SPORTING KC RETURNS HOME FOR MATCH WITH FC DALLAS ON FRIDAY
Following a four-game road trip, Sporting Kansas City returns home to host FC Dallas at 6 p.m. CT on Friday at Sporting Park. A limited number of tickets, including standing room only tickets, are available via Ticketmaster.com while supplies last and the first 8,000 fans inside the stadium will receive Sporting KC multi-use bandanas courtesy of U.S. Bank.
Friday's match will be nationally televised on UniMas, available in English and Spanish, in addition to three hours of local coverage on KMCI-TV 38 the Spot beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT. Live on-site radio broadcasts will also be available from Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM.
Fifth-place Sporting KC (11-8-8, 41 points) and second-place FC Dallas (14-8-5, 47 points) will square off on Friday with Western Conference playoff implications abound. This will be the fourth meeting between the clubs in all competitions this year, with the home side winning the previous three contests in convincing fashion.
The clubs last met on July 1 at Sporting Park in the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. Dom Dwyer scored a club-record four goals and Krisztian Nemeth added two as Sporting KC beat FC Dallas 6-2. The most recent regular season contest ended similarly as Nemeth, Benny Feilhaber, Kevin Ellis and Graham Zusi all scored in a 4-0 home win on May 29. FC Dallas won the first matchup 3-1 on March 14, receiving a brace from Blas Perez and an insurance goal from the team's leading scorer Fabian Castillo.
SPORTING KC STAYS IN FIFTH PLACE AFTER TWO-GAME, CROSS-COUNTRY ROAD TRIP
Sporting KC's four-game road swing ended with a 3-1 loss at Orlando City SC on Sunday. Krisztian Nemeth returned from international duty to score his ninth goal of the MLS campaign, tied for the team lead, while Benny Feilhaber set the club's new single-season record with his 19th assist in all competitions, including an MLS-best 14 assists in the regular season.
Sporting KC had played to a scoreless draw at the Portland Timbers last Wednesday before being tasked with a cross-country flight to Florida. Tim Melia made an MLS career-high seven saves at Providence Park, including five in the second half, to keep the Timbers off the scoresheet and preserve a valuable road point for the visitors. Sporting KC and Portland enter Week 29 tied on 41 points and in the final two playoff positions in the Western Conference, and the clubs will meet again at Providence Park on Oct. 3.
MATT BESLER AND GRAHAM ZUSI NAMED TO PROVISIONAL U.S. ROSTER FOR CONCACAF CUP
CONCACAF announced on Tuesday that Sporting KC defender Matt Besler and midfielder Graham Zusi were named to the United States Men's National Team's provisional 35-player roster for CONCACAF Cup 2015 between the U.S. MNT and Mexico on Oct. 10 at the Rose Bowl. Each national team will select their final 23-player rosters by Oct. 1 from the players on their provisional roster.
The winner of CONCACAF Cup 2015, featuring the past two Gold Cup champions, will determine the region's representative at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia.
Besler, 28, has played every minute in Sporting Kansas City's last 29 matches across all competitions and leads all MLS players with 182 clearances in 2015. Internationally, Besler has 26 career appearances for the U.S. Men's National Team since debuting in 2013. He helped lead the U.S. MNT to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup title and started all four matches for the U.S. at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Zusi has 32 international caps for the United States with three goals and six assists, including two assists at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, since his debut in 2012. The 29-year-old made three appearances at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer.
REVIEW PANEL RESCINDS RED CARD ISSUED TO DOM DWYER
The Independent Review Panel has rescinded the fine and one-game suspension for the red card issued to Sporting Kansas City forward Dom Dwyer in the 87th minute of the Sept. 13 match against Orlando City SC (video). Sporting KC submitted an appeal for review of the play, and the appeal was unanimously upheld by the Independent Review Panel.
As a result, Dwyer will be available for Sporting KC’s next match against FC Dallas on Friday at Sporting Park (6:00 p.m. CT, KMCI-TV 38 The Spot, UniMas).
Sporting KC retains one unsuccessful appeal for any send-off review during the remainder of the 2015 season and / or postseason.
The Independent Review Panel consists of one representative from the U.S. Soccer Federation, Canadian Soccer Association and Professional Referees Organization (PRO). For more on the red card review process, click here.
KRISZTIAN NEMETH EARNS MLS GOAL OF THE WEEK NOMINATION
Forward Krisztian Nemeth returned to Sporting KC’s lineup on Sunday and produced a moment of magic in a game that Peter Vermes’ side will otherwise want to forget.
With the visitors trailing Orlando City 1-0 in the 59th minute, Nemeth received a pass from Benny Feilhaber, cut his way into the penalty area and unleashed a rocket into the top corner of the net. His thunderous equalizer at the Orlando Citrus Bowl has subsequently been nominated for MLS Goal of the Week.
Fan voting for MLS Goal of the Week is open until 1:59 a.m. CT Friday. Nemeth is one of five players nominated, alongside David Accam (Chicago), Tesho Akindele (Dallas), Diego Fagundez (New England) and Obafemi Martins (Seattle).
Nemeth has made a seamless transition to Major League Soccer since joining Sporting KC in January. The 26-year-old has notched 13 goals and seven assists in all competitions and was named Etihad Airways MLS Player of the Month in May. He leads the team with four game-winning goals in MLS and has scored in each of his three appearances during Sporting KC’s run to the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
TIM MELIA AND JON KEMPIN UP FOR MLS SAVE OF THE WEEK
Tim Melia and Jon Kempin both produced spectacular stops during Sporting Kansas City’s two-game, cross-country road trip last week and are now in contention for MLS Save of the Week honors in Week 28.
Voting for MLS Save of the Week closes Friday morning at 1:59 a.m. CT. Melia has yet to win the honor in his six-year MLS career, while Kempin won it twice last season despite making just four league appearances in 2014.
Melia shone brightly last Wednesday en route to a career-high seven saves, including five in the second half of a scoreless draw against the Portland Timbers. His best of the bunch, however, came in the 29th minute when Fanendo Adi got behind the defense and fired a shot destined for the bottom corner. Melia came to the rescue, sticking out his left foot to deflect the ball wide of goal.
Four days later, homegrown keeper Jon Kempin reminded spectators why he has been a regular member of United States youth national teams. Orlando City SC led 1-0 in the 55th minute and nearly doubled their lead when Lewis Neal pulled the trigger near the penalty spot. Kempin reacted instantly, diving left to touch the ball narrowly over the crossbar.
TIM MELIA TAKES TEAM OF THE WEEK HONORS FOR FIFTH TIME IN 2015
When last Wednesday's scoreless draw at the Portland Timbers came to an end, Sporting Kansas City largely had one man to thank.
Goalkeeper Tim Melia notched an MLS career-high seven saves — including five in a back-and-forth second half — to help Sporting Kansas City snap a three-game losing streak with a hard-earned point at Providence Park. The resounding performance in goal landed him Team of the Week honors on MLSsoccer.com for the fifth time this year, as well as a spot on SI.com's Best XI for Week 28.
A sixth-year MLS veteran who previously served as a League Pool goalkeeper and a backup at Real Salt Lake (2010-11) and Chivas USA (2012-14), Melia assumed starting duties in May and has subsequently enjoyed a breakout season in 2015. He boasts a 13-5-4 record in all competitions while recording seven shutouts and 60 saves in league play.
SPORTING KC U-16S AND U-18S KICK OFF 2015-16 SEASON ON SUNDAY IN TULSA
The Sporting KC under-16 and under-18 academy teams will kick off their 2015-16 seasons on Sunday in Tulsa, Oklahoma with a U.S. Soccer Development Academy doubleheader against Solar Chelsea SC. Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter and Instagram for updates throughout the upcoming campaign.
VICTORY PROJECT AND SPORTING KC TO HOLD FUNDRAISER TONIGHT IN WESTPORT
The Victory Project will unite Sporting KC players and their significant others -- along with DJ Ashton Martin -- for a celebrity bartender fundraising event tonight at the Westport Ale House (4128 Broadway Avenue) in Kansas City, Missouri from 5-8 p.m. CT. Ages 21 and up are welcome to attend with a $10 suggested donation at the door that includes a free can of Boulevard beer. All cover charges and tips, as well as $2 from every Sporting KC punch and proceeds from the sale of autographed items, will be donated directly to the Victory Project in its mission to help kids thrive through life's challenges.
SPORTING KC SEASON TICKET RENEWAL DEADLINE SET FOR FRIDAY
This week is the final opportunity for Sporting KC season ticket members to renew their seat location(s) for the 2016 season at Sporting Park before Friday's renewal deadline.
VICTORY PROJECT TO CO-HOST BLOOD DRIVE ON SATURDAY AT SPORTING PARK
On Saturday, The Victory Project and American Red Cross will co-host a blood drive from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. CT in the Ameritas Shield Club at Sporting Park as part of National Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Parking is available on the Sprint Plaza, accessible via Sporting Way, and all donors will receive an "I Bleed Sporting Blue" t-shirt, in addition to the opportunity to meet players, receive access to the Sporting KC locker room and enjoy pizza provided by Papa John's.
TIM MELIA TO APPEAR AT GAIL'S HARLEY DAVIDSON IN GRANDVIEW ON SUNDAY
Goalkeeper Tim Melia, who made seven saves and recorded a shutout against the Portland Timbers last week, will make a special appearance at Gail's Harley Davidson (5900 E. 150 Highway) in Grandview, Missouri from 1-2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday to sign autographs with fans. All in attendance will have the opportunity to register to win a customized "Sporting Cycle" as part of a contest open until Oct. 18.
