Following the club’s first and only bye week in the 2016 USL season, the Swope Park Rangers will be back in action as they conclude a three-game road swing when they take on OKC Energy FC at Taft Stadium on Saturday, April 23. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be live streamed on SportingKC.com.
After starting the season 2-0-0 with wins against Portland Timbers 2 and Tulsa Roughnecks FC, the Rangers claimed a 1-1 draw in their last outing against San Antonio FC in their first-ever game at Toyota Stadium. Daniel Salloi scored his team-leading second goal of the season just two minutes into that contest, before Danny Garcia equalized in the 42nd minute to see the two sides share the points.
OKC Energy FC are just two games into their season after their game with Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 last weekend was postponed due to inclement weather. The Energy have posted a 0-1-1 record so far in 2016 after falling to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in their season opener before tying 2-2 with Saint Louis FC on April 9. Danni Konig, who finished the 2015 season with 21 goals, provided both assists in that game, with FC Dallas loanee Coy Craft rescuing a point for the Energy.
The Energy have a special connection to Sporting Club, having been Sporting Kansas City’s USL affiliate in 2014 and 2015 before the introduction of the Swope Park Rangers in October 2015. Sporting KC legend Jimmy Nielsen took charge of the Energy ahead of their expansion season in 2014 and guided the side to their first-ever USL Playoff berth in 2015, with OKC posting a 10-1-2 regular-season record at Taft Stadium.
Saturday’s matchup is the first of four games between the two teams this season, with the Swope Park Rangers hosting OKC Energy FC at Children’s Mercy Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village on June 18 and July 12 before returning to Taft Stadium for the Rangers’ final road game of the season on Sept. 18.
Following Saturday’s game, SPR will host the club’s first-ever home game at Swope Soccer Village on Wednesday, April 27 against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 at 7 p.m. CT. The Rangers recently unveiled several gameday festivities for the game, including $1 hot dogs, complimentary coffee and a commemorative poster series. A full list can be found here.
Game 4
Date: Saturday, April 23, 2016
Kickoff: 7 p.m. CT
Location: Taft Stadium (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Swope Park Rangers: 2-0-1, 7 pts. T-2nd in Western Conference.
OKC Energy FC: 0-1-1, 1 pt. 15th in Western Conference.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Live Stream: The game will be broadcast on SportingKC.com and YouTube.com/USLPRO
Talent: Juan Arango (play-by-play), George Metellus (analyst)
SOCIAL TAGS
Game-specific hashtag: #OKCvSPR
Swope Park Rangers
Twitter: @SwopeRangers
Instagram: @swopeparkrangers
OKC Energy FC
Twitter: @EnergyFC
Instagram: @energyfc
GAME NOTES
