Sporting Kansas City announced Tuesday that the club has loaned four players — midfielder Emmanuel Appiah, defenders Kevin Ellis and Chance Myers, and goalkeeper Alec Kann — to the Swope Park Rangers ahead of Wednesday's USL match at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. CT at Switchbacks Stadium and the game will stream live on SportingKC.com.
Appiah, Ellis, Myers and Kann join Sporting KC defender Ever Alvarado and goalkeeper Jon Kempin on loan at the club's USL affiliate, which could leap into playoff position with a win on Wednesday. Following the road test, the Rangers will return home to face Orange County Blues FC at 7:30 p.m. CT Saturday at Children's Mercy Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village.
Appiah, a 22-year-old rookie, signed for Sporting KC last Tuesday. The University of Cincinnati product joined the Colorado Rapids in January as the No. 15 overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, playing two matches on loan at USL club Charlotte Independence before parting ways with Colorado on June 30.
Ellis, 25, became Sporting KC's second Homegrown Player when he signed in February 2011. The versatile defender has made 70 appearances for the club, recording six goals and four assists, and led MLS defenders last season with four goals.
Myers, a nine-year MLS veteran, is Sporting KC's longest tenured player, having made 172 appearances for the club in all competitions since 2008. The 29-year-old has four goals and 19 assists during his professional career and is one of four players to spend nine seasons at the club.
Kann joined Sporting KC in Stage One of the 2015 MLS Re-Entry Draft last December. The 25-year-old earned his first start for the club in a 1-1 road draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on April 27 and started both matches in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Alvarado signed for Sporting KC on June 24 from C.D. Olimpia, just a month removed from his third career Liga Nacional title. The 24-year-old left back spent three seasons with Olimpia, playing 73 games in all competitions and netting six goals. Alvarado has also earned six caps for the Honduras National Team and scored his first international goal against Nicaragua in January.
