Sporting KC continues its partnership with OKC Energy FC for the 2015 season, loaning midfielder Mikey Lopez to our USL affiliate. Additionally, homegrown goalkeeper Jon Kempin and rookie defender Saad Abdul-Salaam have been loaned to the San Antonio Scorpions of the North American Soccer League. Each week, we’ll recap the performances of the Sporting KC players in our Loan Lowdown series.
Defender Saad Abdul-Salaam started and played 90 minutes Saturday night as the San Antonio Scorpions (1-3-1, 4 points) defeated the Carolina RailHawks (1-2-3, 6 points) 1-0 at Toyota Field for their first victory and clean sheet of the 2015 NASL season.
MATCH CENTER: SAN 1-0 CAR
San Antonio controlled most of the match as Abdul-Salaam and the Scorpions defense conceded zero shots on goal, but home fans were made to wait until the 78th minute for a breakthrough goal. Billy Forbes, the NASL’s assist leader in 2014, set up his first of the new campaign as he drew Carolina goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap off his line and slid the ball across the goalmouth, allowing Bright Dike to finish into an open net.
Saturday was Abdul-Salaam’s fourth 90-minute outing for the defending NASL champions, who remain in 11th place with five matches of the spring season remaining. San Antonio begins a two-game road swing next Sunday at FC Edmonton before facing the first place New York Cosmos on May 23.
In Oklahoma City, meanwhile, inclement weather postponed Energy FC’s USL match against LA Galaxy II until Aug. 4. Next up for Jimmy Nielsen’s side is a three-day road trip to the Pacific Northwest beginning Friday with a visit to Seattle Sounders FC 2 (4-3-1, 13 points), whom Energy FC defeated 2-1 on April 18 at Taft Stadium. The club will then travel north to play Vancouver Whitecaps 2 (1-4-2, 5 points) on Sunday.
Midfielder Mikey Lopez has started the first five games of the season for Energy FC (2-1-2, 8 points), who have played the fewest matches of any club in the USL’s 12-team Western Conference.
Saad Abdul-Salaam (San Antonio Scorpions)
2015 NASL Stats
<strong>Games Played</strong> |
<strong>Minutes Played</strong> |
<strong>Goals</strong> |
<strong>Assists</strong> |
4 |
360 |
0 |
0 |
Mikey Lopez (OKC Energy FC)
2015 USL Stats
<strong>Games Played</strong> |
<strong>Minutes Played</strong> |
<strong>Goals</strong> |
<strong>Assists</strong> |
5 |
358 |
0 |
0 |