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Sporting Kansas City U12 and U14 Academy teams played National Premier League games in Cleveland and Columbus this past weekend. On Saturday, the opponent for both age groups was the Cleveland Internationals before facing the Crew Pre-Academy on Sunday.
The U12s suffered back-to-back losses by a scoreline of 3-0 on Saturday and 2-1 on Sunday. Luke Rafanan scored the lone goal.
The U14s went undefeated on the weekend scoring five goals and tallying two clean sheets. The U14s won their match on Saturday 2-0 with goals from Fernando Borges and Israel Rocha. The team earned a 3-0 victory on Sunday with goals from Adam Collinsworth, Israel Rocha, and Memo Carrasco.
The U12 and U14 Academy teams head to Springfield to face Springfield SC on Saturday.
Sporting KC's U16 and U18 Academy teams will resume play on Saturday versus Solar Chelsea after having last weekend off.
UPDATE: Listen to the podcast here.
The Sporting KC Show will air live from La Bodega: Tapas & Lounge (703 Southwest Boulevard, Kansas City, MO) in the Crossroads Arts District on Sports Radio 810 WHB from 7-8 p.m. CT tonight. Hosts Callum Williams and Andy Edwards will be joined by Sporting KC defender Seth Sinovic, who will meet and greet fans in attendance for autograph/photo opportunities throughout the show.
The weekly show airs every Tuesday on Sports Radio 810 WHB to bring all the latest discussion around Sporting Kansas City, Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer. Listeners can call 913-3-810-810 to join the conversation and share their thoughts on the 2013 season.
Sports Radio 810 WHB, the official broadcast radio partner of Sporting Kansas City, will simulcast Sunday's home match against Chivas USA at Sporting Park. The Final Whistle: Sporting KC Postgame show will air immediately after the match, live from the Boulevard Members Club with hosts Dave Borchardt and Andy Edwards.
Tickets are still available for the Cinco de Mayo match-up with Chivas USA and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or at the Sporting Park Box Offices.
Sporting Kansas City U16 Academy forward Cole Stevenson has made a verbal commitment to continue his soccer career at the University of Denver for head coach Bobby Muus.
“Truthfully, I knew it was the right choice for me after my first visit,” Stevenson told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “I liked everything about it. Not only is the campus amazing but it has both a strong academy and soccer program. The coaches were honest and upfront with me and really showed interest in my future at DU.”
After going 11-6-3 in 2012, the Pioneers will join The Summit League (NCAA Division I) in 2013 and play their home games at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium which opened in August 2009 and recently hosted the U.S. Men's National Team. Notable alumni include Real Salt Lake defender Nat Borchers and the program has produced four MLS SuperDraft selections in the last five years.
Stevenson has appeared in 20 matches during the 2012-13 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season and is second on the squad with seven goals. He led the team with 13 goals in 24 games during the 2011-12 season and is part of Rockhurst High School's Class of 2014.
This week's #RuiTweet:
Ryan Johnson's 24th minute goal was the first goal off of a corner kick that Sporting Kansas City has conceded since May 21, 2011.
Sporting Kansas City was the only team in the 2012 season to not concede a goal off of a corner kick.
Go in-depth in Sporting Kansas City's 3-2 loss against the Portland Timbers on Saturday at Sporting Park with this week's Fast Facts below:
- Chance Myers scored the first goal of the match 40 seconds after kickoff. The goal was the fastest goal ever to be scored at Sporting Park and third fastest goal in club history.
- The goal was Myers' first career goal since joining MLS in 2008.
- Matt Besler earned the assist on the play from a long throw-in. The assist is Besler’s fifth of his career and first during the 2013 season.
- Myers also scored Sporting Kansas City’s second goal of the competition.
- Aurelien Collin earned his first assist of the season on the goal and Benny Feilhaber recorded his third assist of the season and 12th of his MLS career.
- With the loss, Sporting Kansas City moves to 4-3-2 in 2013 and 2-1-1 at home.
- The Portland Timbers are now undefeated in six straight matches, including four road contests without a loss. The Timbers are undefeated on the road in 2013.
- The Timbers' six consecutive matches without a loss ranks second longest in MLS this season behind only FC Dallas (7).
- The loss is Sporting Kansas City’s first at home this season.
- Sporting Kansas City is 216-209-111 all-time and and 143-76-48 all-time at home.
- Sporting Kansas City's record against the Portland Timbers moves to 2-2-0 all-time and 1-1-0 at home in the series.
- Sporting Kansas City has started the same lineup in their last five matches.
- The Portland Timbers made no changes to their lineup from their last match, a 1-1 tie against the San Jose Earthquakes on April 21.
- Sporting Kansas City unveiled a new all-black third kit at Saturday’s match.
- Jacob Peterson was available in the matchday 18 for first time in 2013 after undergoing shoulder surgery during the offseason. Peterson entered the match in the 61st minute as a second-half substitute for Benny Feilhaber.
- Sporting Kansas City allowed three goals on Saturday, the most goals allowed at Sporting Park since a 3-2 loss to FC Dallas on August 27, 2011.
- Tonight marks the first time Sporting Kansas City has conceded at home in 2013.
- Eleven of Portland's 14 goals scored have come in the second half – most in MLS this season.
- Sporting Kansas City’s loss at Sporting Park ends an unbeaten streak of 10 MLS matches without a defeat at Sporting Park dating back to 2012.
- Portland has scored in every match this season.
- Besler surpassed 10,000 minutes played in MLS competition (including playoffs) on Saturday; only two other current Sporting KC players have passed that mark.
- Sporting KC lost for only the fourth time in MLS regular season action with Matt Besler, Aurelien Collin, Seth Sinovic and Chance Myers in the starting lineup. The team is now 23-4-8 all-time in the MLS regular season with that backline starting together.
- Jimmy Nielsen has appeared in 70 straight MLS matches, including postseason, for Sporting Kansas City, dating back to June 12, 2011. The streak covers a span of 6,300 straight minutes of MLS action.
- Sporting Kansas City outshot the Portland Timbers 18-12. Sporting KC is 3-2-2 when outshooting an opponent this season. this season
- Sporting KC leads MLS all-time in shots with 7,321.
- Ryan Johnson scored the first goal for the Portland Timbers off a corner kick, breaking a 74-game streak of consecutive MLS matches (including playoffs) without conceding a goal on a corner kick dating back to May 21, 2011 at Seattle.
- Sporting Kansas City lost for the first time in 2013 when scoring the first goal . and when tied at halftime in 2013.
- The Budweiser Beer Garden made its debut on Sprint Plaza prior to Saturday’s match. The experience provides an all-inclusive opportunity for fans.
- The Boulevard Members Club introduced KC Pils, formerly Boulevard Pilsner at Saturday’s match.
- The NBC Sports Network taped Aurelien Collin and Matt Besler for the station's MLS 36 series on Saturday. on S on Satutaped
- Five menu items from local KC eatery Grinders were released in the Boulevard Members Club on Saturday.
- Sporting Park hosted the 2013 MS Walk on Saturday prior to the match. The march began at 10 a.m. CT and marked the 25th anniversary of the walkm as well as the first time that Johnson County and Kansas City walked together representing the Greater Kansas City area. Over 2,500 individuals participated in Walk MS.
- The FirstFirst Responders Soccer Tournament was held at Rockhurst College this weekend. At halftime, the captains of each of ch of the eight teams were brought on the field and recognized.
- Saturday marked Michael Harrington's first game back in Kansas City.
- Taylor Porter, a junior at King City High School in Northwest Missouri, was the Victory Suite honoree at Saturday’s match.
- Kei Kamara played the full 90 minutes for Norwich City in the English Premier League on Saturday.
- Mikey Lopez and the U.S. Under-20 Men's Me Nation National Team play Cal FC on Sunday.
- Erik Palmer-Brown and U.S. Under-15 BoysBoy' Nation National Team open the Tournament Delle Nazioni against Italy on Tuesday.
- Orlando City SC earned a 4-0 victory over the Dayton Dutch Lions on Saturday. Sporting KC on-loan forward Dom Dwyer scored two goals in the match.
- adidas was Saturday’s match sponsor.
- 100+ Portland fans were in attendance at Saturday’s match. The fans had a joint tailgate with the Kansas City Cauldron.
Sporting Kansas City suffered their first home loss of 2013 at Sporting Park on Saturday night against the Portland Timbers. It was an entertaining match with both teams creating several chances but Portland ultimately getting the three points.
Man of the Match
Chance Myers scored his first and second career MLS goals in tonight's match. The first goal was a great header from a Matt Besler throw-in and the second from close range tap-in after a Aurelien Collin pass. Myers now has two goals and one assist in the 2013 MLS regular season.
Turning Point
The second goal from Portland halted any momentum after Sporting KC's second goal. The match went into halftime at 2-2 and Portland would end up getting the game-winning goal in the 58th minute. It was a rare moment for Sporting KC at home in which they took an early lead and were unable to hold onto it for the remainder of the match.
A few stats
- The loss is the first for Sporting KC at Sporting Park since July 28, 2012 (vs Columbus)
- 378 passes completed and 46% possession are season lows for the Portland Timbers
- Chance Myers goal was scored 40 seconds into the match, the quickest ever at Sporting Park
- Benny Feilhaber's assist on Myers' second goal is his third of the season, tying him with Zusi for the team lead
To preview this weekend's match at Sporting Park, I spoke to Timbers' TV play-by-play announcer John Strong and MLSSoccer.com writer Dan Itel.
John Strong
What differences have you seen with new manager Caleb Porter?
"It's honestly been pretty massive. He's very cautious and for good reason to not to take too much credit or phrase anything that looks like he's being critical of the previous coach. I think the biggest thing that he's done is he's installed a sense of everything that came the last two years is now irrelevant. All the struggles on the road, the bad results, whatever else, that doesn't mean anything anymore. It's about what they do going forward."
What impact have the new additions (Valeri, Will Johnson, Ryan Johnson) had on the team?
"They've all been really really big, every single new player that's been brought in. Ryan Johnson's scored goals, Will Johnson's been immense, and Valeri brings a dimension that they just haven't really had before."
What do you expect to see from Saturday's match?
"My hope for the game would be that after you get past the initial feeling out period, two teams who want to play good soccer, know how to play good soccer, and come at each other a little bit. I know both coaches would be hesitant to get into too much of a track meet but I can see it going that way for stretches because these teams are good at moving quick, counterattacking up the field. I would hope the Timbers can feed off the atmosphere the same as teams that come into JELD-WEN. They feed off the atmosphere too. I would hope the Timbers would do that in Kansas City. My hope is for a pretty attractive game and hopefully a couple goals."
"It's the only meeting this year. I think for the Timbers, go and play and get what you can. Obviously, Kansas City's going to be motivated to play well. I'm pretty optimistic this could be a awful fun game Saturday night."
Dan Itel
What changes has new manager Caleb Porter brought to the Timbers?
"He's definitely brought in an entirely new mindset. The style of play has been widely discussed as the possession, attack style. It's completely transformed not only the players that were there before under John Spencer but also the new players that he's (Porter) brought in like Ryan Johnson. He's (Johnson) been producing at a career rate. Guys like Diego Valeri, obviously he's an accomplished player, but he seems to be flourishing in just the right role. I really think what Caleb has done is he's taken the pieces that he inherited and also the pieces they brought on board and just put them in the right spots so they can succeed."
What impact has new team captain Will Johnson had on the Timbers this season?
"He's a prototypical captain. When you think of a team captain, he's the guy you want. He's fiery on the field. He's in that central midfielder role where he dictates the pace of the offense and what happens on the field."
How do you think Portland will approach Saturday's match?
"It's hard to say what he's (Porter) going to do on gameday but I would say he's not going to change much in how they play at home versus how they play on the road at a place like Kansas City. He's said all along that he feels the best defense is a controlling, pressing, possession style and that's what he's going to do. He mentioned it at San Jose. The reason why they ended up drawing that game is because they got away from attacking. Once they got a goal up they kind of sat back and let San Jose take the game to them and it cost them. He's been preaching that his week and saying we've got to stay on our front foot. We've got to take the game to our opponents. I think that's what he's going to do no matter if its at home in JELD-WELD or on the road at a tough place to play like Kansas City. That's his philosphy and I don't think he's going to waver much from that."
What do you expect for Saturday's match?
"I think it's going to be a really well played game. Two teams that are entertaining to watch. They have a lot of talent on the field. It could be a classic back and forth type match where each team is trying to impose their will on the other. That's usually the best type of soccer to watch and you could see a couple of goals here and there from both teams."