SPORTING KC CAPTAIN MATT BESLER NAMED TO U.S. ROSTER FOR UPCOMING FRIENDLIES
Sporting Kansas City captain Matt Besler was named to the United States 25-player roster on Monday for the national team’s final two matches of the year. The U.S. will face Colombia at 1:45 p.m. CT on Friday at Craven Cottage in London (ESPN, UniMas) before taking on the Republic of Ireland at 1:45 p.m. CT on Tuesday at Aviva Stadium in Dublin (ESPN2).
Besler has made 22 international appearances for the United States since his debut in January 2013. The 27-year-old central defender started all four games for the U.S. MNT at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and leads the team with 10 games started this year.
An Overland Park, Kansas native, Besler has made 161 appearances in MLS competition (including postseason) over six seasons since being selected in the first round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft out of Notre Dame. He is a three-time MLS All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014) and has twice been named to the MLS Best XI (2012, 2013) to go along with an MLS Defender of the Year honor in 2012.
Besler is one of seven Sporting KC players to feature in international matches in 2014 along with Graham Zusi (USA), Lawrence Olum (Kenya), Jorge Claros (Honduras), Soony Saad (Lebanon), Martin Steuble (Philippines) and Erik Palmer Brown (USA U-20).
STEUBLE STARTS IN PHILIPPINES' FRIENDLY LOSS TO THAILAND
Sporting KC midfielder Martin Steuble started and played the full 90 minutes for the Philippines on Sunday in a 3-0 loss to Thailand. The international friendly was played in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand as both teams prepare for the 2014 Asian Football Federation Suzuki Cup later this month.
Steuble, 26, also started in the Philippines' previous match -- a 3-0 friendly win versus Nepal on Oct. 31 -- and now has 11 caps since making his international debut earlier this year. The Philippines are coached by former U.S. Men's National Team defender Thomas Dooley and are No. 129 in the latest FIFA rankings.
The 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup begins Nov. 22 with Philippines in Group A alongside Vietnam, Indonesia and Laos. The Philippines will play a final tune-up match against Cambodia on Friday at their home venue, Rizal Memorial Stadium, in Manila.
WEST VIRGINIA CLAIMS BIG 12 SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP AT SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE
No. 1 West Virginia won its second consecutive Big 12 postseason title after defeating No. 6 Oklahoma 1-0 in Sunday's championship game at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri. The No. 1 Mountaineers earned their fifth regular season or postseason championship since joining the Big 12 and received an automatic berth into the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship.
A total of six Big 12 teams were named to the NCAA Championship on Monday as Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech joined West Virginia in the 64-team field. Kansas will host former conference rival Missouri in the First Round on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT in Lawrence.
SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE TO HOST NCAA DIVISION III MEN'S AND WOMEN'S FINAL FOURS
The fields are set for the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Soccer Championships, which will culminate on Dec. 5 and 6 at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri. The National Collegiate Athletic Association unveiled the brackets on Monday, featuring 64 women's teams and 61 men's teams for the single-elimination tournaments.
The 2014 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Soccer Championships at Swope Soccer Village will be co-hosted by the Kansas City Sports Commission and Fontbonne University. This year's final four is the first of four consecutive years in which NCAA men's and women's soccer championships will be competed at the state-of-the-art complex (Division III in 2014 and 2015; Division II in 2016 and 2017).
The 2015 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer College Cup will be held at Sporting Park from Dec. 11-13, 2015. For more information, visit NCAA.com/championships.
SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE HOSTS STATE AND PRESIDENTS CUP FINALS
Swope Soccer Village hosted the top Under-15 through Under-18 girls soccer teams from Missouri and Kansas this weekend in the semifinals and finals of the Missouri State Cup, Missouri Presidents Cup, Kansas State Cup and Kansas Presidents Cup.
The semifinals of each competition took place Saturday to determine Sunday's championship matches, which were played in the lead-up to the 2014 Big 12 Soccer Championship on the Swope Soccer Village championship field. The following clubs earned tournament titles in their respective age groups:
- U-15 Kansas State Cup: MUSC KC Fusion Academy CL
- U-16 Kansas State Cup: Sporting BV Rowdies
- U-17 Kansas State Cup: Kansas City United Rangers
- U-18 Kansas State Cup: Kansas Premier Soccer KC
- U-15 Kansas Presidents Cup: Sporting BV Montpellier
- U-16 Kansas Presidents Cup: FCKC Junior Blues
- U-15 Missouri State Cup: Futura FC Pink Panthers
- U-16 Missouri State Cup: Lou Fusz SC
- U 17 Missouri State Cup: Sporting J.B. Marine SC
- U-18 Missouri State Cup: TBD
- U-15 Missouri Presidents Cup: Raytown SC Barcelona Elite
- U-16 Missouri Presidents Cup: Missouri Rush SC
- U-17 Missouri Presidents Cup: SLSG Red
SPORTING KC ACADEMY TO HOST FUNDRAISER AT CHIPOTLE
The Sporting Kansas City Academy will host a fundraiser from 4-9 p.m. CT on Monday, Nov. 17 at Chipotle (7040 W. 135th St.) in Overland Park, Kansas. The youth development academy will receive 50% of proceeds from all orders placed by customers who present this flyer or show it on their smartphone.
Chipotle -- the official Fast-Casual Mexican Restaurant of Sporting Kansas City and Major League Soccer -- was the presenting sponsor of the inaugural 2014 MLS Homegrown Game, which featured Sporting Kansas City's Jon Kempin (MVP) and Erik Palmer-Brown. Additionally, Chipotle Youth Homegrown Athletes have been recognized throughout the season at Sporting Park and each received a prize pack that included match tickets, player meet-and-greets and a team dinner at Chipotle.
SPORTING CLUB AND WWI MUSEUM TO CO-HOST SECOND ANNUAL TRUCE TOURNAMENT
Sporting Club and the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial will host the second annual Truce Tournament on Dec. 26. The Kansas City soccer community is invited to participate in the 3v3 tournament that will be played on Liberty Hill and attend an English Premier League Watch Party inside the WWI Museum.
Following a tradition that began last year, the 2014 Truce Tournament comes on the 100th Anniversary of World War I and pays homage to the time-honored story of the Christmas Truce. According to legend, WWI battles temporarily ceased around Christmas 1914 as members of both warring armies ventured into No Man’s Land to exchange gifts, sing carols and play soccer.
Registration for the event is now open at www.TheTruceKC.com. Click here for more information on the Truce Tournament.
SPORTING CLUB PRESENTS NEW CLOTHING LINE
Sporting Club has released its new fashion line for Sporting KC, offering fans an extensive selection of new clothing and merchandise. The Sporting Club brand -- featuring recently released men's and women's items -- is available for purchase on Sporting Style’s website while supplies last. Fans are encouraged to follow @SportingStyle on Twitter throughout the holiday season for all the latest news.
KANSAS CITY STEAK COMPANY HOSTS SPORTING KC FAN SWEEPSTEAKS
Sporting KC fans can visit SportingKC.com/meatandgreet to enter for a chance to win The Meat and Greet Sweepsteaks presented by Kansas City Steak Company. The winner, selected at random on Dec. 3, will receive a year’s supply of meat from Kansas City Steak Company and a dinner with a Sporting KC player.
TICKETS ON SALE FOR NCAA D-II FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP AT SPORTING PARK
Tickets are on sale to the general public for the NCAA Division II Football Championship to be played at Sporting Park on Dec. 20. Hosted by the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Associations and the Kansas City Sports Commission, the championship game will be held inside the state-of-the-art stadium for the next four years. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.com while supplies last.
The Division II Football Selection Show will reveal the 24-team bracket this Sunday at 4 p.m. CT live on NCAA.com.
FOLLOW SPORTING KC ONLINE
Sporting KC fans looking to keep up with the club online now have a place to go. The Social Media page on SportingKC.com features Twitter account information for the club, its players and several staff members. Fans may also take advantage of the Media Recap page for all the latest independent news coverage.
