Sporting KC Weekly Schedule: Sept. 17-23, 2018

Sporting Kansas City (15-7-6, 51 points) vaulted to first place in the Western Conference with a resounding 5-1 road win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday. Manager Peter Vermes' men will continue their pursuit of a club-record eighth straight playoff berth on Sunday when the team visits the Philadelphia Union (12-12-4, 40 points) in a nationally televised clash on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Kickoff is slated for noon CT at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania, with local radio broadcasts airing live on Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM. The Final Whistle Postgame Show will air immediately after the match on 810 WHB.

All supporters are invited to attend the official watch party for Sunday's showdown at No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District (1370 Grand Blvd.). Beginning at 11:30 a.m. CT, No Other Pub will offer $4 Bud Light drafts and an all-you-can-eat buffet with bottomless domestic draft beers.

Sporting KC forward Gerso Fernandes' superb first-half chip from Saturday's victory at San Jose is one of five nominees for the AT&T MLS Goal of the Week. Fan can visit MLSsoccer.com to cast their vote until the ballot closes Thursday at 2 a.m. CT.

The two-time defending USL Western Conference champion Rangers (13-10-7, 46 points) will conclude a five-game homestand Wednesday when the side hosts San Antonio FC (12-10-7, 43 points) at 7:30 p.m. CT inside world-class Children's Mercy Park. Tickets for the pivotal Western Conference matchup are available via SeatGeek.com, and the first 250 fans to make a $5 or greater donation to The Victory Project will receive an exclusive SPR beanie.

Following Wednesday's contest at Children's Mercy Park, the Rangers will travel south to meet Tulsa Roughnecks FC (3-14-11, 20 points) in a 7 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday at ONEOK Field. Both SPR matches this week will stream live on ESPN+.

Sporting KC players Brad Evans, Diego Rubio, Ilie Sanchez and Seth Sinovic will participate in a meet and greet tonight at Price Chopper in Overland Park, Kansas (7201 W. 151st St.). Evans, Rubio, Ilie and Sinovic will be available for autographs and photo opportunities with fans from 5:30-7 p.m. CT.

On Tuesday, Sinovic will join Sporting KC teammates Tim Melia and Graham Zusi from 2-3 p.m. CT to spend time with patients receiving care at Children’s Mercy (2401 Gillham Rd., Kansas City, MO) and deliver Blankets of Encouragement to children with cancer during their monthly hospital visit.

Sporting KC and Ivy Investments will team up to host a free youth soccer clinic for approximately 100 local children ages 8-12 from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday at Children's Mercy Park. Ilie, Melia, Matt Besler and Roger Espinoza will make special appearances at the clinic, including an autograph session for all participants. While youth players receive instruction on the field, adults in attendance will hear key tips on planning for children's higher education goals through a brief seminar from Ivy Investments, including tips on tax-advantaged education savings plans called 529 plans.

On Friday, Scooter's Coffee will celebrate the grand opening of its new cafe in Lenexa, Kansas (7741 Quivira Rd.) with a Day of Giving, donating 100 percent of the location's proceeds to The Victory Project. The donation day is the seventh Day of Giving in a season-long collaboration that sees Scooter’s Coffee raise money and awareness for The Victory Project.

EA SPORTS is giving fans the opportunity to pick players to appear on a custom cover for the upcoming FIFA 19. Sporting KC forward Johnny Russell is among the players on the ballot, having enjoyed an excellent first MLS season after spending the first decade of his career in England and his native Scotland. Visit the poll at MLSsoccer.com to cast a vote for Russell before the ballot closes at 4 p.m. CT on Friday.

On Saturday, The Victory Project will host the fifth annual blood drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT in the Budweiser Brew House at Children’s Mercy Park. Donors can use the sponsor code “victoryproject” to sign up online, and all who participate will receive an exclusive “I Bleed Sporting Blue” shirt.

Three Sporting KC Academy teams will take the field Saturday in a U.S. Soccer Development Academy tripleheader against Real Colorado at Children's Mercy Victory Field inside Swope Soccer Village (6310 Lewis Rd., Kansas City, MO). The Sporting KC U-15s will kick off at 9 a.m. CT, followed by the U-17s at 11:30 a.m. and the U-19s at 2 p.m. Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter for live updates on Saturday and throughout the Academy season.

For news, videos, photos and instant updates throughout the 2018 season, follow Sporting KC on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat (sportingkc), and download the club’s official mobile app Sporting KC Uphoria on the App Store or Google Play.