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.
1. Dominant in Draw
Forward Khiry Shelton recorded his first goal of the season as Sporting KC (7-2-3, 24 points) increased their lead atop the Western Conference to four points with a 1-1 draw at Minnesota United FC on Sunday afternoon. An eighth-minute header from Shelton put Sporting KC in the ascendancy, but Darwin Quintero bagged an equalizer midway through the first half as the regional rivals split the points at sunny TCF Bank Stadium.
Manager Peter Vermes’ men held a distinct upper hand throughout the game — outshooting the Loons 24-6, owning 61 percent of possession and forcing Minnesota goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth to make a career-high nine saves — but were ultimately denied their 100th all-time away win in the MLS regular season.
With a two-game road swing in the books, Manager Peter Vermes' men will return to Children's Mercy Park on Sunday to host Columbus Crew SC (7-3-3, 24 points) in a marquee interconference clash at 5 p.m. CT. The match will be televised nationally on FS1 with local radio broadcasts airing on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM (Spanish). The Final Whistle Postgame Show will air immediately after the match on 810 WHB.
Tickets for Sunday's game are available via SeatGeek.com as Sporting KC celebrates Retro Night, paying homage to its proud roots in a comprehensive throwback experience. An expansive collection of retro merchandise will be on sale at every SportingStyle location in the stadium, and the first 10,000 fans through the stadium gates will receive a retro jersey koozie courtesy of match sponsor Vision Source. As part of the Retro Night celebration, the annual Sporting KC Media Game will take place at halftime in an old school MLS shootout format.
3. The Retro Collection
SportingStyle has reopened matchday pre-orders for pickup at Sunday's game between Sporting KC and Columbus Crew SC. Fans can shop a limited assortment of items between now and Sunday, including the highly anticipated Retro Collection featuring a rainbow-themed top, shorts, socks and scarf of the match. The SportingStyle Pop in Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Budweiser Brew House at Children's Mercy Park. Follow @SportingStyle on Twitter and Instagram for sneak peeks of all the latest club apparel.
4. Scoreless in Texas
The Swope Park Rangers (4-2-4, 16 points) played Rio Grande Valley FC to a 0-0 draw on Saturday in Edinburg, Texas, moving to sixth place in the USL's Western Conference. Led by head coach Paulo Nagamura, the Rangers will play their first home game in nearly a month when Didier Drogba and Phoenix Rising FC (6-2-3, 21 points) visit Children's Mercy Park for a 4 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday. Tickets are available at SeatGeek.com and the match will stream live on ESPN+.
The Sporting KC Academy enjoyed a three-game sweep of the Dallas Texans on Saturday as the 2017-18 U.S. Soccer Development Academy continued on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Sporting KC U-19s and U-17s bolstered their respective playoff hopes with comprehensive two-goal victories, while the U-15s bounced back into the win column with a shutout triumph of their own.
6. Three for $50
Sporting Kansas City supporters can treat themselves to three upcoming home matches at Children's Mercy Park for a combined $50. The new Upper 90 Pack consists of a standing-room only ticket to each of the following three games this summer:
- Sunday, June 3 vs. Minnesota United FC (7:30 p.m. CT)
- Saturday, June 23 vs. Houston Dynamo (7:30 p.m. CT)
- Saturday, July 7 vs. Toronto FC (7:30 p.m. CT)
Standing-room only tickets allow fans to enjoy all the action directly above The Cauldron supporters section on the north side of Children's Mercy Park. Click here to purchase the Upper 90 Pack while supplies last.
7. Know the Foe
Defending Open Cup champion Sporting KC will learn its first opponent of the 2018 tournament on Thursday, when U.S. Soccer announces all pairings for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round. The official draw will take place at Soccer House in Chicago, with 16 Fourth Round matches set to take place June 5-6.
With Week 12 of the MLS regular season in the books, Sporting KC finds itself in a three-way tie for second place in the Supporters' Shield race. Manager Peter Vermes' men sit on 24 points alongside Sunday's opponent Columbus Crew SC and New York City FC, one point behind leaders Atlanta United FC. Sitting fifth in the Shield table are the New York Red Bulls, who posted a momentous 3-1 road win over Atlanta on Sunday. The Red Bulls boast a league-best 2.1 points per game clip, having played two fewer games than their nearest neighbors in the standings.
9. World Cup Squads
Looking for the latest updates on 23-man squads for the 2018 FIFA World Cup? MLSsoccer.com has you covered, including a comprehensive list of all the Major League Soccer players set to compete in Russia this summer.
10. Iniesta Out on Top
FC Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta bode farewell to his club on Sunday, starting in a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad at Camp Nou in Barcelona. The 34-year-old played the last of his 674 Barcelona matches Sunday before remaining on the stadium pitch long into the night.
11. Emery in at Arsenal
Having parted ways with Arsene Wenger, English Premier League side Arsenal are reportedly set to hire Unai Emery as the club's next manager. Emery guided Paris-St. Germain to consecutive treble-winning seasons, but was relieved of his duties earlier this month after falling short in the UEFA Champions League.
