Sporting Kansas City vs. Philadelphia Union
Friday, September 23, 2011 – 7:30 p.m. CT
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park | Kansas City, Kansas
English TV: FOX Soccer
Spanish TV: FOX Deportes
English Radio:SportingMembership.com
Spanish Radio: La Gran D 1340 AM
Game Notes | LSP Box Offices | Parking Info
Sporting Kansas City returns home to host the Philadelphia Union on Friday night at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT with national television coverage as part of FOX Soccer’s ‘Soccer Night in America’ beginning at 7:00 p.m. CT.
Friday’s match is presented by Mainstreet Credit Union and the first 10,000 fans to enter the stadium will receive a free Aurelien Collin bobblehead, courtesy of Time Warner Cable. The match is also LIVESTRONG Night with yellow LIVESTRONG wristbands given away at the stadium entrances. There will be a 28-second moment of silence before the match in honor of the 28-million cancer survivors around the world and supporters are invited sign the Tribute Wall in the Sprint Plaza with their name or the name of a loved one fighting cancer.
Friday will mark just the fourth meeting all-time between the two sides, with Sporting Kansas City holding a 1-0-2 record against the Union since Philadelphia entered MLS as an expansion club in 2010. The last match between the two in Kansas City produced a 2-0 win for Sporting Kansas City on June 9th, 2010 atCommunityAmerica Ballpark with goals courtesy of Kei Kamara and Graham Zusi.
This is the second meeting between the two sides in 2011. The first saw Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen make a career-high seven saves in a 0-0 draw at PPL Park on June 22nd. The result stretched Sporting Kansas City’s unbeaten run to six straight matches, and was just the third match in club history where Sporting KansasCity was held without a shot on goal.
The Union (9-7-12), currently sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference, enter Friday night’s contest following a 1-0 win at home over the Columbus Crew on Saturday. Sebastien Le Toux scored his seventh goal of 2011 in the 32nd minute while the Philadelphia defense yielded just one shot on goal to snap an eight match winless streak in MLS play.
Heading into Friday’s match, the Union face significant worries on the injury front. First-choice goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon (R ring finger fracture) is out along with goalkeeper Thorne Holder (concussion) and defender Sheanon Williams (concussion). Midfielder Justin Mapp (L quad strain) is listed as doubtful while forward Veljko Paunovic (L calf strain) is probable.
For Sporting Kansas City, both Birahim Diop (lower back strain) and Luke Sassano (R knee sprain) are questionable, while defender Chance Myers (R foot contusion) has been upgraded to probable following a foul suffered in the 3-0 in over Houston on September 10th.
A limited number of tickets for the match are still available, and can be purchased online or at the LSP Box Offices. In addition to the national TV broadcast on FOX Soccer and FOX Deportes, fans will be able to listen to an audio broadcast of Friday’s action on SportingMembership.com featuring Sporting Kansas City play-by-play commentator Callum Williams.
Fans are encouraged to arrive to LIVESTRONG Sporting Park as early as possible on Friday. Immediately following the match, ‘Grisly Hand’ will perform in the Sprint Plaza as part of the Live at LSP concert series. DJ Mike Scott will also be performing in the Member’s Club after the conclusion of Friday’s contest. Visit SportingKC.com for more information on Saturday’s match.
