Starting XI: Into the Lions' Den

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.

Sporting Kansas City (5-2-3, 18 points) looks to bounce back into the victory column Saturday when the club visits Orlando City SC (18 points) for a high-profile interconference clash at the new Orlando City Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on FOX Sports Kansas City Plus, FOX Sports Midwest Plus and FOX Sports Go, with local radio broadcasts airing live on ESPN 99.3 FM (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish).

The Lions sit in second place in the Eastern Conference and wield a perfect 5-0-0 record at their new, state-of-the-art home venue, where they have posted three shutouts. Cyle Larin has a team-high six goals, while Brazilian legend Kaka has scored twice in his last three games since missing almost two months through injury. Sporting KC, meanwhile, has a league-best three shutouts away from home and boasts a 0.50 goals against average, the lowest in MLS.

2. Turn Back the Clocks

The Charlie Brown training tops are back and better than ever. Sporting Kansas City will host its highly anticipated Retro Night next Wednesday, May 17, when defending MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC visits Children’s Mercy Park for a regular season match presented by The Darol Rodrock Foundation. To celebrate the occasion, Sporting KC will turn back the clock by delivering a comprehensive throwback experience inside the stadium. Tickets for the Western Conference clash — set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT — are on sale now at SeatGeek.com.

A limited-time throwback four-pack is also available by calling 888-4KC-GOAL, consisting of four tickets, four hot dogs, four bags of chips and four sodas for $119.98. Fans interested in purchasing the four-pack can also fill out an online form here and will be contacted by a Sporting KC Client Services Representative.

3. Saturday Night’s All Right

The watch party tradition continues Saturday as No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District welcomes all supporters for Sporting Kansas City’s match at Orlando City SC. With kickoff slated for 6 p.m., a variety of watch party specials will go into effect at 5:30, including $5 Boulevard drafts and an all-you-can-eat buffet including hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken wings, cheese curds and pretzels with queso. Fans are encouraged to arrive at No Other Pub early on Saturday to secure seating.

4. It’s MoJo Time, Baby

Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday announced former forward Mo Johnston as the newest member of the club’s Sporting Legends hall of honor. Johnston, who starred for the Kansas City Wizards from 1996-2001, will be officially inducted as a Sporting Legend in an on-field pregame ceremony before Sporting Kansas City hosts Seattle Sounders FC next Wednesday, May 17, at Children’s Mercy Park as part of Retro Night.

Johnston is the ninth club icon to join the Sporting Legends, an initiative launched in 2013 that pays tribute to all-time greats while providing a platform for inductees to reconnect with the Kansas City soccer community. Johnston was selected through an online fan vote that included three other finalists — Nick Garcia, Diego Gutierrez and Josh Wolff.

5. Korean Quest

Sporting Kansas City Homegrown defender Erik Palmer-Brown was named to the United States U-20 Men’s National Team roster on Tuesday for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, to be held from May 20 – June 11 in Korea Republic. The 20-year-old Lee’s Summit, Missouri native is one of three players on head coach Tab Ramos’ 21-man squad who also represented the U.S. at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, where the Americans lost to eventual champion Serbia in the quarterfinals.

The United States is one of 24 nations competing at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup Palmer-Brown and the U.S. were drawn into Group F with Ecuador, Senegal and Saudi Arabia. The top two teams in each of the six groups — as well as the top four overall third-place teams — will advance to the Round of 16 in the tournament’s knockout stage. Click here for the USA’s tournament schedule and more information.

6. Out on the Rio Grande

The Swope Park Rangers (4-2-0, 12 points) will gun for their first away win of the season Saturday when they visit fellow Western Conference foe Rio Grande Valley FC (3-3-0, 9 points) at 7:30 p.m. CT. The match at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas will stream live on SportingKC.com. Led by head coach Nikola Popovic, the Rangers returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion last Friday, downing Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 by a 3-1 scoreline. Versatile attacker Lebo Moloto led the way with a goal, an assist and a perfect 24-for-24 passing performance that landed him a spot on the USL Team of the Week for Week 7.

7. Radio Rewind

Saturday delivers a finely poised showdown as Sporting Kansas City and Orlando City – both in second place in their respective conferences — square off at the new Orlando City Stadium.  To preview the match, defender and team captain Matt Besler joined Sports Radio 810 WHB’s The Border Patrol with hosts Nate Bukaty and Steven St. John on Wednesday morning. Besler discussed Saturday's match and provided breakdowns of Orlando playmaker Kaka and leading goal scorer Cyle Larin. Click here to listen to the full podcast.

8. Lindsey Lauded

Sporting Kansas City Academy right back Jaylin Lindsey landed CONCACAF U-17 Championship Best XI honors this week after helping the U.S. U-17s finish as tournament runners-up and qualify for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the process. The 17-year-old Lindsey started and played 90 minutes in five of the Americans’ six matches at the competition in Panama, tallying an assist as the U.S. punched its ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India, which runs from Oct. 6-28. The defender has assisted four goals in more than 20 appearances for the U.S. at the U-17 level.

9. Fast Track

FIFA voted today to approve a plan that will accelerate the 2026 FIFA World Cup host bidding process. This means that the United States-led North American bid, shared with Canada and Mexico, could be awarded as the 2026 World Cup host as early as June 2018. Any other countries interested in submitting a bid must do so before Aug. 11. According to a report from ESPN FC’s Sam Borden, the North Americans are prohibitive favorites to win hosting rights for the 2026 tournament, which will see the World Cup expand to 48 teams for the first time. Earlier in the week, the FIFA Council confirmed the allocation of slots for the 48-team tournament, with six berths going to CONCACAF.

10. Flight to Phoenix

The city of Phoenix continued its aggressive pursuit of an MLS expansion team on Tuesday when club officials from Phoenix Rising FC met with MLS President and Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott. According to a statement released by the club, Phoenix Rising could begin construction on a privately financed, 20,000-seat soccer-specific within days of receiving MLS approval. Should Phoenix be awarded an expansion team, club officials have identified Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium as a potential short-term home for Phoenix Rising while the new soccer stadium is under construction.

11. What to Watch in Week 11

It’s safe to say that Kansas City soccer fans will be locked in on Saturday’s match between Sporting KC and Orlando City SC, but Week 11 includes a whopping four other matches that will be televised nationally in English. The action begins immediately following Sporting KC’s match at 8 p.m. Saturday, when the much-improved Chicago Fire host MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC on ESPN2. A loaded MLS Soccer Sunday will deliver three matches, beginning at 3 p.m. when the league’s highest-scoring teams — Portland Timbers and Atlanta United FC — lock horns on ESPN. FS1 will then broadcast an interconference doubleheader, beginning with LA Galaxy’s visit to the New York Red Bulls at 5 p.m. followed by New York City FC’s visit to FC Dallas.

Games to Watch (May 12-15)