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Go in-depth for Sporting Kansas City's 1-0 loss against the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday at Sporting Park with this match's Fast Facts.
- With the loss, Sporting Kansas City falls to third in the Eastern Conference.
- Sporting KC is now 5-4-2 in 2013 and 3-2-1 at home.
- Sporting Kansas City is 217-210-111 all-time and 144-77-48 all-time at home.
- Sporting Kansas City's record against the Seattle Sounders moves to 1-6-1 all-time and 0-4-0 at home in the series.
- Sporting Kansas City beat the Sounders in the two clubs' first ever meeting and has not won a match since (seven straight matches without a victory).
- Sporting KC made three changes to their starting lineup for Wednesday after their 4-0 triumph over Chivas USA on Sunday. Josh Gardner started in place of Seth Sinovic, Chance Myers started for Mechack Jerome and C.J. Sapong for Claudio Bieler.
- The Seattle Sounders made four changes to their starting lineup from last weekend's 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union. Zach Scott came on for DeAndre Yedlin, Mario Roberto Martinez for Mauro Rosales, Osvaldo Alonso for Alex Caskey and David Estrada for Lamar Neagle.
- Sporting Kansas City allowed only two shots on goal on Wednesday. Seattle’s two shots on goal on Wednesday was a season low.
- Kei Kamara made his first appearance for Sporting Kansas City during the 2013 season, re-joining the team late Sunday night after being on loan with Norwich City in the Barclays Premier League.
- Since 2009, Seattle Sounders FC game-winning goals against Sporting KC have come in the 76th minute (2009), 92+ minute (2010), 78th minute (2010), 93+ minute (2011), 92+ minute (2011) and 94+ minute (2013).
- Of Seattle’s 11 goals scored all-time in the series, seven have come after the 76th minute. Seattle’s 11 goals in the series have come from 11 different players.
- Prior to Wednesday, Sporting Kansas City was 4-0-0 when leading in the 75th minute.
- Wednesday's temperature was 75 degrees at kickoff, the hottest temperature for a Sporting KC game in 2013.
- Wednesday marked Josh Gardner’s first start since joining Sporting Kansas City. The start was his first in MLS since April 4, 2012.
- Sporting Kansas City players Seth Sinovic, Paulo Nagamura and Claudio Bieler did not start for the first time during the 2013 season on Wednesday. Sinovic and Bieler entered the match as second-half substitutes.
- Seattle has fielded 12 different lineups in 12 matches in all competition this year.
- Seattle is unbeaten in 35-straight games when scoring first.
- Seattle boasts a five-game unbeaten streak in all competition.
- Attendance at Wednesday’s match was 18,602, marking 22 consecutive sellouts at Sporting Park.
- Ike Opara led all players on the field on Wednesday with 11 clearances and 11 interceptions. No other player had more than six in either category. Opara also led all players with eight aerial duels won on Wednesday.
- Oriol Rosell was credited with 15 possessions gained on Wednesday, most amongst all players.
- Jimmy Nielsen has appeared in 72 straight MLS matches, including postseason, for Sporting Kansas City, dating back to June 12, 2011. The streak covers a span of 6,480 straight minutes of MLS action.
- Seattle Sounders FC backup goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann was dismissed for foul or abusive language in the 24th minute of the match. Wednesday was the third straight match between Seattle and Sporting KC with a player ejected or dismissed.
- Aurelien Collin committed six fouls in Wednesday’s match, tying his single-game career high. The six fouls committed is a season-high for a Sporting Kansas City player.
- Collin also committed six fouls in his last match against the Seattle Sounders FC on June 20, 2012.
- C.J. Sapong suffered four fouls on Wednesday, the most by a Kansas City player in the all-time series.
- Peterson Joseph’s four fouls committed on Wednesday was a single-game career high.
- Sporting Kansas City outshot the Seattle Sounders 11-9. Sporting KC is 4-3-2 when outshooting an opponent this season.
- Sporting Kansas City was without Paulo Nagamura on Wednesday due to suspension.
- The Seattle Sounders were without Lamar Neagle and DeAndre Yedlin on Wednesday. Both players were suspended for red cards received on Saturday against Philadelphia.
- Sigi Schmid earned his 174th win on Wednesday, most all-time among MLS coaches.
- Sporting KC leads MLS all-time in shots with 7,349.
- Joseph Serati was the Victory Suite honoree at Wednesday's match.
- Matt Besler missed Wednesday’s match due to injury.
- Graham Zusi started the 75th regular season match of his career on Wednesday and surpassed 7,000 regular season minutes played
Sporting KC suffered their fourth loss of the season as the Seattle Sounders scored a late game-winning goal at Sporting Park. Both teams made several lineup changes as they are each in the middle of three matches in eight days.
Man of the Match
Ike Opara started his second straight match in central defense and helped to shut down the Seattle attack for most of the match. Opara was acquired in the offseason and has added depth to an already strong backline. Opara led players in interceptions, clearances, and aerial duels won. With multiple competitions in the upcoming months and Matt Besler likely to be busy with the U.S. National Team, Opara is expected to play a major role for Sporting KC this summer.
Turning Point
Djimi Traore's goal in stoppage time was against the run of play. The final whistle was moments away but a defensive lapse allowed Seattle an opportunity that it converted. It was a tough way to lose a match but some credit has to be given to Seattle for defending well in the second half and limited Sporting KC's scoring opportunities.
A few stats
- Wednesday's match was the third consecutive match between the two sides in which a player was dismissed or ejected.
- The crowd of 18,602 is the 22nd consecutive sell-out at Sporting Park.
- Both of Seattle's game-winning goals at Sporting Park have been in stoppage time
- Sporting KC are currently winless in their last seven MLS matches against Seattle
It's an abundance of audio today. Earlier we posted about the Sporting KC Show and Kei Kamara on SiriusXM Sports, and now we've got more radio ready for your listening pleasure. Captain Jimmy Nielsen joined The Program with Soren Petro on Sports Radio 810 WHB while Aurelien Collin spoke with Jay Binkley and Henry Lake on The Day Shift on 610 Sports.
Collin and Nielsen were MLS All-Star and MLS Best XI selections in 2012 and have played every minute of every match for Sporting KC this season. See them in action tonight at Sporting Park as Sporting Kansas City hosts the Seattle Sounders FC at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or at the Sporting Park Box Offices.
The third goal against Chivas USA on Sunday at Sporting Park was a combination of great passing, intelligent movement off the ball, and a clinical finish. It started with a check back by Claudio Bieler and ended with Graham Zusi scoring his third goal of the season.
For an in-depth look at the goal, check out MLSSoccer.com's "Anatamy of a Goal" below.
Player of the Week times two for Sporting KC.
One day after Graham Zusi was recognized as MLS Player of the Week, Dom Dwyer was named USL PRO Player of the Week for Week 7. Dwyer -- one of four Sporting Kansas City players currently on loan to USL PRO affiliate Orlando City SC -- had a hat trick in Orlando City's 7-2 victory against Antigua Barracuda FC on Saturday to give him eight goals on the season, most in the league. Match highlights below...
The Lions are in first place in the 13-team USL PRO with a 5-1-1 record and a league-best 21 goals scored. They'll next face...the Seattle Sounders FC.
After Sporting Kansas City faces Seattle's first team tonight at Sporting Park, Orlando City SC will travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Sounders Reserves at 6 p.m. CT on Sunday. That match can be seen live on USLNation.com or follow @OrlandoCitySC for updates.
UPDATE: Congratulations to Hugh Woolard for submitting the perfect shoutout combining the Wizard of Oz, Kansas City pride and EJ welcoming.
Sporting Kansas City takes on the Seattle Sounders at Sporting Park tonight at 7:30 p.m. CT. Do you remember the last time Seattle made an appearance at Sporting Park? For starters, the weather forecast was eerily similar with scattered showers scheduled to clear up slightly before kickoff. And then of course, there were the rainbows.
How perfect. Got a double rainbow going to school. #sportingkc #SeattleVSkc
— Victoria Haas (@Tori_H) May 8, 2013
Not to mention, it's Sporting KC's nine-month anniversary since hoisting the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy. GOOD OMENS, ALL DAY.
You have until 3:30 p.m. CT to submit your best caption for the image below, for a chance to win a special prize. Good luck!
The Sporting KC Show aired live on Sports Radio 810 WHB from the 810 Zone in Leawood last night with hosts Callum Williams and Andy Edwards getting listeners ready for tonight's mid-week match-up with the Seattle Sounders FC at Sporting Park. Cal spoke with the man of the moment, Kei Kamara, upon his return to Sporting KC on Monday, as well as Sounders FC forward Eddie Johnson. Listen to those interviews and the full show online at 810whb.com.
Sports Radio 810 WHB will simulcast tonight's showdown -- a rematch of the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final -- and will also air The Final Whistle: Sporting KC Postgame Show live from the Boulevard Members Club immediately after the match. Call 913-3-810-810 to join the discussion and share your thoughts on all the action.
Kamara, who may be available for selection tonight in his first game back, was also a guest on SiriusXM Sports yesterday with JP Dellacamera and Tony Meola. Listen to the "Counter Attack" segment below...
All four Sporting Kansas City Academy teams were back at it again last weekend. The U18's and U16's traveled to the University of Tulsa to play Solar Chelsea in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, while the U14's and U12's headed to Springfield to play Springfield SC in National Premier League competition.
Solar Chelsea has proven to be a very dominant club throughout the season with their U18's currently sitting in 2nd place and their U16s atop the table.
The Sporting KC U18's tested Solar Chelsea as the score was level at 1-1 in the 80th minute from an Isai Gutierrez goal assisted by Matt Bernard. Solar Chelsea was able to break down Sporting KC late, scoring two goals in the last ten minutes of the match to hand the Sporting KC U18's a 3-1 defeat.
The Sporting KC U16's also put in a quality effort despite going down 2-0 early in the match. Cole Stevenson and Matt Lewis each notched a goal for the Sporting KC Academy side before the team eventually fell to Solar Chelsea 3-2.
The U14's and U12's yielded a bit more tangible success, both earning victories. The U14's earned the 1-0 win courtesy of an Adam Collinsworth goal in the first half of the match. The U12's also secured a victory by a slim one-goal margin, beating Springfield SC 4-3 with goals from Abdu Kikhia, Collin Innes, Luke Rafanan and Dylan Cooper.
The U12's and U14's will host FC Milwakee at the Sporting Club Training Center in Swope Park on Saturday. The U16's and U18's will resume play on Sunday when they take on the Texas Rush, also to be held at Swope Park.
As the youth soccer season was kicking off earlier this spring, the Sporting Club Network announced the #1Crest1Club campaign presented by Chipotle on Twitter. This online contest offered a chance for members of the Sporting Club Network to win Chipotle gift cards and even tickets to a Sporting KC match.
Here at Sporting Kansas City, we believe that we are all a part of the same club and the same team. From our professionals playing at Sporting Park, to a U8 recreational team playing in a small rural town – we are all represented by the same crest. Network members from clubs across the Midwest showed this by taking a picture of the Sporting Club patch on their jersey and tweeting it to the Sporting Club Network (@SportingKC_SCN), with the hashtag #1Crest1Club.
The grand prize winner of the contest was Matt Anderson (otherwise known as @HuskerDad3) of Sporting Lincoln FC, Sporting Club’s Academy Affiliate in Lincoln, Nebraska. Matt, his wife Lori, daughter Hailey, and son Zach, all came out this past Sunday and let us treat them to a night in the Victory Suite. Besides getting to enjoy Sporting KC’s 4-0 rout of Chivas USA in Sporting Park’s most luxurious suite, the Anderson’s also got to have a tour of the stadium and even got to meet a handful of players, including a quick photo opp with captain Jimmy Nielsen, after he recorded his club-record 38th regular season shutout.
After following up with our contest winners, the Anderson's couldn't have been more pleased with how the night went. Hailey had recently had a stress fracture in her foot and showed up to Sporting Park in a boot, telling us that she couldn't play soccer for at least a month. Matt said that winning this contest "really gave Hailey a pick-me-up. She was dancing around on one foot when she found out we won!" Matt went on to talk about how intently his kids (not to mention his wife and himself) got into the game and how cool being able to meet the players was. He also made a point to let us know he felt Sporting KC was "doing everything right as a club for the game, the community, and the fans", and that he and his family were very grateful for this special opportunity.
To view entries in the Spring 2013 #1Crest1Club campaign and to see pictures of the Anderson’s VIP experience at Sporting Park, view the slideshow below. To learn more about the #1Crest1Club campaign, visit www.sportingkc.com/scn/1crest1club. Thanks to all who participated!