SPORTING KC TO HOST REAL SALT LAKE TONIGHT IN U.S. OPEN CUP SEMIFINALS
Sporting Kansas City will put the team's unbeaten record at Sporting Park to the test with three home matches in an eight-day span beginning tonight with a rematch against Real Salt Lake in the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals. The winner will advance to next month's final as Sporting KC aims to avenge a pair of 2-1 losses to Real Salt Lake — two of the team's four total defeats in 2015 — when the rivals take the field at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Tickets for the match are available via Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL, in addition to gameday sales at the Sporting Park box offices. All ticket holders for tonight's U.S. Open Cup semifinal can take advantage of food and drink specials from 5:30-7:15 p.m. CT, including $1 hot dogs, $2 sodas, $3 domestic draft beers and half-price hamburgers.
Fans unable to attend can watch the live stream on SportingKC.com beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT. Additional coverage will be available on Sports Radio 810 WHB in English or on La Grande 1340 AM in Spanish.
The 2015 U.S. Open Cup boasted the largest field in the modern era (1995-present) with 89 teams competing for the title. The tournament has been held annually since 1914 and is open to all amateur/professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. This year’s winner will earn $250,000 and a berth in the 2016-17 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League.
Sporting KC has twice lifted the Dewar Challenge Trophy as champions of the competition, winning the tournament title in 2004 at Arrowhead Stadium and again in 2012 at Sporting Park. Dom Dwyer currently leads all players as the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup's top scorer and his five goals are tied for the most by a KC player in U.S. Open Cup history.
SPORTING KC'S HOME STAND CONTINUES SATURDAY VS. FIRST-PLACE VANCOUVER
Following a 3-1 victory at Toronto FC last Saturday, Sporting KC will resume MLS play with another Canadian opponent in the form of the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps FC at 8 p.m. CT on Saturday at Sporting Park. The Whitecaps have won three straight MLS matches to move into first place in the Western Conference and boast the best road record in MLS (7-4-2) this season. Sporting KC is only five points behind Vancouver in the standings and leads the West with 1.76 points per game.
Saturday's game will be televised locally on KMCI-TV 38 The Spot and across the Midwest on SKCTV, with Kansas City area radio broadcasts available on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish). A limited number of tickets for the match are available at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL.
COACH PETER VERMES MAKES HISTORY IN 3-1 WIN OVER TORONTO FC
Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes moved into a tie with Bob Gansler as the all-time winningest coach in club history with a 3-1 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday at BMO Field. Benny Feilhaber and Krisztian Nemeth tallied their team-leading eighth goals of the season, while Jacob Peterson struck against his former side for the second straight year as Sporting KC overcame the absences of Roger Espinoza, Dom Dwyer and Graham Zusi to remain unbeaten versus Eastern Conference opponents (6-0-2) in 2015.
Vermes earned the 86th regular season win and 108th victory across all competition of his coaching career, equaling the club marks held by his former coach. Gansler served as manager of the U.S. MNT at the 1990 FIFA World Cup and later led KC to all three major domestic titles with Supporters Shield (2000), MLS Cup (2000) and U.S. Open Cup (2004) championships.
TIM MELIA UP FOR MLS SAVE OF THE WEEK
Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia has earned an MLS Save of the Week nomination for the second time this season. The 29-year-old is one of five finalists for the weekly award with voting open online at MLSsoccer.com through 1:59 a.m. CT on Friday.
Sporting KC led 2-1 in the 35th minute of Saturday's match at Toronto FC when Melia thwarted the Reds' bid at an equalizer, diving at full extension to tip Michael Bradley's thunderous attempt inches over the crossbar. The visitors went on to win the match 3-1 with Melia making three additional saves in the final 15 minutes.
Melia has enjoyed a breakout season in 2015, boasting an 11-2-3 record across all competitions and a 0.77 goals against average in league play. He has landed MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week honors four times since making his Sporting KC debut on May 3 and became the first goalkeeper in MLS history to record six shutouts in his first nine games for a new club.
FEILHABER AND ELLIS NAMED TO MLS TEAM OF THE WEEK
Sporting KC midfielder Benny Feilhaber and defender Kevin Ellis were named to the MLS Team of the Week on Monday after leading their team to a 3-1 win at Toronto FC over the weekend.
Feilhaber was instrumental in two of Sporting KC’s three goals. The veteran midfielder converted the penalty kick in the 22nd minute to give the visitors their first lead of the day and assisted on Nemeth’s game-winning strike in the 29th minute. Feilhaber has eight goals and a League-leading 12 assists on the year.
Ellis continued his strong run of form alongside MLS All-Star defender Matt Besler. The homegrown defender led all MLS defenders with 11 duels won last weekend to go along with his six recoveries and five tackles won. Ellis also earned the penalty kick that Feilhaber converted to give Sporting Kansas City the 1-0 lead.
In addition to MLSsoccer.com accolades, Feilhaber and Ellis both earned Team of the Week honors from Bleacher Report, while Feilhaber was named to the Team of the Week by SI.com and Goal.com.
ROGER ESPINOZA SUFFERS SESAMOID FRACTURE IN LEFT FOOT
Sporting KC midfielder Roger Espinoza suffered a left sesamoid fracture in the team’s 1-1 draw on Saturday and is expected to miss at least 10 weeks while recovering from the injury, the club announced last Thursday. The injury occurred in the 86th minute on a tackle by Houston Dynamo midfielder Nathan Sturgis, who was subsequently ejected from the match for serious foul play.
Espinoza has started 20 matches for Sporting Kansas City across all competitions in 2015 after returning to the club following a two-year stint with Wigan Athletic in England. A Honduran international, Espinoza has 46 career caps for Los Catrachos including appearances at the 2010/2014 FIFA World Cups and 2012 Summer Olympics.
Espinoza was selected by Kansas City in the first round of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft and began a five-year run that culminated with MLS All-Star honors and a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship in 2012.
After making 57 appearances for Wigan, Espinoza returned to Sporting Kansas City prior to the 2015 season. The 28-year-old has made 150 appearances for the club across all competition with three goals and 17 assists.
SPORTING KC SIGNS SPANISH MIDFIELDER JORDI QUINTILLA
Sporting KC announced last Thursday that the club has signed 21-year-old midfielder Jordi Quintilla. He becomes the youngest Spaniard currently in Major League Soccer and occupies an international roster spot for Sporting KC.
Quintilla developed as a youth at UE Lleida before moving to FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, where he trained alongside former Sporting KC midfielder Oriol Rosell. In 2012, he began his professional career as an 18-year-old with Barcelona B in Spain’s second division and later went on loan to CF Badalona and CE L'Hospitalet.
Most recently, Quintilla spent the 2014/15 season with AC Ajaccio in the French Ligue 2 and played in 20 games across all competitions for the club.
NEW 4-3-3 RAFFLE LAUNCHES TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF THE VICTORY PROJECT
Sporting KC is launching a soccer-inspired 4-3-3 raffle in support of The Victory Project. Sporting Club, the parent organization of Sporting Kansas City, launched The Victory Project in 2013 to unite the team’s supporters, players and staff to make a tangible difference in the lives of children who are battling cancer and all of life’s challenges.
Sporting KC and The Victory Project have established a multi-year partnership with Pointstreak 5050 to launch the 4-3-3 raffle during all home games held at Sporting Park, beginning with tonight's U.S. Open Cup semifinal against Real Salt Lake. Sporting KC volunteers will begin selling tickets to fans at the stadium when gates open two hours prior to kick off with three options available (cash only): 3 for $5, 10 for $10 or 40 for $20. The raffle will conclude just after halftime in the 50th minute and winners will be announced in-stadium, online and via social media around the 75th minute.
In the spirit of soccer and the club's on-field formation, the 4-3-3 raffle will have two winning ticket holders each taking home 30% of the total pot with the remaining 40% going to the foundation. Currently, Pointstreak 5050 works with almost 60 major league franchises across North America and Europe.
SPORTING KC ACADEMY HIRES TWO COACHES
The Sporting KC Academy has added two coaches to the team’s technical staff ahead of the 2015-16 season with the hiring of Declan Jogi to lead the U-13’s in their inaugural season and Josh Gardner as the new head coach of the U-14’s.
Jogi holds a USSF “B” coaching license and was formerly a professional player in both the United States and Zimbabwe. Prior to joining the Sporting KC Academy, Jogi was the Director of Coaching with FC Dallas TRI and Fusion FC in Tennessee, where he was also on the state’s Olympic Development Program staff.
Gardner holds a USSF “A” coaching license and 11 years of professional playing experience, including seven seasons in Major League Soccer and two with Sporting KC. Gardner was most recently a coach with Sporting KC Academy Affiliate SPORTING Blue Valley.
The Sporting KC Academy formed in 2007 and features five fully-funded teams from the under-12 through under-18 age groups that train at Swope Soccer Village and compete at the highest levels. Last month, the Sporting KC Academy became the first boys team from the state of Kansas to win a US Youth Soccer National Championships title.
For more information, visit SportingKC.com/Academy or follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter and Instagram.
SPORTING KC ADDS ALLOCATION MONEY IN TRADES WITH TORONTO AND COLORADO
Sporting KC announced last Friday that the club has acquired allocation money from Toronto FC in exchange for Herculez Gomez’s right of first refusal within MLS.
Gomez, 33, concluded a six-season stint in Major League Soccer by playing in Kansas City from 2008-2009 with one goal and five assists in 40 appearances across all competitions. Gomez, a 2010 FIFA World Cup veteran who has six goals in 24 caps for the U.S. MNT, has since played for six teams in Liga MX over the past six years.
Per MLS roster rules and regulations, allocation money is money that is available to a club in addition to its salary budget.
“Allocation money can be used to buy-down a player’s salary budget charge as part of managing a team’s roster, including buying a salary budget charge below the League maximum of $436,250. For example, a team may buy down a player earning $450,000 to a budget charge of $250,000 by using $200,000 of allocation money.”
The club also announced last Friday that it has sent an international roster spot to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for general allocation money. The international roster spot will remain with Colorado until Dec. 31, 2015 and then returns to Sporting Kansas City for the 2016 season.
SETH SINOVIC MEET AND GREET SET FOR THURSDAY AT JACK IN THE BOX
On Thursday, Sporting KC defender and Leawood, Kansas native Seth Sinovic will participate in a meet and greet at Jack in the Box (10630 Parallel Parkway) in Kansas City, Kansas from 5:30 - 7 p.m. CT. Jack in the Box customers can receive a free breakfast biscuit sandwich with any purchase the day following a Sporting KC match in which the team has four or more shots on goal.
MATT BESLER'S SPRINT SCAVENGER HUNT CONTEST TO END FRIDAY
Sprint's 12-day #AllinforSKC Scavenger Hunt contest comes to a close this week with Friday's winner receiving the All-In Grand Prize Pack:
- Personal clinic with Matt Besler for him/her and nine guests at Swope Soccer Village
- Reception with food and drinks for him/her and their guests
- Custom training kits
- Apple iPad Air 2 and one year of free Sprint service
Daily prizes — ranging from match tickets to an autographed scarf to a Sporting Style gift card — can also be claimed. Follow @MattBesler on Twitter for clues at 11 a.m. CT each day and be the first to tweet a photo of the hidden soccer ball to @Sprint with the hashtags #AllinforSKC and #contest to claim that day's prize. The next 10 fans to arrive at the location each day will be entered in a drawing to win one of five consolation prizes.
DOM DWYER TO APPEAR AT GAIL'S HARLEY DAVIDSON ON SUNDAY
On Sunday, Sporting KC forward Dom Dwyer will make a special appearance at Gail's Harley Davidson (5900 E. 150 Highway) in Grandview, Missouri from 1-2:30 p.m. CT to sign autographs with fans and customers. All in attendance will have the opportunity to register to win a customized Sporting KC Harley motorcycle as part of a contest kicking off this week. Dwyer is the leading scorer in the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with five goals to go along with seven goals in the MLS campaign.
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE OFFERING FREE ROAD TRIP TO SPORTING KC ROAD GAME
A partnership between Sporting KC and American Family Insurance now allows fans to register for a free road trip to see Sporting KC face the San Jose Earthquakes on Oct. 16. The match will be played at Avaya Stadium, San Jose’s new state-of-the-art venue that opened in March.
The contest is open to all Sporting KC fans 21 years of age and older who live in Kansas or Missouri and will run through Sept. 13. Supporters can register by visiting https://contests.amfam.com/sportingkc and filling out the entry form or by visiting the American Family Insurance booth at Sporting KC'S home matches on Aug. 15 and Aug. 19.
One contest will reward one grand prize winner who will receive free airfare, four game tickets, a $1,000 bank card and more. Visit SportingKC.com for additional information.
TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR 2015 NCAA MEN'S COLLEGE CUP AT SPORTING PARK
Tickets are now on sale for the 2015 NCAA Men's College Cup at Sporting Park via a Ticketmaster.com pre-sale for Sporting KC's Season Ticket Members and supporters with the promo code 15CCUP. Ticket packages start as low as $27 for admission to the semifinal doubleheader on Friday, Dec. 11 and the national championship match on Sunday, Dec. 13 with passes also available for access to the Ameritas Shield Club and Boulevard Members Club.
The pre-sale opportunity ends on Thursday, Aug. 20, one week before the college soccer season kicks off on Aug. 28. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) released their 2015 preseason poll earlier this month with last year's College Cup finalists UCLA and Virginia atop the rankings.
SPORTING KC OFFERS MOBILE CONCESSIONS ORDERING IN BOULEVARD MEMBERS CLUB
Sporting KC has announced a new service designed to enhance the fan experience at Sporting Park. Fans with tickets in the Boulevard Members Club now have the ability to order and pay for concessions on their smartphones and then pick up their orders via a fast lane.
The new service, created in partnership with Kansas City-based Lantern Software, is simple. Fans download the Gameday™ app from the App Store or Google Play, choose the items they want and pay with a credit card or PayPal. The app provides an alert when the concessions staff has begun working on the order as well as another once the order is ready. Users will then pick up their order from a separate fast lane to expedite the concession process.
FOLLOW SPORTING KC ONLINE
Sporting KC fans looking to keep up with the club online have a place to go. The Social Media page on SportingKC.com features Twitter account information for the team, its players and several staff members. Supporters may also take advantage of the Media Recap page for all the latest independent news coverage.
