The Swope Park Rangers hit the road to face Western Conference foe Phoenix Rising FC this Sunday at 9 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed live on the United Soccer League's official YouTube page and can be found at SportingKC.com/Rangers.
Both teams head into the weekend’s match having played three games in 2017. The Swope Park Rangers are off to a perfect start to their campaign with three victories and two clean sheets. Meanwhile, Phoenix dropped their first two matches but carry momentum into Sunday following their 2-1 victory over LA Galaxy II in their last outing. Luke Rooney scored a brace in the Phoenix victory, while Sporting Kansas City's 2011 Golden Boot winner Omar Bravo earned the game-winning assist in the win.
Ivory Coast international and former Chelsea star Didier Drogba could make his first appearance for Phoenix Rising this weekend after joining the USL side as a player / co-owner earlier this month. Drogba arrived in Arizona on Friday and will be introduced to the Phoenix fan base in advance of Sunday’s match at Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex. With this move, Drogba is reunited with English International and former Chelsea teammate Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Despite a 3-0-0 start to the season, the Rangers currently sit in fourth place in the Western Conference standings having played fewer games than each of the teams ahead of them. Swope Park most recently defeated Sacramento Republic FC 1-0 at Children’s Mercy Victory Field on a goal from Mark Anthony Gonzalez.
The Swope Park Rangers have scored five goals in their first three matches, with four different players finding the scoresheet. Kharlton Belmar leads the squad with two goals while Daniel Salloi, Latif Blessing and Gonzalez have one each. Belmar entered last weekend’s match as a second half substitute for Robert Mirosavic, who made his first start this season after suffering a hamstring injury during the preseason. Midfielder Kevin Oliveira also made his first appearance in 2017 last weekend after suffering at torn ACL last June.
Four Sporting KC players will be on loan with the Rangers for Sunday's match in Phoenix. Defenders Erik Palmer-Brown, Tyler Pasher and Colton Storm and forward Cameron Iwasa will also remain with the club after featuring in the 1-0 win over Sacramento.
Game 4
Date: Sunday, April 17, 2017
Kickoff: 9 p.m. CT
Location: Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex (Phoenix, AZ)
Swope Park Rangers: 3-0-0 (9 pts.), 4th in Western Conference
Phoenix Rising FC: 1-2-0 (3 pts.), 11th in Western Conference
Broadcast Information
Livestream: www.youtube.com/usl
Game-specific hashtag: #PHXvSPR
Swope Park Rangers
Twitter: @SwopeRangers
Instagram: SwopeParkRangers
Phoenix Rising
Twitter: @PHXRisingFC
Instagram: PHXRisingFC
Game Notes
April 23: Swope Park Rangers at Phoenix Rising FC
