SPORTING KC TRAVELS TO FACE FC DALLAS ON SATURDAY
Sporting Kansas City (10-11-4, 34 points) is on the road Saturday to battle first-place FC Dallas (13-6-5, 44 points) in a crucial Western Conference clash at Toyota Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. CT with three hours of live television coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT on 38 The Spot and SKCTV. Local radio broadcasts will air on 99.3 FM (English) and 1340 AM (Spanish), and The Final Whistle: Sporting KC Postgame Show will air immediately after the match on Sports Radio 810 WHB.
Currently fifth in the Western Conference table, Sporting Kansas City will look to snap a 10-game road winless run against an FC Dallas side that is 9-0-3 at home in 2016. The clubs have met twice previously this season, with FC Dallas earning a 2-1 home win on April 17 and Sporting Kansas City taking a 2-0 victory on June 19 at Children's Mercy Park.
Saturday's match comes three days before Manager Peter Vermes' men begin play in the 2016-17 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, as they travel to meet Trinidadian outfit Central FC next Tuesday at 7 p.m. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. CT at Ato Boldon Stadium with a Spanish-language telecast on Univision Deportes and an English-language live stream on CONCACAF's official Facebook page.
SPORTING KC FALLS 3-0 TO PORTLAND TIMBERS
The Portland Timbers struck three times in the final 25 minutes to hand Sporting KC a 3-0 defeat Sunday afternoon at sold-out Providence Park. Diego Valeri, Jack Jewsbury and Fanendo Adi found the back of the net as Sporting Kansas City (10-11-4, 34 points) dropped to fifth place in the Western Conference and saw their road winless streak hit 10 regular season matches. Portland (8-8-8, 32 points) leapfrogged Vancouver Whitecaps FC into the sixth and final playoff spot, claiming their first victory in the regular season series in six tries. (Full story)
BENNY FEILHABER APPEARS ON NBC'S TODAY SHOW
With the 2016 Olympics underway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian-born Benny Feilhaber appeared on NBC's Today Show last Friday to teach Portuguese phrases to hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Jenna Bush-Hager. Visit SportingKC.com for full video of Feilhaber's appearance.
RANGERS POSTPONED IN TULSA, VISIT REAL MONARCHS SATURDAY
The Swope Park Rangers' match with Tulsa Roughnecks FC at ONEOK Field was postponed Saturday due to unsafe field conditions following heavy rainfall in the Tulsa area. The game will be rescheduled for a later date that has yet to be determined.
Currently seventh in the Western Conference standings, the Rangers (8-8-5, 29 points) return to action on Saturday when they face Real Monarchs SLC (6-11-5, 23 points) at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. CT and a live stream will be available on SportingKC.com.
KEVIN OLIVEIRA NO. 2 ON USL'S 20-UNDER-20
Swope Park Rangers midfielder Kevin Oliveira was selected at number two of the United Soccer League’s 20-Under-20 list, the league announced last Thursday. The list, which highlights the best young talent in the league, was constructed through input from coaches and technical staff around the USL.
Oliveira, who turned 20 in June, has made 13 appearances for the Rangers this season, notching three goals and a team-best four assists. He was named USL Player of the Week for Week 12 after becoming the first player this year in MLS, NASL or USL to record three assists in one game when he scored once and assisted on the other three goals in a 4-0 win over Rio Grande Valley FC on his birthday, June 8.
Heading into a game against Seattle Sounders FC 2 on June 26, Oliveira suffered a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his left knee during training and was ruled out for the remainder of the 2016 season. (Full story)
U.S. BANK PARTY PACK SWEEPSTAKES CLOSES THURSDAY
The U.S. Bank Party Pack Sweepstakes will close Thursday at 11:59 p.m. CT. Fans can visit SportingKC.com/usbank to enter to win a $250 U.S. Bank Rewards Visa Card and 10 tickets to Sporting Kansas City's home match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Aug. 20.
VOTE FOR THE NEWEST KLEMENT'S SPORTING SAUSAGE
Supporters can visit SportingKC.com/klements to vote for the newest Klement's Sporting Sausage to be served at concessions in Children's Mercy Park for the remainder of the season. Those who make a selection will have the chance to win a grand prize that includes a year-supply of Klement's sausages and branded items, tickets to and field access to Sporting KC's match against San Jose Earthquakes on Oct. 23, and a Matt Besler jersey.
GAIL'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON SWEEPSTAKES NOW OPEN
Fans can visit SportingKC.com/gailsharley and enter for a chance to win a brand new Sporting KC-branded Harley-Davidson Street 500 motorcycle and tickets to the club's regular season finale vs. San Jose Earthquakes on Oct. 23.
FOLLOW SPORTING KC
For news, photographs and instant updates throughout the 2016 season, follow Sporting Kansas City on its Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat (sportingkc) accounts and visit the club's social media page.
