SPORTING KC TO HOST MLS CUP CHAMPION PORTLAND TIMBERS ON SUNDAY
Winners of four straight home games, Sporting KC (9-10-4, 31 points) has jumped to fourth place in the Western Conference ahead of Sunday's highly anticipated showdown against the defending MLS Cup champion Portland Timbers (7-7-8, 29 points) at Children's Mercy Park. A rematch of the epic 2015 Western Conference Knockout Round game that saw Portland beat Sporting KC in an 11-round penalty shootout, Sunday's contest will kick off at 1:01 p.m. sharp on FOX, FOX Deportes, 99.3 FM and 1340 AM. The Final Whistle: Sporting KC Postgame Show will air immediately afterward on 99.3 FM. A limited number of tickets for the nationally televised match are still available at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL.
Fourth-place Sporting KC is two points ahead of seventh-place Portland in the Western Conference table and owns four straight regular season shutouts against the Timbers dating back to 2014. Manager Peter Vermes' men have been hot at home and face a Portland side that is winless in 10 road games this season (0-4-6). Sunday's game will be the first of a two-game set between the clubs, as Sporting KC will then travel to Providence Park on Aug. 7.
SPORTING KC SINKS SEATTLE 3-0 IN COMFORTABLE HOME WIN
Sporting KC vaulted to fourth place in the MLS Western Conference with a dominant 3-0 victory over Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday at sold-out Children’s Mercy Park. Dom Dwyer netted twice and Jacob Peterson scored an excellent goal of his own as a rampant Sporting KC side held Seattle (6-12-2, 20 points) to a single shot attempt, tied for the fewest in a single game in MLS history.
The resounding performance extended Sporting KC’s unbeaten run against Sounders FC to five matches and saw Dwyer become the third player in club history to reach 10 goals in three separate regular seasons. The result lifts Manager Peter Vermes’ men from seventh to fourth in the West with 11 regular season matches still to play. Ninth-place Seattle, meanwhile, is 10 points off the pace in the Western Conference playoff race. (Full story)
DWYER AND PETERSON LAND MLS TEAM OF THE WEEK HONORS
Forwards Dom Dwyer and Jacob Peterson powered Sporting KC to a comprehensive 3-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday at Children's Mercy Park, landing MLS Team of the Week honors from MLSsoccer.com and Bleacher Report in the process. Dwyer netted a brace and wreaked continuous havoc on a Seattle side that was overwhelmed from beginning to end. Peterson delivered a tireless performance of his own, scoring one of the best goals of Sporting KC's 2016 season. His right-footed blast in first-half stoppage time nestled perfectly into the upper left corner and effectively sealed a victory in which Sporting KC limited Seattle to one shot attempt, an all-time MLS low. (Full story)
SPORTING KC RECALLS FOUR PLAYERS FROM RANGERS
Sporting KC announced Saturday that the club has recalled four players from the Swope Park Rangers. Goalkeeper Alec Kann, midfielder Emmanuel Appiah and defenders Kevin Ellis and Chance Myers rejoined the club ahead of Sunday's 3-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC. All four had started in the Swope Park Rangers' 1-1 draw at Colorado Switchbacks FC last Wednesday after joining the USL side on loan a day earlier. To view to the 2016 SKC/SPR loan tracker, click here.
2016 AT&T MLS ALL-STAR GAME SET FOR THURSDAY
The 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game will take place Thursday at 6:30 p.m. CT as the MLS All-Stars face English Premier League club Arsenal FC at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, California. The annual summer showcase will air live on ESPN and UniMas. Sporting KC defender Matt Besler was named an MLS All-Star earlier this month but will miss the match as he recovers from an MCL strain in his left knee. (Full story)
RANGERS CRUISE TO 3-0 WIN OVER ORANGE COUNTY BLUES FC
The Swope Park Rangers cruised to a 3-0 victory over Orange County Blues FC on Saturday night at Swope Soccer Village to jump into the eighth and final playoff position in the USL Western Conference. Dane Kelly put the Rangers ahead just before halftime before two goals in three minutes in the second half from Mark Anthony Gonzalez and Johnny Grant sealed the three points. (Full story)
BALLO AND MOLANO EARN USL TEAM OF THE WEEK HONORS
Swope Park Rangers defender Oumar Ballo has been named to the USL Team of the Week for Week 18, while Alex Molano has been selected on the bench. Ballo produced a strong defensive performance to preserve a shutout in SPR’s 3-0 win over Orange County Blues FC on Saturday, while Molano scored a 95th-minute equalizer against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC last Wednesday before adding the game-winning assist against Orange County. (Full story)
SPORTING KC U-13S IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINAL TODAY
The Sporting KC U-13s have advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2016 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League at the Universidad Intercontinental in Mexico City. The U-13s opened the tournament Saturday with a 2-0 loss to C.D. Santa Ana (El Salvador), but responded with a pair of 2-0 wins on Sunday and Monday over Pungarabato Guerrero (Mexico) and Chorrillo FC (Panama) to emerge from the group stage. Today's quarterfinal match between Sporting KC and C.S. Herediano (Costa Rica) will kick off at 1 p.m. CT. Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter for live updates.
SKC ACADEMY'S JAYLIN LINDSEY NAMED TO USSDA TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sporting KC Academy and Swope Park Rangers defender Jaylin Lindsey was named to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Team of the Year for the U-15/16 Central Conference. Lindsey played a significant role in helping both the U-16 and U-18s qualify for the Development Academy playoffs, marking the first time that both teams have qualified for the postseason in the same year.
Lindsey appeared in 13 matches for the U-16s this year and another five for the U-18s. He also signed an Academy contract with the Swope Park Rangers in May and became the first American soccer player born in the 2000s or later to make his professional debut when he played the final five minutes against Saint Louis FC on May 7. (Full story)
CONNOR HALLISEY TO APPEAR AT LEGENDS OUTLETS ON SATURDAY
On Saturday, Sporting KC midfielder Connor Hallisey will appear at the Legend Outlets Back to School Event from noon - 4 p.m. CT at Legends Outlets Kansas City (1843 Village Pkwy, Kansas City, KS). The free event is open to the public and will feature entertainment, prize giveaways, complimentary snacks and a live radio remote. United Way of Wyandotte County will colelct school-related donations (khaki pants, polo shirts, jeans, socks and underwear), toiletries and gift cards. Each person who makes a donation during the event will receive a raffle ticket for a $500 Legends Outlets gift card.
GAIL'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON SWEEPSTAKES NOW OPEN
Sporting KC supporters 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 KC on its Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat (sportingkc) accounts and visit the club's social media page.
