League

Game Preview: SPR to host San Antonio FC at Swope Soccer Village on Sunday afternoon

Nansel Selbol vs. San Antonio FC - May 25, 2017

With less than a month remaining in the USL regular season, the Swope Park Rangers (13-7-6, 4th place) will host San Antonio FC (14-2-10, 2nd place) at 4 p.m. CT on Sunday at Swope Soccer Village in a clash of postseason contenders.


Tickets for the marquee match-up are available online at SeatGeek.com or at the venue box office prior to kick off. Fans 21 years of age and older can enjoy $2 beers until the 20th minute on College Night with the Swope Park Rangers.


San Antonio FC secured their playoff berth on Wednesday with a 1-0 win at Orange County SC while the Rangers have six games remaining to join the postseason field. The top eight teams in each conference will qualify for the playoffs and the top four teams, which currently include both San Antonio FC and the Swope Park Rangers, will play the opening round of the postseason at home.


The Rangers will have the opportunity to make a statement on Sunday against a San Antonio FC team that has lost only twice in 26 league matches this season behind the USL’s best defense. Led by a backline that features four former members of Major League Soccer clubs, San Antonio FC has conceded a league-low 15 goals and recorded a league-high 14 clean sheets.


San Antonio is also the only team to have shut out SPR at home this season in a 1-0 victory at Children’s Mercy Victory Field on May 26. The Rangers returned the favor a week later in a scoreless draw at San Antonio and can now pull level in the season series with a win on Sunday.


The Rangers versatile attack is led by Kharlton Belmar with 10 goals, fourth most among Western Conference players, and has been boosted of late by the return of playmaker Kevin Oliveira. Both players were rewarded with MLS contracts on Friday and are now among six former SPR players on Sporting Kansas City’s active roster along with Amer Didic, James Musa, Tyler Pasher and Adrian Zendejas.


The visitors have offensive weapons of their own in Billy Forbes, who leads the team with seven goals and five assists, and Kris Tyrpak, who scored 10 goals for the Swope Park Rangers last season and has six goals so far this season with San Antonio FC.


Sunday’s match will stream live on SportingKC.com and via the USLsoccer.com MatchCenter. In-game updates will also be available by following the Swope Park Rangers on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.


Game 27
Date:
 Sunday, September 17, 2017
Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. CT
Location: Swope Soccer Village (Kansas City, Mo.)


Swope Park Rangers: 13-7-6 (45 pts), 4th in Western Conference
MLS Affiliate: Sporting Kansas City


San Antonio FC: 14-2-10 (52 pts), 2nd in Western Conference
MLS Affiliate: New York City FC


BROADCAST INFORMATION
Live Stream:
 The game will be broadcast on SportingKC.com and YouTube.com/USL
Talent: Carter Augustine (play-by-play), Sam Kovzan (analyst)


SOCIAL TAGS
Game-specific hashtag: 
#SPRvSA


Swope Park Rangers
Twitter: @SwopeRangers
Instagram: @SwopeParkRangers


San Antonio FC
Twitter: @SanAntonioFC
Instagram: @SanAntonioFC


GAME NOTES