Sporting Kansas City played the second match on their pre-season schedule on Wednesday, completing an intra-squad scrimmage at the Reach 11 Sports Complex in Phoenix, Arizona. The pre-season roster, more than 30 strong in the early stages of preparation for the 2011 MLS season, was divided into three teams, who each faced off in a series of three, 30-minute matches.
“There were definitely some bright spots to see on some guys,” Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said following the scrimmage. “But at the same time, there were some things that were a little poor. But at the end of the day, it’s good because this is still part of the evaluation phase and us making some decisions.”
Team Orange had the look of an early first XI with a core of returning starters from last season joined by Designated Player Omar Bravo in attack alongside Teal Bunbury and Kei Kamara, while the central defense paired Brazilian trialist Julio Cesar Santos Correa with Matt Besler. But it was Team Blue, featuring eight pre-season trialists, that walked away winners on Wednesday with a victory and a draw in their two matches.
Vermes was encouraged by the return of defender/midfielder Luke Sassano, coming off an injury suffered last season, as well as the play of many of the young and new players brought into camp for evaluation.
“Some of the bright spots…I think C.J. Sapong played very well. He has a great work ethic and good movement off the ball. He put a lot of people under pressure, especially up front,” Vermes said. “I thought Birahim Diop was also very strong in both games. And a couple of the younger guys as well, specifically Scott Lorenz on the left side and I think Luke Sassano is starting to come along a little bit through his injury.”
“I think Konrad Warzycha has been a solid player as one of the new guys that has come in. I think Mike Jones is slowly getting his feet under him,” Vermes continued. “I’ve said that Kevin Ellis everyday gets a little bit better, which is a really good thing. Daneil Cyrus from Trinidad and Tobago, he has really started to show his potential. So it’s been good to watch these guys grow a little bit through here. And it’s still early in preseason.”
Korede Aiyegbusi scored the lone goal in the opening 30-minute session to give Team Blue a 1-0 victory over Team Orange. Aiyegbusi, who played in five games in 2010 after being drafted out of North Carolina State, scored on a ball played across the goalmouth with a well-struck shot into the upper-right corner from a difficult angle near the endline. Goalkeeper Jon Kempin, the team’s first ever Homegrown academy product, made several saves in the shutout, including two stops early on efforts from Kamara and Bunbury.
Team Orange stayed on the field for the second session against Team Yellow, which consisted of a well-balanced mix of returning players, 2011 draft picks and pre-season trialists. Kamara scored in his second straight pre-season match, receiving a pass from Bravo and burying his shot past Eric Kronberg. On the opposite end, 2010 MLS All-Star Jimmy Nielsen kept the clean sheet as Team Orange finished 1-1-0 on the day.
The day’s final session between Team Orange and Team Blue ended in a scoreless draw despite scoring chances from both squads.
Orange: Davy Arnaud, Stephane Auvray, Matt Besler, Omar Bravo, Teal Bunbury, Julio Cesar Santos Correa, Roger Espinoza, Michael Harrington, Kei Kamara, Jimmy Nielsen, Graham Zusi
Yellow: Birahim Diop, Adda Djeziri, Jack Jewsbury, Mike Jones, Eric Kronberg, Scott Lorenz, Mitja Morec, Chance Myers, C.J. Sapong, Luke Sassano, Konrad Warzycha
Blue: Korede Aiyegbusi, Sheldon Bateau, Travis Bowen, Calum Butcher, Omar Colley, Daneil Cyrus, Kevin Ellis, Jon Kempin, Gor Kirakosyan, Michal Mravec, Trialist 1
