The Swope Park Rangers on Monday announced the club's 2019 preseason schedule, which will consist of six matches in the lead-up to the new USL Championship campaign.
SPR's preseason slate includes four contests at Swope Soccer Village, all of which are free and open to the public. Head coach Paulo Nagamura's side will take the field for the first time this Saturday, hosting Barton Community College at 2 p.m. CT before welcoming Iowa Western Community College a week later.
UPDATE: The Swope Park Rangers preseason match against Iowa Western Community College, originally scheduled for 2 p.m. CT on Saturday, Feb. 9 at Swope Soccer Village, has been cancelled due to unplayable field conditions as a result of winter weather in the Kansas City area.
The Rangers will then venture south for tune-ups at USL League One side North Texas SC on Feb. 13 and USL Championship foe Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Feb. 16. The preseason continues with SPR hosting Creighton University on Feb. 24 and USL League Two outfit Texas United FC on March 2.
UDATE: The Feb. 24 scrimmage between SPR and Creighton at Swope Soccer Village has been cancelled due to inclement winter weather in Omaha, Nebraska.
With Nagamura now in his second season as head coach, the Rangers enter 2019 boasting a youthful roster that currently includes four Sporting Kansas City Academy products — forward Wilson Harris and midfielders Camilo Benitez, Felipe Hernandez and Will Little. Harris, Hernandez and SPR defender Justin Bilyeu have all scored preseason goals for Sporting KC in Tempe, Arizona, while Little has also featured in Sporting's recent wins over Sporting Arizona FC and Phoenix Rising FC Trialists.
USL Western Conference champions in 2016 and 2017, the Rangers made their third consecutive playoff appearance last fall, defeating Sacramento Republic FC in the first round before falling to Phoenix in the conference semifinals.
Season tickets for 2019 SPR home matches at world-class Children's Mercy Park are now available by calling 888-4KC-GOAL. Single-game tickets to all 17 USL home matches will go on sale at SeatGeek.com in the near term.
Rangers 2019 Preseason Schedule (home matches in bold)
<strong>DATE</strong> |
<strong>OPPONENT</strong> |
<strong>TIME (CT)</strong> |
<strong>LOCATION</strong> |
<strong>Saturday, Feb. 2</strong> |
<strong>Barton Community College</strong> |
<strong>2pm</strong> |
<strong>Swope Soccer Village (Kansas City, MO)</strong> |
<s><strong>Saturday, Feb. 9</strong></s> |
<s><strong>Iowa Western Community College</strong></s> |
<s><strong>2pm</strong></s> |
<b>**Cancelled due to winter weather**</b> |
Wednesday, Feb. 13 |
North Texas SC |
11am |
Toyota Soccer Center (Frisco, TX) |
Saturday, Feb. 16 |
Tulsa Roughnecks FC |
1pm |
Titan Sports and Performance Center (Tulsa, OK) |
<s><strong>Sunday, Feb. 24</strong></s> |
<s><strong>Creighton University</strong></s> |
<s><strong>2pm</strong></s> |
<b>**Cancelled due to winter weather**</b> |
<strong>Saturday, March 2</strong> |
<strong>Texas United</strong> |
<strong>2pm</strong> |
<strong>Swope Soccer Village (Kansas City, MO)</strong> |
