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Sporting KC Weekly Update: August 24, 2016

SPORTING KC ENDS ROAD SWING AT PHILADELPHIA UNION
Sporting Kansas City (11-11-5, 38 points) will travel to face the Philadelphia Union (9-9-7, 34 points) on Saturday at Talen Energy Stadium, concluding a stretch of five games in 15 days, four of which on the road. The match is set for 6 p.m. CT with three hours of live television coverage beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT on 38 The Spot and SKCTV. Local radio broadcasts will air on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish), and The Final Whistle: Sporting KC Postgame Show will air immediately after the game on 810 WHB.


Saturday's contest is a rematch of the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, an epic encounter at Talen Energy Stadium that Sporting KC won on penalties after a 1-1 draw to claim its third Open Cup title.


SPORTING KC CRUISES TO 2-0 WIN OVER VANCOUVER
Jacob Peterson and Benny Feilhaber scored on either side of halftime as Sporting KC defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2-0 on Saturday night at sold-out Children’s Mercy Park. The victory propels Sporting KC (11-11-5, 38 points) into a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference and extends the club’s regular season home winning streak to six games, the second-longest in club history.


The hosts went ahead in the 39th minute through Peterson, who equalled an MLS career-high with his fourth goal of the season, while Feilhaber sealed the result with a 64th-minute penalty kick. Eighth-place Vancouver (8-12-6, 30 points) slumped to its fourth straight league defeat and remains winless in five trips to Children’s Mercy Park. (Full story)


SPORTING KC TAKES CCL LOSS IN VANCOUVER REMATCH
Sporting KC suffered a 3-0 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Tuesday night at BC Place, giving the Canadian side a commanding five-point lead in Group C of the 2016-17 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League.


Midfielder Cristian Techera scored on either side of Erik Hurtado’s early strike as Vancouver snapped a five-game winless run against Sporting KC. The clubs will meet for the fifth time this season in all competitions when Children’s Mercy Park hosts the return CCL fixture on Sept. 13. (Full story)


RANGERS TO HOST LA GALAXY II ON SATURDAY
The Swope Park Rangers (8-9-6, 30 points) continue their five-game homestand Saturday vs. LA Galaxy II (9-5-9, 36 points) at Children's Mercy Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village. The Back-to-School Night match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT and tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL. Education stations around the stadium will give young fans interactive learning opportunities and Mad Science will perform at halftime. The Rangers are currently ninth in the Western Conference standings, one point and one place outside of the playoff picture with seven regular season games remaining.


UALEFI JOINS SPORTING KC'S CCL ROSTER
Sporting KC signed 22-year-old midfielder Ualefi on a short-term loan from the Swope Park Rangers ahead of Tuesday’s Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League match at Vancouver Whitecaps FC.


Ualefi joins Rangers teammates Amer Didic and Tyler Pasher on Sporting KC's CONCACAF Champions League roster. The Brazilian will be available for selection for the remainder of the 2016-17 group stage. Per league rules, MLS clubs can sign players from their USL affiliate to Short Term Agreements (up to four-day contracts) for CONCACAF Champions League, U.S. Open Cup and exhibition matches. An MLS club can sign a player to a maximum of four short term agreements each season. (Full story)


FEILHABER AND PETERSON LAND TEAM OF THE WEEK HONORS
Sporting Kansas City enjoyed a comfortable victory on Saturday, defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2-0 thanks to goals from Jacob Peterson and Benny Feilhaber. The two were recognized for their influential performances on Monday, landing MLS Team of the Week honors from separate outlets.


Feilhaber was named to MLSsoccer.com's Team of the Week on the heels of a one-goal, one-assist outing. ESPNFC tabbed Peterson among its Best XI for Week 24 after the industrious forward netted his fourth goal of the season, tying an MLS career-high. (Full story)


AUGUST 31 IS THE DEADLINE TO RENEW SKC SEASON TICKETS
The deadline for Sporting KC Season Ticket Members to renew their season tickets is next Wednesday, Aug. 31. STMs can visit SportingBlueForLife.com this week to renew.


RANGERS AND SAINT LOUIS FC PLAY TO 1-1 DRAW
The Swope Park Rangers played to a 1-1 draw with Saint Louis FC on Sunday night at Children’s Mercy Park. Vince Cicciarelli put Saint Louis ahead in the 80th minute but Akeil Barrett, making his Rangers debut, knocked home the equalizing goal in the 89th minute as the two sides split the points and the season series 1-1-2. (Full story)


RANGERS SIGN FOUR PLAYERS FROM SPORTING KC ACADEMY
The Swope Park Rangers have signed Sporting Kansas City Academy midfielders Christian Albelo, Felipe Hernandez, Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal and Patrick Wilkinson, the club announced last Thursday. All four players are still eligible to play for the Sporting KC Academy and their contracts will not affect their NCAA eligibility. (Full story)


MINNESOTA UNITED FC TO ENTER MLS IN 2017
Major League Soccer Friday announced that Minnesota, awarded an expansion market in March of 2015, will join the league for the 2017 season.  In addition, the club will retain the name Minnesota United FC when entering MLS next season. Minnesota will join the Western Conference next year, while fellow 2017 expansion club Atlanta United will join the Eastern Conference. Both conferences will consist of 11 teams, with the top six clubs from each qualifying for the postseason. (Full story)


VOTE FOR THE NEWEST KLEMENT'S SPORTING SAUSAGE
Supporters can visit SportingKC.com/klements to vote for the newest Klement's Sporting Sausage to be served at concessions in Children's Mercy Park for the remainder of the season. Those who make a selection will have the chance to win a grand prize that includes a year-supply of Klement's sausages and branded items, tickets to and field access to Sporting KC's match against San Jose Earthquakes on Oct. 23, and a Matt Besler jersey.


ENTER THE GAIL'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON SWEEPSTAKES
Supporters can visit SportingKC.com/gailsharley and enter for a chance to win a brand new Sporting KC-branded Harley-Davidson Street 500 motorcycle and tickets to the club's regular season finale vs. San Jose Earthquakes on Oct. 23.


FOLLOW SPORTING KC
For news, photographs and instant updates throughout the 2016 season, follow Sporting Kansas City on its TwitterInstagramFacebook and Snapchat (sportingkc) accounts and visit the club's social media page.