Sporting KC travels to NIcaragua to face Real Esteli on Wednesday night in the group stage of the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League. The two teams have experience in the competition dating back to when it was known as the CONCACAF Champions Cup. This is KC's first appearance since 2005 while Real Esteli were in the competition last season.
Team News
Real Esteli are a side that has struggled in CONCACAF play. The team scored one goal in lsat season's tournament and finished last in Group 6 with a 0-3-1 record. Overall, the club hasn't won a match (0-11-5) in CCL. That being said, it is always tough to play in Central America where conditions are anything but ideal and the crowds can be intimidating.
Recent Form/Results
One clear advantage Sporting KC will have is that they are in mid-season form while Real Esteli is just beginning theirs. Esteli kicked off the 2013 Apertura with a 2-1 victory against Juventus Managua on Saturday, their first competitive match in almost two months. Real Esteli has faced one MLS team in CCL play, Toronto FC, who defeated them 4-2 on aggregate in 2011.
Key Players
Edgar Mejia (Midfielder) - An experienced player who has scored more than 100 goals with Real Esteli
Rudel Calero (Forward) - The leading goalscorer in Nicaragua last season with 18 goals
Recent Lineups
<strong>vs Juventus Managua</strong> |
<p>Lorente, Zeledón, Rosas, Kardek, de Souza, Mejía, Oliveira, Santos, Wilson, Barrera, Sánchez </p> |