Recap: Sporting KC II opens preseason with 2-1 loss at Union Omaha

Sporting Kansas City II opened the club’s 2021 preseason campaign on Saturday afternoon, visiting USL League One side Union Omaha in a friendly at Werner Park in Papillion, Nebraska.

Fresh off an impressive preseason training camp with the Sporting Kansas City first team, Academy standout Kayden Pierre assisted forward Dominik Resetar for a 34th-minute equalizer in a narrow 2-1 loss for head coach Paulo Nagamura’s side. Omaha secured the victory thanks to a goal in either half from midfielder JP Searce.

Nagamura gave playing time to 21 different players over the course of 90 minutes, including three Sporting Kansas City first team players in Ozzie Cisneros, Tyler Freeman and Graham Smith as well as five current members of the Sporting KC Academy.

Omaha went ahead after 25 minutes, but their lead was short-lived after Pierre galloped down the right flank, beat his man and served a low cross into the penalty area for Resetar to steer home. Searce restored Omaha’s advantage near the hour mark to seal a victory for the hosts.

Sporting KC II will play a pair of preseason tune-ups next week at Swope Soccer Village ahead of their USL Championship opener at FC Tulsa on May 1. Nagamura’s men will host Baker University at 5 p.m. CT Wednesday and Rockhurst University at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday. Both contests will be closed to the public.

Sporting Kansas City II at Union Omaha
April 17, 2021 – Werner Park (Papillion, Nebraska)
Sporting Kansas City II 1, Union Omaha 2

Scoring Summary:
OMA – JP Scearce (unassisted) 25'
SKC – Dominik Resetar (Kayden Pierre) 34’
OMA – JP Scearce (Devin Bernard) 63’

Sporting Kansas City II Lineup

Gavin Krenecki; Kayden Pierre (Michael Lenis* 75'), Matt Constant^ (Graham Smith 60'), Danny Barbir (Aljaz Dzankic 60'), Christian Duke (Cyrus Rad^^ 60'); Jahon Rad (Nicholas Pendleton* 60'), Jake Davis (Bailey Sparks* 60'), Ozzie Cisneros* (Sebastian Fierro Gonzalez^^ 75'); Enoch Mushagalusa (Rojay Smith^^), Dominik Resetar (Ropapa Mensah 60'), Tyler Freeman* (David Panka 60')

* Sporting KC player
** Sporting KC Academy player
^ Unsigned MLS SuperDraft Pick
^^ Trialist

Sporting KC II Preseason Schedule and Results