Starting XI: Dom at the Double

Starting XI, presented by Ford, 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.

Dom Dwyer scored twice on Wednesday as Sporting Kansas City surged to the top of the Western Conference standings with a 2-0 win over the visiting New York Red Bulls. The English striker struck his right-footed double in the second half, while midfielder Benny Feilhaber and goalkeeper Tim Melia also turned in standout performances to help Sporting KC extend their home unbeaten streak to 14 matches. Manager Peter Vermes gave his full assessment of the win afterward, praising the team’s commitment to defending as a team while minimizing mistakes on the ball.

2. Tim Terrific

Statistically speaking, no goalkeeper is off to a better start in 2017 than Sporting Kansas City’s Tim Melia. SBI Soccer promptly took notice, awarding Melia SBI MLS Player of the Month honors as the Sporting KC goalkeeper conceded just two goals across four games in April. Now in his third season with Sporting KC, Melia is the 2017 MLS leader in shutouts (six), goals against average (0.33) and save percentage (84.4).

3. Look at the Loons

Sporting Kansas City has defeated Minnesota in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup twice since 2014, but Sunday marks the very first meeting between the regional foes in MLS competition. The match will kick off before a nationally televised audience on FS1 and FOX Deportes as 12:30 p.m. CT. The visitors enter the fixture at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as one of the league’s hottest teams, propelled by a stifling defense that has six clean sheets through nine games. The Loons endured a dreadful start to their inaugural campaign but has improved over the last month, going 2-2-1 to climb out of the Western Conference basement.

4. Welcome to the Party

All Sporting Kansas City fans are welcome to attend the official #MINvSKC watch party on Sunday at No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District (1370 Grand Blvd.). No Other Pub will open at 11 a.m. with matchday specials beginning at noon, including $4 Bud Light drafts as well as an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring hamburgers and hot dogs, chicken wings, pretzels and queso and cheese curds.

5. Back at the Village

The Swope Park Rangers will take an eight-game home winning streak into Friday’s showdown with Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 at Children’s Mercy Victory Field inside Swope Soccer Village. Tickets for the Cinco de Mayo matchup are available at SeatGeek.com or at the venue box office prior to kickoff, and SportingKC.com will stream the game live. The Rangers (3-2-0, 9 points) have lost two straight away from home but return to Kansas City where they haven’t lost since last September. Friday’s contest is notably a rematch of the 2016 Western Conference Championship, which the Rangers won 3-0 to advance to the USL Cup Final in the club’s inaugural season.

6. Cooking Up Something Good

With Sporting Kansas City’s roster boasting representation from 14 different nationalities, the club has teamed up with FOX 4 Kansas City to present fans culinary tastes from across the globe. Sporting KC players will share their favorite recipes with FOX 4 anchor Nick Vasos over the course of the season, and the first installment came Wednesday courtesy of forward Cameron Porter. Click here to watch the first episode.

7. One Foot in the Final

Sporting KC Academy defender Jaylin Lindsey and the U.S. U-17 national team moved one step closer to qualifying for the U-17 World Cup with a 3-0 win over Honduras on Wednesday. The team will close out the classification stage of the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship against Cuba on Friday. Kickoff from Estadio Maracaná in Panama City is set for 5:30 p.m. CT, and the match can be seen live in English on the CONCACAF YouTube channel and in Spanish on UDN. Should the U.S. defeat Cuba, it will punch its ticket to the U-17 World Cup — to be played this October in India — and advance to the CONCACAF U-17 Championship Final on Sunday at 3 p.m. CT.

8. Academy Acts

The Sporting KC Academy U-18s and U-16s continue their respective playoff pushes Saturday with a doubleheader against the Houston Dynamo at Swope Soccer Village. Both games are free and open to the public with the U-18s slated to kick off at 9 a.m. before the U-16s take the field at 11:30 a.m. The U-18s and U-16s are currently positioned to qualify automatically for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs, which will be held from June 20-26 in Westfield, Indiana. Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter for live updates.

9. On the Tube

Sporting Kansas City’s inaugural MLS matchup with expansion side Minnesota United FC on Sunday afternoon is one of three nationally televised games that highlight the MLS slate in Week 10. Saturday offers a mouthwatering rematch of the 2016 MLS Cup as Seattle Sounders FC play host to Toronto FC in a star-studded affair. The second game of Sunday’s doubleheader, meanwhile, features two of the league’s highest-scoring teams as New York City FC welcomes Atlanta United FC to Yankee Stadium.

10. Another Foot in the Final

Real Madrid and Juventus aren’t in the UEFA Champions League Final just yet, but both are on the cusp after rolling to easy victories in the UCL semifinals this week. Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a hat-trick in Real’s 3-0 victory over city rivals Atletico Madrid, then Juventus traveled to Monaco and handed the young French side a 2-0 defeat with a brace from Gonzalo Higuain. The return fixtures will be played next Tuesday and Wednesday, while the Final is slated for Saturday, June 3, at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

11. All-Star Patio

The All-Star Patio Sweepstakes, sponsored by Westlake Ace Hardware, are now open for entry at SportingKC.com. Through the end of May, supporters can enter for the chance to win patio essentials, outdoor décor and Sporting KC merchandise—all delivered straight to their home by a Sporting KC player. Click here to view the official sweepstakes rules.

Games to Watch (May 5-8)