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.
With Sporting Kansas City scheduled for the MLS Week 5 finale at 6 p.m. CT tonight, three of the team's players were in action on Saturday at the USL and NASL levels.
Saad Abdul-Salaam made his professional debut for the San Antonio Scorpions -- after joining the club on Tuesday -- alongside SKC teammate Jon Kempin in a 3-1 home loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the NASL season opener. Both players started and went the distance in the defeat in front of 6,723 fans at Toyota Field.
Stefan Antonijevic -- selected by Sporting KC in the 2012 MLS Supplemental draft -- opened the scoring in the 10th minute for the visitors before Darwin Espinal added the game-winning goal in first-half stoppage time. Former MLSers Corey Hertzog and Omar Cummings then traded goals in the second half as San Antonio finish shorthanded following a late red card shown to Julius James.
The Scorpions will regroup with a Week 2 bye and return to action on April 18 against Indy Eleven, who converted a stoppage-time penalty for a 1-1 draw against the Atlanta Silverbacks on Saturday.
Mikey Lopez made his second straight start for head coach Jimmy Nielsen as OKC Energy FC (1-0-1) secured a 2-1 win over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (0-2-0) in the expansion side's first-ever home match at Sand Creek Stadium. Danish forward Danni König scored both goals for OKC with the game-winner coming in the third minute of second-half stoppage time on an assist from former Sporting KC midfielder Michael Thomas.
Switchbacks FC went down to 10 men in the 58th minute when Jordan Burt received his second caution of the match but managed to equalize 10 minutes later through Mike Seth. Lopez, who was carrying a caution, exited in the 85th minute in favor of forward Kyle Greig and the visitors -- despite playing at altitude -- broke the deadlock in dramatic fashion.
OKC Energy FC will also enjoy an early bye in prep for the team's home opener at the newly renovated Taft Stadium on April 18 against the Seattle Sounders 2 (2-0-0).
Mikey Lopez (OKC Energy FC)
2015 USL Stats
<strong>Games Played</strong> |
<strong>Minutes Played</strong> |
<strong>Goals</strong> |
<strong>Assists</strong> |
2 |
162 |
0 |
0 |
Jon Kempin (San Antonio Scorpions)
2015 NASL Stats
<strong>Games Played</strong> |
<strong>Minutes Played</strong> |
<strong>GA</strong> |
<strong>GAA</strong> |
<strong>Saves</strong> |
<strong>Shutouts</strong> |
1 |
90 |
3 |
3.00 |
2 |
0 |
Saad Abdul-Salaam (San Antonio Scorpions)
2015 NASL Stats
<strong>Games Played</strong> |
<strong>Minutes Played</strong> |
<strong>Goals</strong> |
<strong>Assists</strong> |
1 |
90 |
0 |
0 |
