SPORTING KC TRAVELS TO FACE NEW YORK RED BULLS SATURDAY
With a three game home stand now complete, Sporting KC (3-1-0, 9 points) hits the road to face defending Supporters' Shield champion New York Red Bulls (1-3-0, 3 points) on Saturday at Red Bull Arena. The game will kick off at 6 p.m. CT with three hours of live television coverage on 38 The Spot and SKCTV beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT. The inter-conference clash will also be broadcast on Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM, with The Final Whistle: Sporting KC Postgame Show airing immediately after the match on 810 WHB.
Sporting KC is winless in six straight meetings against the Red Bulls, but own more regular season road wins since 2012 than any other team. New York posted the league's best record last season, but has struggled out of the gate with three losses from four games in addition to conceding the most goals in MLS.
SPORTING KC TO HONOR PAST WITH 20TH ANNIVERSARY NIGHT
Sporting KC will host its 20th Anniversary Night next Wednesday, April 13, when the Colorado Rapids visit Children’s Mercy Park for an MLS regular season match at 7:30 p.m. CT. The historic occasion will commemorate Sporting Kansas City’s inaugural game, a 3-0 win against Colorado at Arrowhead Stadium on April 13, 1996. (Full story)
A limited number of tickets for the match are available via Ticketmaster.com, including South Stand GA tickets for just $19.96 courtesy of Ivy Funds. Fans can secure their tickets in the South Stand using the promo code ‘WIZ1996’ at checkout.
Supporters attending 20th Anniversary Night will be treated to a special throwback experience, as Sporting KC players will wear retro training kits during pregame and feature rainbow-colored numbering on their white argyle game jerseys — an homage to the Kansas City Wiz’s original uniforms.
SPORTING KC TAKES FIRST LOSS TO REAL SALT LAKE
Sporting KC suffered its first defeat of the 2016 MLS season on Saturday, falling 2-1 to Real Salt Lake at Children’s Mercy Park. Justen Glad and Luke Mulholland scored on either side of halftime for the visitors, and while Benny Feilhaber reduced Sporting KC’s deficit with a penalty kick in second-half stoppage time, Real Salt Lake held on for all three points.
Saturday’s result leaves Sporting KC (3-1-0, 9 points) tied for second place in the Western Conference and one point ahead of Real Salt Lake (2-0-2, 8 points), who snapped a seven-game winless run in Kansas City across all competitions dating back to 2009. (Full Story)
SKCTV DEBUTS SKYCAM AT CHILDREN'S MERCY PARK
Sporting KC is changing the way soccer is televised by utilizing a state-of-the-art camera for all home broadcasts at Children's Mercy Park. SKCTV debuted the cutting-edge SkyCam Wildcat system during Saturday’s game against Real Salt Lake. A cable-suspended aerial camera that floats above the playing field, SkyCam will offer thrilling and dynamic angles of in-game action throughout every SKCTV telecast at Children’s Mercy Park in 2016. Sporting KC becomes the first MLS club to feature a semi-permanent installation of SkyCam at its home stadium. (Full story)
FORWARDS UP FOR 20TH ANNIVERSARY BEST XI VOTING
Voting is open through Sunday for forwards in Sporting Kansas City's 20th Anniversary Best XI, presented by Bud Light. The 20th Anniversary Best XI will be unveiled next Wednesday, April 13, during Sporting KC's match against the Colorado Rapids at Children's Mercy Park. (Vote here)
SABATES EYE CENTERS SWEEPSTAKES NOW OPEN
Sporting KC supporters can enter the Sabates Eye Centers sweepstakes at SportingKC.com/Sabates for a chance to win a free trip to see Sporting KC play at LA Galaxy on June 2. The prize includes two game tickets, round-trip air fair, a two-night stay in Los Angeles, a rental car and Sporting KC gear. All entries must be received by 5 p.m. CT on April 30.
SWOPE PARK RANGERS TOP TULSA ROUGHNECKS FC
The Swope Park Rangers claimed a second consecutive 2-1 victory on Saturday night, earning a one-goal victory over Tulsa Roughnecks FC at ONEOK Field. Dane Kelly scored in the first half before Nansel Selbol added the winning goal late on, while Taylor Morgan pulled a goal back in the final seconds for the Roughnecks. (Full story)
The Rangers (2-0-0, 6 points) will look to stay perfect this weekend, traveling to Toyota Field for Saturday's meeting with San Antonio FC (1-0-0, 3 points) at 7:30 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed live on SportingKC.com.
SPR'S VANCOMPERNOLLE NAMED TO USL TEAM OF THE WEEK
Swope Park Rangers defender Jacob VanCompernolle was named to the USL Team of the Week on Monday after a dominant performance at center back in the Rangers’ 2-1 win over Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Saturday. VanCompernolle marshaled a defense that only allowed three shots on target as SPR claimed their second consecutive win to open the season. (Full story)
ACADEMY U-18S EARN WIN AS PLAYOFF PUSH CONTINUES
The Sporting KC Academy U-18s and U-16s continued their push for the playoffs in the 2015-16 U.S. Soccer Development Academy on Saturday, facing Real Colorado in a doubleheader at Swope Soccer Village. The U-18s kicked off the action with a 1-0 win as Felipe Hernandez scored the game’s only goal from the penalty spot. The U-16s played Real Colorado to a 1-1 draw, receiving a second-half equalizer from Abdu Kikhia. Both sides remain in playoff position with six league games remaining before the USSDA playoffs in June. (Full story)
ACADEMY TO PLAY TRIPLEHEADER SATURDAY AT SWOPE
The Sporting KC Academy will play a triple-header this Saturday against the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. The U-18s kick off the action at 10 a.m. CT, followed by the U-16s at 12:30 p.m. and the U-14s at 2:30 p.m. The U-18s and U-16s are currently in playoff position as the 2015-16 U.S. Soccer Development Academy regular season draws to a close in late May. Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter and Instagram for updates.
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For news, photographs and instant updates throughout the 2016 season, follow Sporting KC on its Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat (sportingkc) accounts and visit the club's social media page.
