SPORTING KC TO HOST SAN JOSE IN MONUMENTAL DECISION DAY FINALE
Sporting Kansas City (12-13-8, 44 points) holds the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference heading into this Sunday’s regular season finale against the San Jose Earthquakes (8-11-14, 38 points) at Children’s Mercy Park. All 20 MLS clubs will kick off simultaneously at 3 p.m. CT on Decision Day with Audi MLS Cup Playoff spots, Supporters’ Shield honors and the Golden Boot scoring title up for grabs.
Sporting Kansas City would clinch a club-record sixth straight playoff berth with a win against already-eliminated San Jose. SKCTV and 38 The Spot will televise the all-important Decision Day clash — with three hours of live coverage slated for 3-6 p.m. CT — while listeners can follow the action on ESPN 99.3 FM and La Grande 1340 AM. In addition, The Final Whistle: Sporting KC Postgame show will air immediately after the game on ESPN 99.3 FM.
A limited number of tickets for Sporting Kansas CIty's biggest game of the season are still available via Ticketmaster.com as supporters will be treated to a variety of perks on Fan Appreciation Day. All fans through the gates will receive a free poster courtesy of Park University, Sporting KC jerseys will be 50 percent off at SportingStyle locations inside the stadium courtesy of Ivy Funds, and Sporting KC Uphoria users can redeem a digital coupon for free Breyer's ice cream at Kansas City Price Chopper locations.
Click here for a full list of Sporting KC playoff scenarios entering Decision Day.
SWOPE PARK RANGERS VISIT NY RED BULLS II IN USL CUP FINAL ON SUNDAY
The Swope Park Rangers' remarkable first season in the United Soccer League will conclude Sunday with the USL Cup Final against New York Red Bulls II at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on ESPNU as head coach Marc Dos Santos and the Rangers look to bring another soccer championship back to Kansas City.
The Swope Park Rangers continued their scintillating postseason run on Saturday, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 by a 3-0 scoreline to win the USL Western Conference championship at Swope Soccer Village. Two goals from Kris Tyrpak and a late strike from Dane Kelly saw the Rangers claim their first-ever silverware with the conference title. (Full story)
SPORTING KC HOSTS CENTRAL FC TONIGHT IN CCL GROUP STAGE
Prior to Sunday's monumental doubleheader featuring Sporting Kansas City and the Swope Park Rangers, Manager Peter Vermes' men will conclude their 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League group stage campaign against Trinidadian club Central FC tonight at 7 CT. Tickets for the game at Children's Mercy Park can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com as Sporting Kansas City plays its final match in North America's premier club tournament. The contest will also stream live on CONCACAF's official Facebook page.
Wednesday's game serves as a battle for second place in Group C of North America's premier club competition. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (4-0-0, 12 points) have already punched their ticket to next year's knockout rounds, eliminating Sporting Kansas City (0-2-1, 1 point) and Central FC (0-2-1) in the process.
The CONCACAF Champions League is an international tournament comprised of the best teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The 2016-17 group stage divides the 24 teams into eight groups of three and is contested in a round-robin, home-and-away, four-game format that runs from August through October. Sporting Kansas City punched their ticket via the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship, ousting the Philadelphia Union in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw last September. (Full story)
SPORTING KC ADDS SIX PLAYERS FROM SPR TO TONIGHT'S ROSTER
Sporting Kansas City has added six players to its roster from the Swope Park Rangers ahead of Wednesday's CONCACAF Champions League match versus Central FC at Children's Mercy Park.
Defender Ever Alvarado and midfielder Emmanuel Appiah have been recalled from their loans to SPR, while Tyler Pasher, Tomas Granitto, Alex Molano and Nansel Selbol join Sporting KC on short-term agreements. Granitto, Molano and Selbol earn their first call-ups to Sporting Kansas City. (Full story)
SPORTING KC EARNS 0-0 DRAW AT REAL SALT LAKE
Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake battled to a tense 0-0 draw Sunday at Rio Tinto Stadium in the penultimate round of the MLS regular season.
The result leaves Sporting Kansas City (12-13-8, 44 points) with the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference heading into this Sunday’s Decision Day finale against the San Jose Earthquakes at Children’s Mercy Park. A victory in that game would ensure Sporting Kansas City a club-record sixth straight appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
One of five Western Conference matches to kick off simultaneously in Week 33, Sunday’s contest saw both goalkeepers deliver outstanding performances to keep their opponents at bay. Sporting Kansas City’s Tim Melia made four impressive saves, while veteran Nick Rimando notched five stops for a Real Salt Lake outfit (12-11-10, 46 points) that moved up to fourth place in the West but failed to secure a playoff berth. (Full story)
MATT BESLER AND ROGER ESPINOZA EARN TEAM OF THE WEEK HONORS
Defender Matt Besler and midfielder Roger Espinoza made emphatic returns to the Sporting Kansas City lineup on Sunday, delivering standout performances in a fiercely contested 0-0 draw at Real Salt Lake.
Both players were recognized for their enormous outings on Monday as Peter Vermes' men collected a valuable point in their quest for a sixth straight playoff appearance. Besler was named to the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week, while Espinoza landed a spot on Bleacher Report's Team of the Week.
SPORTING KC FORWARD DIEGO RUBIO SUFFERS SEASON-ENDING KNEE INJURY
Sporting Kansas City forward Diego Rubio suffered a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee during training on Friday and will miss the remainder of the 2016 MLS season, the club announced Sunday. Rubio will undergo surgery in the near future and will return to Sporting Kansas City for the 2017 season.
Rubio has recorded three goals and one assist in 20 appearances across all competitions since joining Sporting Kansas City on loan in March. The 23-year-old Chilean completed his permanent transfer from Spanish side Real Valladolid to Sporting Kansas City in September.
Last month, Rubio became the first player in club history to score in the MLS regular season, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League in the same year. He opened his 2016 scoring account in a 1-1 draw at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on April 27 and notched the game-winner in extra time of a 2-1 U.S. Open Cup victory over Minnesota United FC on June 15. Rubio then tallied his first goal at Children’s Mercy Park in a 2-1 Champions League defeat to Vancouver on Sept. 13. (Full story)
SPR DEFENDER AMER DIDIC NAMED TO 2016 USL ALL-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
Swope Park Rangers center back Amer Didic has been selected to the 2016 USL All-League First Team. The All-League Team was voted on by team management and a league-wide media panel that included representation from every USL market.
Didic has made 31 appearances for the Rangers in 2016, scoring one goal in the team’s regular-season finale against Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Sept. 24. The Edmonton, Alberta native was named to the USL Team of the Week a league-high six times throughout the season and has played every minute of the Rangers’ postseason run to the USL Cup Final.
The 21-year-old rookie was the first SPR player to be called up to play for Sporting Kansas City, making his debut in the CONCACAF Champions League matchup against Central FC on Aug. 16 and has played every minute of Sporting KC’s CCL campaign since. (Full story)
USL TO UNVEIL 2016 AWARDS FINALISTS TODAY
The United Soccer League will unveil its 2016 Awards Finalists at 12:30 p.m. CT today. The announcement will reveal the finalists for Goalkeeper of the Year, Defender of the Year, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year and 2016 Most Valuable Player.
"ALL FOR THE CITY" SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST NOW OPEN
Leading up to Sunday's Fan Appreciation Day at Children's Mercy Park, Sporting Kansas City is running an “All For The City” social media contest that is open to all supporters of the club. To participate, fans must take a photo near an iconic landmark in their neighborhood wearing Sporting KC gear. Those who post their photos to social media using the hashtag #AllForTheCity will be entered to win two Members Stand tickets to Sunday's game and a Sporting KC prize pack.
RANGERS MIDFIELDER UALEFI SUFFERS SEASON-ENDING KNEE INJURY
Swope Park Rangers midfielder Ualefi has suffered a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee, the club confirmed Monday. Ualefi will undergo surgery before the end of the month at the Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Clinic of Kansas City under the care of the team’s orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kirk McCullough.
Ualefi, 22, made 31 appearances in regular and postseason play in the 2016 campaign and was the only Rangers player to start every game up until his injury prior to the Western Conference Semifinal against Orange County Blues FC on Oct. 9.
The Sao Paulo, Brazil native is second on the team with five assists this season, and has made two appearances for Sporting Kansas City in the CONCACAF Champions League – both against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Aug. 23 and Sept. 13. (Full story)
SPORTING KC ACADEMY TEAMS BACK TO WINNING WAYS
The Sporting Kansas City Academy U-18s and U-16s returned to winning ways on Saturday, sweeping Solar Chelsea SC in a doubleheader at Mohawk Soccer Complex in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Both sides had suffered their first losses of the 2016-17 USSDA campaign two weeks earlier to defending national champions FC Dallas, but bounced back over the weekend with victories against their Dallas-based opponents. U.S. youth international Felipe Hernandez continued his excellent run of form with two goals to spark the U-18s' 3-0 victory. The U-16s followed suit with a 2-1 triumph of their own, receiving goals from Colin Innes and Gada Ambo.
A busy Academy weekend also saw the Sporting KC U-14s and U-13s compete at the USSDA Regional Showcase, running Friday through Sunday at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana. The teams combined for just one loss in six games, with the U-14s going 2-1-0 and the U-13s earning three draws. (Full story)
ACADEMY DOUBLEHEADER SET FOR SATURDAY AT SWOPE
The Sporting Kansas City Academy continues its 2016-17 USSDA season on Saturday at Swope Soccer Village, hosting the Texas Rush in a doubleheader that is free and open to the public. The U-18s will kick off at 8 a.m. CT before the U-16s take the field at 10:15 a.m. CT. Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter for updates throughout the year.
SPR DEFENDER JAYLIN LINDSEY SELECTED TO U-17 RESIDENCY PROGRAM
Swope Park Rangers defender Jaylin Lindsey has joined the U.S. Under-17 Residency program in Bradenton, Fla., U.S. Soccer announced last Friday. Lindsey has been with the U-17 Residency Program since August, playing in two games against Guatemala on Sept. 15 and 17, recording assists in each game, and two further games against Panama on Sept. 27 and Oct. 1.
Lindsey joins current Sporting KC Homegrown signings Jon Kempin and Erik Palmer-Brown as players to join the U-17 Residency Program while a part of the Sporting KC Academy. (Full story)
ACADEMY DEFENDER CAMERON DUKE NAMED TO U.S. U-16 BNT
Sporting Kansas City Academy defender Cameron Duke was named to the United States U-16 Boys National Team roster on Tuesday ahead of the Val-de-Marne Tournament in France, set to kick off on Oct. 25.
Duke, the younger brother of Swope Park Rangers captain Christian Duke, joins a 20-player roster that will train in Val de Marne Thursday through Monday before facing England in the tournament's opening match on Oct. 25. Led by head coach Shaun Tsakiris, the United States will then meet Russia on Oct. 27 and finish the competition on Oct. 29 against hosts France. All players on the squad were born in 2001, with Duke among the 17 who currently play in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
A native of Olathe, Kansas, Duke participated in his first U.S. U-16 camp last month in Davis, California, featuring against U-18 teams from Juventus Sport Club, Sacramento Republic, Clovis Crossfire and Sacramento United. Duke has been invited to seven previous camps and tournaments with the U.S. Youth National Teams – six with the U-14s and one with the U-15s.
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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.
