The Rangers (3-1-0, 1st place) will play the team’s third match in eight days when they take on San Antonio FC (1-1-1, 8th place) at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday at Toyota Field in San Antonio, Texas.
After a 2-1 loss in Las Vegas last weekend, the Rangers bounced back with a 1-0 victory over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Wednesday to move atop the Western Conference standings with three wins through the opening four weeks of the 2018 campaign.
Led by new head coach Paulo Nagamura, the Rangers have already featured 24 players this season including 12 on loan from Sporting Kansas City and eight Sporting KC Academy products. On Wednesday, 15-year-old Gianluca Busio became the seventh youngest player to debut in USL or MLS history as he provided the game-winning assist on Tyler Blackwood’s seventh-minute strike.
Defensively, centerback Graham Smith – a first round pick in this year’s MLS SuperDraft – has played every minute for the Rangers in 2018 and anchors an SPR backline that recorded the club’s first clean sheet on Wednesday. He ranks first among all USL players with 369 passes this season and he also leads the team in clearances (16), interceptions (13) and blocks (2).
Offensively, the Rangers lead the league with 10 goals this season thanks to strong starts from Kharlton Belmar and Hadji Barry. Belmar, one of five nominees for USL Player of the Month in March, leads the USL with four goals while Barry leads the league with three assists.
The Rangers, who hold a 3-1-2 record in the six previous meetings with San Antonio, will now be put to the test against a San Antonio squad that is 11-1-8 in their last 20 home matches. San Antonio FC finished second in the Western Conference a year ago behind the league’s best defense with USL Goalkeeper of the Year Diego Restrepo and USL Defender of the Year Sebastien Ibeagha.
Ibeagha has since joined MLS affiliate New York City FC, though Restrepo returns after leading all goalkeepers with 12 shutouts in 2017. Head coach Darren Powell’s roster also features former Sporting Kansas City players Cyprian Hedrick (2012) and Mikey Lopez (2013-2015), as well as former Rangers forward Kris Tyrpak (2016). Lopez leads the team with two goals and one assist in 2018, however will be serving a one-game suspension on Saturday.
After falling 2-1 at Sacramento in their season opener, San Antonio FC have secured back-to-back results. Tyrpak contributed a goal and an assist in a 2-1 home win over Saint Louis FC on March 24 before San Antonio settled for a scoreless draw at LA Galaxy II last weekend.
Saturday’s match will be streamed live on SportingKC.com and USLsoccer.com with in-game updates also available by following the club on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat.
Game 5 of 34
Date: Saturday, April 7, 2018
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. CT
Location: Toyota Field (San Antonio, Texas)
Swope Park Rangers: 3-1-0 (9 points, 1st place in Western Conference)
MLS Affiliate: Sporting Kansas City
San Antonio FC: 1-1-1 (4 points, 8th place in Western Conference)
MLS Affiliate: New York City FC
Game Notes: Click here
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Live Stream: SportingKC.com and USLsoccer.com
SOCIAL TAGS
Game-specific hashtag: #SAvSPR
Swope Park Rangers
Twitter: @SwopeRangers
Instagram: @SwopeParkRangers
San Antonio FC
Twitter: @SanAntonioFC
Instagram: @SanAntonioFC
