The Swope Park Rangers will make their long-awaited return to Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday when they host Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at world-class Children’s Mercy Park. The inaugural meeting between the Eastern Conference clubs will kick off at 4 p.m. CT, with general admission tickets available at SeatGeek.com or at the stadium box office beginning Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Saturday’s showdown between 2018 playoff teams will stream live on ESPN+ with play-by-play announcer Carter Augustine and color commentator Doug McLagan on the call as the Rangers and Riverhounds look to bounce back from road defeats in their 2019 season openers. Fans can follow @SwopeRangers on Twitter and follow the club on Facebook and Instagram for additional matchday updates.
Led by second-year head coach and former Sporting Kansas City midfielder Paulo Nagamura, the Swope Park Rangers begin a three-game homestand Saturday after taking a 3-1 loss at New York Red Bulls II to kick off the campaign two weeks ago. Sporting KC Academy product Felipe Hernandez equalized just before halftime in the 2019 curtain raiser on a clever assist from debutant Jerome Ngom Mbekeli, but the hosts were too much to overcome with a Tom Barlow brace and a long-range strike from Marcus Epps.
Rangers goalkeeper Eric Dick delivered a strong performance between the posts despite the Week 1 setback, making a professional career-high 12 saves at MSU Soccer Park. The 24-year-old was one of five Sporting KC loanees who competed in the match alongside captain Graham Smith and Homegrown trio Tyler Freeman, Jaylin Lindsey and Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal. Others who earned their maiden appearances for SPR included Mbekeli, Alexsander, Ayyoub Allach, Killian Colombie and Mark Segbers.
This Saturday gives Nagamura another opportunity to showcase a young, dynamic squad that is likely to feature a blend of USL Championship talent and Sporting KC loanees. With Sporting KC on a bye week, the Rangers will have a full complement of players to deploy against their Pennsylvania counterparts.
Pittsburgh embarks on its first-ever trip to the state of Kansas after falling 2-0 last Saturday at the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Riverhounds failed to record a single shot on goal as the Rowdies’ Shawn Barry and Zach Steinberger scored in either half at Al Lang Stadium.
The Riverhounds roster is highlighted by Jamaican forward Neco Brett, the team’s 2018 leading scorer who bagged 15 goals last season. Pittsburgh’s frontline also features Christian Volesky, who spent the 2017 preseason with Sporting Kansas City and is now with his fourth professional club in as many years.
Under the guidance of veteran head coach Bob Lilley, Pittsburgh enjoyed its best USL Championship regular-season finish last year after placing third in the East. The club posted a 15-5-14 record with a league-low 26 goals conceded and the second-fewest losses in the league. Among the key defensive returnees are Tobi Adewole, Jordan Dover and reigning All-League First Team selection Joseph Greenspan, who formerly competed at the MLS level with the Colorado Rapids and Minnesota United FC. Another notable member of the Riverhounds defense is Ryan James, who was selected by Sporting Kansas City in the third round of the 2016 MLS SuperDraft but did not sign with the club.
Match Information
USL Championship: Game 2 of 34
Date: Saturday, March 23, 2019
Kickoff: 4 p.m. CT
Location: Children's Mercy Park (Kansas City, Kansas)
Swope Park Rangers: 0-1-0 (0 points, 15th place in Eastern Conference)
MLS Affiliate: Sporting Kansas City
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: 0-1-0 (0 points, 16th place in Eastern Conference)
MLS Affiliate: None
Match Notes: Click here
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Live Stream: ESPN+
SOCIAL TAGS
Game-specific hashtag: #SPRvPIT
Swope Park Rangers
Twitter: @SwopeRangers
Instagram: @SwopeParkRangers
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Twitter: @RiverhoundsSC
Instagram: @RiverhoundsSC
