France winners Lyon in the Trophée Des Champions on Saturday at Red Bull Arena.
Montpellier will be the first French club to face Sporting Kansas City at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park and is the fourth international club to visit the state-of-the-art stadium, along with Newcastle United FC and Stoke City FC of the English Premier League and Club Deportivo Guadalajara from Mexico. The EPL’s Stoke City FC will also take on Sporting Kansas City on August 1 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park.
The pair of summer friendlies become the most recent international soccer events at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park since it's opening one year ago. CONCACAF selected the $200+ million venue to host matches during the 2011 Gold Cup and played the region's semifinal and championship games for the 2012 Olympic Men's Qualifying Tournament at LSP.
The U.S. Women's National Team played their first match following the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup at the stadium and the U.S. Men's National Team will return to LIVESTRONG Sporting Park for their final World Cup qualifier in the Semifinal Round on October 16 versus Guatemala.
Schedule of Events at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park (all times CT, subject to change)
Monday, July 23
6:00 p.m. – North Premium Entry opens (park in Lot D)
6:30 p.m. – Montpellier Hérault SC training open to media and general public
7:30 p.m. – Montpellier Hérault SC media mixed zone and autograph session (first 150 fans)
Tuesday, July 24
4:30 p.m. – Parking lots (media park in Lot F), Sprint Plaza Box Office and Media Will Call open
5:30 p.m. – Sprint Plaza, West Tower and Members’ Club open
6:00 p.m. – East Gate opens, fans may begin accessing their seats
7:30 p.m. – GAME: Sporting Kansas City vs. Montpellier Hérault SC
Montpellier Hérault SC Roster (uniform number in parentheses)
Goalkeepers: Geoffrey Jourdren (16), Jonathan Ligali (30), Laurent Pionnier (1)
Defenders: Henri Bédimo (5), Garry Bocaly (2), Mathieu Deplagne (25), Vitorino Hilton (4), Cyril Jeunechamp (27), Teddy Mezague (31), Benjamin Stambouli (22), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (3)
Midfielders: Younès Belhanda (10), Rémy Cabella (20), Bryan Dabo (26), Marco Estrada (13), Joris Marveaux (6), Romain Pitau (14), Jamel Saihi (23), Jonathan Tinhan (15)
Forwards: Souleymane Camara (19), Karim Ait Fana (18), Emanuel Herrera (11), Bengali Fodé Koita (24), Anthony Mounier (8), John Utaka (7)
