SPORTING KC TO FACE COLORADO TONIGHT IN FIRST MATCH OF DESERT DIAMOND CUP
Sporting Kansas City resumes preseason action tonight against the Colorado Rapids in the opening match of the 2015 Diamond Desert Cup in Tucson, Arizona. The friendly is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT at Kino North Stadium and will be streamed live on SportingKC.com.
The club returned to Tucson on Sunday for the second phase of preseason training and will play four matches in the Desert Diamond Cup, at least three of which against teams from Major League Soccer's Western Conference. Tonight's contest is followed by a meeting with defending Supporters' Shield champion Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday (9 p.m. CT) and a rematch of MLS Cup 2013 vs. Real Salt Lake on Feb. 25 (9 p.m. CT). The tournament's six-team field also includes MLS side New England Revolution and hosts FC Tucson of the USL Premier Development League, and will conclude Feb. 28 with placement matches for first, third and fifth place.
All four of Sporting KC's matches in the Desert Diamond Cup will be streamed live on SportingKC.com. In addition, SKCTV's Nate Bukaty (play-by-play) and Andy Gruenebaum (color) will provide the call for Saturday's clash with Seattle.
After splitting a pair of matches against the Portland Timbers (2-0 loss) and FC Tucson (4-2 win) during the first leg of preseason, Sporting KC is back in the desert with a few additional players. Captain Matt Besler and homegrown goalkeeper Jon Kempin have returned to the squad after competing in January Camp for the U.S. Men's National Team, while winger Graham Zusi and defender Ike Opara could see their first action after recovering from long-term injuries. Haitian midfielder Soni Mustivar will join Sporting KC after the club receives his P-1 Visa, and Canadian international Marcel de Jong is currently with the team as a trialist.
SPORTING KC SIGNS HAITI NATIONAL TEAM MIDFIELDER SONI MUSTIVAR
Sporting Kansas City has signed 25-year-old defensive midfielder Soni Mustivar, the club announced on Friday. Mustivar will occupy an international roster spot on the team's roster for the 2015 season pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa.
Mustivar has made six international appearances for the Haiti Men’s National Team. He most recently played in three matches at the 2014 CFU Caribbean Cup in November to help Haiti secure a third place finish and qualify for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Mustivar began his professional career as a teenager with SC Bastia in France’s Ligue 2 from 2008-2010. Following a loan spell at US Orleans (France), he moved to FC Petrolul Ploiesti and has played each of the past three seasons in Romania’s Liga I. He recorded 61 appearances with two goals in league competition, while also earning eight appearances in the UEFA Europa League. In addition, he started in Petrolul’s triumph in the 2012-13 Romanian Cup Final and captained the squad in the 2013 Romanian Supercup against Liga I champions Steaua Bucuresti.
SKC ACADEMY U14'S AND U18'S WINS U.S. YOUTH FUTSAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Sporting KC Academy U14's and U18's won U.S. Youth Futsal national titles last weekend at the New Century Field House in Gardner, Kansas. The U14's defeated Ginga Academy 4-1 in Sunday's championship match, while the U18 division featured an all-Sporting KC championship as Team Indigo topped Team Argyle 8-7.
The Sporting KC U16's finished the group stage in first place with a 2-1-0 record and claimed a 6-5 semifinal win before falling 6-0 to Samba Black Boys in the championship.
For all the latest Academy updates, follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter and Instagram.
SKC ACADEMY U16'S QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS OF GENERATION ADIDAS CUP
The Sporting KC Academy U16's went 2-1-0 last weekend in the second phase of the 2014-15 Generation adidas Cup at Houston Sports Park. The pair of victories secured a top-two finish in the Central Region Standings and clinched a spot in the Generation adidas Cup national bracket, to be played in Dallas this April.
The U16's opened with a 3-1 win over Columbus Crew SC on Friday before defeating the Colorado Rapids 2-0 on Saturday to progress to the tournament's national stage. The U16's fell 1-0 on Monday to Central Region champion FC Dallas.
SPORTING KC JOINS RODROCK DEVELOPMENT IN SUPPORT OF FOSTER-CARE CHILDREN
Sporting KC has partnered with Rodrock Development in a three-year collaboration that aligns the two entities in their mutual goal of giving back to local families and children. Rodrock Development joins Sporting KC during the club’s 20th season in Major League Soccer to help raise awareness for the Darol Rodrock Foundation and provide support to area foster-care children.
Among the opportunities the sponsorship provides is the chance for Rodrock Development to host a one-day event at Sporting Park each year, with this year’s gathering to be held at Swope Soccer Village. Sporting KC will welcome up to 500 guests to the stadium with access to the pitch, locker rooms and a chance for group photos.
During a Title Night Game, hosted in conjunction with the Darol Rodrock Foundation, Rodrock himself will take the field at halftime to speak about the needs of area foster-care children. All game attendees will be encouraged to bring donations for the foundation.
The partnership also includes a “Day in the Life with Sporting KC,” where Rodrock Development guests will visit Swope Soccer Village for on-field access, a behind-the-scenes tour of locker room, weight room and training areas, plus group photos with club players and autograph signings. For more information on the partnership, visit Rodrock.com.
SPORTING CLUB NETWORK ANNOUNCES 2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
The Sporting Club Network, presented by Price Chopper, announced on Tuesday the program's 2015 Calendar of Events. The calendar includes a variety of events, engagements, contests and more – all giving behind-the-scenes access to Sporting KC players, coaches, and facilities for SCN members.
Visit the SCN Calendar of Events webpage to view all upcoming event dates. For the latest Sporting Club Network updates, follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
TICKETS ON SALE FOR NEW PRIMARY JERSEY LAUNCH AT SPORTING EVOLUTION
Sporting KC will unveil its new primary jersey at Sporting EVOLUTION on Wednesday, March 4 at the Uptown Shoppes Event Space (3600 Broadway Avenue, Kansas City, MO). Doors will open at 6 p.m. CT, one hour prior to the show’s start at 7 p.m. CT, on the day of the event.
Tickets are available in advance via Ticketmaster.com or at the Uptown Theater box office (hours), and can also be purchased on March 4 prior to entry. Sporting EVOLUTION is open to all ages and the $10 cost of admission comes with a $10 Sporting Style gift card to be used toward Sporting KC and/or Sporting Club merchandise purchased at the party. Parking for the event is free and available on site.
The season kick off celebration will transform the Uptown Shoppes Event Space through use of video mapping technology, lasers and lighting effects, as well as electronic concert level sound. Sporting KC players and coaches will be in attendance to interact with fans and the team’s brand new primary jersey will be available to purchase for the first time.
In addition, concession-style drinks will be on sale until the event’s completion at 10 p.m. CT and a silent auction will be held to benefit The Victory Project in its mission to help kids thrive through life’s challenges.
TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR SPORTING KC’S FIRST 10 HOME GAMES OF 2015 SEASON
Single-game tickets for Sporting KC’s first 10 home matches of the 2015 MLS regular season are now on sale at Ticketmaster.com. Individual match tickets for fixtures in the opening four months of Sporting KC’s 2015 home schedule can be secured at the links below:
March 8 vs. New York Red Bulls
March 21 vs. Portland Timbers
April 5 vs. Philadelphia Union
April 11 vs. Real Salt Lake
May 3 vs. Chicago Fire
May 16 vs. Colorado Rapids
May 20 vs. New England Revolution
May 29 vs. FC Dallas
June 6 vs. Seattle Sounders FC
June 27 vs. Colorado Rapids
For information on group ticket packages and partial season ticket packages for the 2015 season, call 888-4KC-GOAL.
Single-game tickets for Sporting KC’s final seven regular season MLS home games will go on sale to the general public in June. Visit SportingKC.com/schedule for the club’s full 34-game regular season schedule in 2015.
REGISTRATION OPEN FOR SPORTING KC YOUTH CAMPS IN 2015
Sporting KC is offering a series of youth camps to foster the next generation of soccer players in the region. Registration for upcoming camp opportunities is now open at SportingKC.com/camps, beginning with the Spring Break Development Camp from March 16-18 at Swope Soccer Village. For more information on the youth camps available to boys and girls, visit SportingKC.com.
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.
