Sporting Kansas City returns to Tucson, Arizona this weekend for the second leg of the team's preseason training camp. The two-week stay will be highlighted by the team's participation in the 2015 FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup, a six-team tournament at the Kino Sports Complex featuring hosts FC Tucson and fellow MLS clubs Seattle Sounders FC, Real Salt Lake, New England Revolution and Colorado Rapids.
Sporting KC at 2015 Desert Diamond Cup
vs. Colorado Rapids at 6:30 p.m. CT on Feb. 18
vs. Seattle Sounders FC at 9 p.m. CT on Feb. 21
vs. Real Salt Lake at 9 p.m. CT on Feb. 25
vs. TBD (1st/3rd/5th place match) on Feb. 28
All four of Sporting Kansas City's matches during the competition will be streamed live on SportingKC.com and MLSsoccer.com. SKCTV play-by-play announcer Nate Bukaty and color commentator Andy Gruenebaum will be on site to call the Feb. 21 match-up against Supporters' Shield holders Seattle.
The top goal scorer at the 2015 Desert Diamond Cup will be awarded the
Tucson Electric Power Copper Boot
, while the top defensive player will receive the
CARF International Defender of the Cup
. FCTucson.com has featured Sporting Kansas City forward Dom Dwyer and captain Matt Besler as early candidates for the honors.
The 2015 preseason marks the fifth straight year in which Sporting Kansas City travels to Tucson for training and competition. In the tournament's inaugural edition, Sporting KC were crowned champions of the 2011 Desert Diamond Cup with more than 10,000 fans in attendance.
