Starting XI: Cinco de Mayo Matchday

Starting XI is a biweekly series on SportingKC.com that highlights 11 of the biggest storylines and news updates from Sporting Kansas City, MLS and soccer around the globe. Click here to visit the Starting XI archive.

Sporting KC (5-2-2, 17 points) will look to bounce back into the victory column Saturday when they welcome the Colorado Rapids (2-3-2, 8 points) to Children's Mercy Park for a Cinco de Mayo showdown on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT and tickets remain available via SeatGeek.com. The match will also air live on FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports GO, Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM (Spanish).

2. Bobbling Besler

To round out the 2018 bobblehead series that began with Ike Opara and Tim Melia, the first 10,000 supporters through the stadium gates on Saturday will receive a Matt Besler bobblehead courtesy of match sponsor Mainstreet Credit Union. Additionally, fans who make a $50 purchase at any SportingStyle location on Saturday night will also receive a free Besler bobblehead. On a related note, SportingStyle.com is now accepting merchandise pre-orders that can be picked up Saturday on the Toyota Plaza beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT.

3. Zoo Day Sunday

Soccer fans and animal lovers of all ages are welcome to attend the fourth annual Sporting KC Day at the Zoo on Sunday at the Kansas City Zoo in Swope Park (6800 Zoo Dr., Kansas City, Mo.). Players Tim Melia, Diego Rubio, Johnny Russell and Graham Zusi will lead the fun-filled day at one of the premier zoos in the region, playing soccer with sea lions, painting with elephants and signing autographs for everyone in attendance. In conjunction with the event, the Kansas City Zoo is offering $3 off the price of regular admission to guests that wear Sporting KC apparel.

4. Under the Knife

Sporting KC announced Tuesday that midfielder Felipe Gutierrez has undergone successful sports hernia surgery and will be sidelined for two to three months. Gutierrez, 27, arrived at Sporting KC in February after spending the first eight years of his professional career in Chile, Netherlands and Spain.

5. No Other Forum

Couldn't make it to the Sporting KC Fan Forum on Tuesday night at No Other Pub? You're in luck. Listeners can catch the hour-long question-and-answer session courtesy of Sports Radio 810 WHB, the official radio partner of Sporting KC that broadcast the event live. Fans in attendance and viewers on Facebook Live submitted questions to CEO/President Jake Reid as well as captain Matt Besler, winger Johnny Russell and forward Daniel Salloi.

6. Radio Rewind

Sports Radio 810 WHB aired a plethora of Sporting KC programming this week, welcoming three separate guests to chat about the club. CEO/President Jake Reid visited The Border Patrol on Tuesday morning, play-by-play announcer Nate Bukaty joined Between The Lines later that afternoon, and captain Matt Besler made his weekly appearance on The Border Patrol on Wednesday.

7. Summer Camp

Registration is now open for Sporting KC Youth Soccer summer camps in June and July at locations across the Midwest for boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 14. Sporting KC Youth Soccer camps are designed to meet players where they are in terms of development. Click here for more information.

8. Coast to Coast

Before Sporting KC hosts the Colorado Rapids at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, supporters can get their first doses of Cinco de Mayo soccer with two nationally televised MLS matches earlier that day. The doubleheader begins at 12:55 p.m. CT on ESPN with a scintillating New York Derby between the Red Bulls (4-3-0, 12 points) and New York City FC (6-1-2, 20 points) at Red Bull Arena. The action then shifts from the East Coast to the West Coast as Los Angeles Football Club (5-2-0, 15 points) hosts FC Dallas (3-1-3, 12 points) at the new Banc of California Stadium, slated for 2:55 p.m. CT on Univision and streaming live on Twitter.

9. App Evolved

Major League Soccer has released the newest version of its official app, available to download on the App Store and Google Play. The free MLS App keeps fans connected with league news, schedules, match highlights, live scores and more.

10. Yoga on the Pitch

The Victory Project will host the fourth annual Yoga on the Pitch fundraising event on Thursday, May 31, at Children's Mercy Park. Select Sporting KC players will join defender Graham Zusi on the stadium pitch to participate in the 60-minute yoga session with all individuals who sign up at VictoryKC.org.

11. Special Exchange

MLS WORKS, Major League Soccer’s community outreach initiative, in collaboration with ESPN and Special Olympics, announced today the kickoff of the 2018 Special Olympics Unified Sports Soccer Exchange Program.

Special Olympics Kansas City will play two matches this season against Special Olympics Houston, squaring off on June 23 at Children's Mercy Park and on Aug. 4 at BBVA Compass Stadium in conjunction with MLS matches between Sporting KC and the Houston Dynamo. More information about both Unified games will be announced at a later date.

Games to Watch (May 4-6, 2018)