The Swope Park Rangers (5-4-2, 7th place) will conclude a three-game homestand at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday when the club welcomes Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (5-4-5, 3rd place) to Children’s Mercy Victory Field in Swope Soccer Village.
Tickets for the mid-week match-up are available online at SeatGeek.com or at the venue box office prior to kick off and all fans in attendance can enjoy $1 hot dogs until the 20th minute on Wednesday. The USL Week 14 fixture will be streamed live on SportingKC.com and can also be followed online via the USLsoccer.com MatchCenter.
Both clubs are unbeaten in three straight matches entering this week’s encounter. The Rangers face a quick turnaround following a 2-2 draw with Phoenix Rising FC on Sunday afternoon, while the Switchbacks are well rested since their 2-1 road win at LA Galaxy II on June 10 courtesy of two goals from 22-year-old forward Kevaughn Frater.
Wednesday will mark the halfway point on SPR’s 16-game home schedule at Swope Soccer Village, where the club’s five home wins rank second most in the USL this season. The Switchbacks, however, have proven to be formidable foes on the road in 2017 by earning points in five of the team’s eight games away from home.
Led by head coach Steve Trittschuh, a former teammate of Peter Vermes on the U.S. Men’s National Team, Colorado Springs have finished third in the Western Conference each of the last two years and are once again near the top of the table in 2017. Club captain Rony Argueta has played every minute this season and is joined in the midfield by 21-year-old Masta Kacher, who is tied for the team lead with four goals this season.
Kacher, an Algeria native, is one of several African-born players who could play a prominent role in Wednesday’s game. Colorado Springs’ Cameroonian duo of 19-year-old centerback Pascal Eboussi and 21-year-old goalkeeper Moise Pouaty, the league’s leader in saves, will be up against SPR’s attacking trio of 20-year-old Nigerian Nansel Selbol, 21-year-old Cape Verde international Kevin Oliveira and 27-year-old South African Lebo Moloto.
Top African-Born Scorers in the USL Western Conference in 2017
<strong>Player Name</strong> |
<strong>Age</strong> |
<strong>Birthplace</strong> |
<strong>Team</strong> |
<strong>G</strong> |
<strong>A</strong> |
<strong>Masta Kacher</strong> |
<strong>21</strong> |
<strong>Algeria</strong> |
<strong>Colorado Springs</strong> |
<strong>4</strong> |
<strong>2</strong> |
<strong>Kevin Oliveira</strong> |
<strong>21</strong> |
<strong>Cape Verde</strong> |
<strong>Swope Park Rangers</strong> |
<strong>3</strong> |
<strong>1</strong> |
Didier Drogba |
39 |
Ivory Coast |
Phoenix Rising FC |
3 |
1 |
Lindo Mfeka |
23 |
South Africa |
Reno 1868 FC |
2 |
2 |
<strong>Nansel Selbol</strong> |
<strong>20</strong> |
<strong>Nigeria</strong> |
<strong>Swope Park Rangers</strong> |
<strong>2</strong> |
<strong>1</strong> |
Augustine Williams |
20 |
Sierra Leone |
Portland Timbers 2 |
2 |
1 |
Gloire Amanda |
18 |
Tanzania |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 |
2 |
1 |
Felix Chenkham |
18 |
Cameroon |
Seattle Sounders FC 2 |
2 |
0 |
Last season, the Rangers rescued a 1-1 draw in the lone meeting with Colorado Springs on a 95th-minute equalizer at Switchbacks Stadium. Wednesday’s rematch will be the first of two games this season in the series with the return trip coming on September 23 at Weidner Field.
Game 12
Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. CT
Location: Swope Soccer Village (Kansas City, Mo.)
Swope Park Rangers: 5-4-2 (17 pts), 7th in Western Conference.
MLS Affiliate: Sporting Kansas City
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: 5-4-5 (20 pts), 3rd in Western Conference.
MLS Affiliate: N/A
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Live Stream: The game will be broadcast on SportingKC.com and YouTube.com/USL
Talent: Carter Augustine (play-by-play), Sam Kovzan (analyst)
SOCIAL TAGS
Game-specific hashtag: #SPRvCOS
Swope Park Rangers
Twitter: @SwopeRangers
Instagram: @SwopeParkRangers
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Twitter: @switchbacksfc
Instagram: @ switchbacksfc
GAME NOTES
