Starting XI: Voyage to Vancouver

Starting XI, presented by StorageMart, 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 (15-8-8, 3rd place) continues its battle for seeding in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs this week, embarking on a pivotal two-game road swing in the Western Conference that begins Wednesday against Vancouver Whitecaps FC (12-12-7, 8th place) at BC Place. Kickoff is slated for 9 p.m. CT, with three hours of live coverage beginning at 8:30 p.m. CT on FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest Plus and FOX Sports GO. The match will also be broadcast live on ESPN 94.5 FM (English) and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM (Spanish), with The Final Whistle Postgame Show airing afterwards on 94.5 FM.

Manager Peter Vermes' men defeated Vancouver 6-0 on April 20, using a Johnny Russell hat-trick to tie a club record for largest margin of victory in a competitive match. The Whitecaps currently sit three points below the playoff line but have a game in hand on sixth-place Real Salt Lake. Sporting KC enters the game four points behind leaders FC Dallas and three points behind LAFC, having played a game less than both teams.

2. Best in Class

Sporting KC announced the club’s 2018 awards on Friday night during Pitch Black, presented by Audi, at Children’s Mercy Park. Votes from Sporting KC players, media members and supporters determined the following award winners:

• Most Valuable Player, presented by Audi: Ilie Sanchez
• Offensive Player of the Year, presented by Ivy Investments: Johnny Russell
• Co-Defensive Players of the Year, presented by Fire Door Solutions: Tim Melia and Graham Zusi
• Newcomer of the Year, presented by Rosnet: Felipe Gutierrez
• Goal of the Year, presented by Heartland Coca-Cola: Yohan Croizet

Sporting KC also selected award winners in the following categories:

• The Neal and Jeanne Patterson Humanitarian of the Year: Graham Zusi
• Swope Park Rangers Most Valuable Player: Hadji Barry
• Bob Gansler Academy Player of the Year: Sebastian Cruz
• Sporting Club Network Member of the Year, presented by Price Chopper: Sporting Kaw Valley
• The Victory Project Volunteer of the Year: Brittany Bolden

3. Rangers Roll Into Playoffs

The Swope Park Rangers hammered LA Galaxy II by a 5-1 scoreline on Sunday at Children's Mercy Park to punch their ticket to the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs. The regular season finale saw three Sporting KC Academy products find the back of the net — Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal, Felipe Gutierrez and Wilson Harris — while Kharlton Belmar and Hadji Barry provided additional goals in the playoff-clinching win.

Led by head coach Paulo Nagamura, the two-time defending Western Conference champion Rangers will begin their playoff campaign Saturday in the conference quarterfinals, visiting No. 2 seed Sacramento Republic FC at Papa Murphy's Park. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. CT with a live stream on ESPN+.

4. Russell’s Return

Sporting KC forward Johnny Russell started and played 67 minutes on Thursday as the Scotland Men's National Team took a 2-1 loss to Israel in the UEFA Nations League. Earning his third international start and his eighth career cap, Russell helped Scotland to a strong start as Charlie Mulgrew converted a 25th-minute penalty kick to put the visitors ahead at Sammy Ofer Stadium in Haifa, Israel. The lead would evaporate after halftime, however, as Israel equalized through Dor Peretz in the 54th minute before an own goal on 74 minutes completed the comeback.

Russell, who was an unused substitute in Scotland's 3-1 friendly defeat to Portugal on Sunday, will rejoin Sporting KC this week ahead of their two-game road swing against Vancouver and FC Dallas.

5. An Evening in Estonia

Looking to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat at Greece on Friday, Sporting KC forward Krisztian Nemeth and the Hungary Men's National Team will resume their UEFA Nations League campaign today with a visit to Estonia. Kickoff at A. Le Coq Arena the Estonian capital of Tallinn is set for 1:45 p.m. CT, streaming live on ESPN+. 

Nemeth made his 35th career appearance for the Magyars against Greece, entering in the 75th minute with his side trailing 1-0. His UEFA Nations League debut saw Hungary drop to third place in Group 2, three points behind Greece and six behind leaders Finland. This makes Monday's matchup all the more pivotal for a Hungary side led by head coach Marco Rossi.

6. Gutierrez Goes to Mexico

Sporting KC midfielder Felipe Gutierrez will conclude his October stint with the Chile Men's National Team on Tuesday when La Roja venture to Mexico for a marquee friendly against El Tri at Estadio Corregidora in Corregidora. Kickoff is set for 8:45 p.m. CT with a live Spanish broadcast airing on UniMas.

Gutierrez was an unused substitute on Friday as Chile suffered a 3-0 friendly defeat to Peru at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. He will now look at Tuesday's matchup with Concacaf giants Mexico as an opportunity to make his first appearance for La Roja since October 2017, having collected 35 career caps since debuting in 2010.

7. Euro Step

Sporting KC midfielder Gianluca Busio started for the U.S. Men's National Team on Friday in a 3-1 loss to England in the 2018 Under-17 International Youth Tournament in England. The 16-year-old Sporting KC Academy product was then an unused substitute on Sunday as the U-17s bounced back with a 3-2 win over Brazil, receiving goals from Griffin Yow, Alfonso Ocampo Chavez and Joe Scally.

8. Mixed Results

Sporting KC was off this weekend, but the two teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings took the field for MLS matches. Leaders FC Dallas suffered a 1-0 road defeat to upstart D.C. United on Saturday, conceding a Russell Canouse goal in second-half stoppage time. On Friday night, LAFC entered halftime trailing the Houston Dynamo 1-0, sat through a rain delay that lasted more than 100 minutes, then rallied in the second half to secure a wild 4-2 victory. The results leave Sporting KC with a game in hand on both teams, four points behind FC Dallas and three behind LAFC. After facing Vancouver on Wednesday, Manager Peter Vermes' side will close out the 2018 regular season against the top two clubs in the West.

9. Saved the Crew

The bid to keep Columbus Crew SC in Ohio's capital took a massive step forward on Friday when an investor group that includes the Haslam family, owners of the NFL's Cleveland Browns, and the Columbus-based Edwards family unveiled negotiations with MLS to purchase the club. Major League Soccer, the Columbus Partnership and the proposed investor group announced the news in a joint statement Friday evening. Current Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt, meanwhile, is expected relocate his rights to Austin, Texas, with Austin FC set to enter MLS as an expansion team no later than 2021.

10. Reserve Your Seat

Tickets for Sporting KC’s first potential home playoff match at Children’s Mercy Park are now on sale via SeatGeek.com. Sporting KC Season Ticket Members will automatically retain their seats for all playoff matches, excluding the MLS Cup final, and can contact their Client Services Executive for questions and further information. If Sporting KC does not host a match in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs, all individuals who purchased tickets through SeatGeek will be automatically refunded.

11. Academy in Atlanta

Three Sporting KC Academy teams ventured southeast over the weekend for a pair of friendlies at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground in Marietta, Georgia. The Sporting KC U-19s and U-15s took the field for two-game sets with Atlanta United FC, while the Sporting KC U-17s faced United Futbol Academy on Saturday before meeting Atlanta United on Sunday.

Games to Watch (Oct. 15-18, 2018)