The Swope Park Rangers have added five players on loan from Sporting Kansas City ahead of the club’s 2017 season opener against OKC Energy FC on Saturday night. Goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas, defenders Kevin Ellis and Colton Storm and forwards Latif Blessing and Daniel Salloi will all be available for selection on Saturday.
Zendejas, 21, spent the second half of the 2016 USL season with the Rangers before signing with Sporting KC in the offseason. While with SPR, Zendejas went 8-1-0 in games that he started, posting a 0.86 goals against average and five shutouts. His only defeat with the side came in the USL Cup Final defeat to New York Red Bulls II.
Ellis is currently in his seventh season with Sporting KC, having signed as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2011 season. The 25-year-old has five goals and five assists in 63 appearances for Sporting KC in that time, and made three appearances while on loan with the Rangers last season.
Recent SuperDraft pick Storm, who was selected by Sporting KC with the 14th overall pick, has split time in preseason training and playing with both Sporting KC and the Swope Park Rangers. The 22-year-old rookie is coming off a NCAA College Cup appearance with the University of North Carolina.
Blessing, 20, has made one appearance for Sporting KC since joining the club this offseason from Liberty Professionals FC in his native Ghana. He made his debut for the club as a substitute in the 0-0 draw with FC Dallas on March 11 at Children’s Mercy Park. Prior to joining Sporting KC, Blessing was the top scorer and MVP of the Ghanaian Premier League after scoring 17 goals in his first season as a professional last year.
Salloi returns to the Rangers having scored four goals and added three assists in the club’s inaugural season in 2016. The 20-year-old signed with Sporting KC as a Homegrown Player last January and was loaned to Gyirmot SE in Hungary in June. He returned to KC ahead of the 2017 season and has been in Sporting KC’s gameday squad for all three MLS games to date.
Kickoff from Swope Soccer Village is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday night with tickets available via SeatGeek or at the box office on gameday.
