With two weeks of training and scrimmages in Tucson behind them, Sporting Kansas City begins the second phase of their preseason preparations in earnest tonight when they kick off at the 2012 Disney Pro Soccer Classic in Orlando. Unlimited substitutions, small-sided games and training gear are now replaced by full-match kits and a proper tournament format. We're not in Arizona anymore.
At 5:00 p.m. CT, Sporting Kansas City will face 2011 Eastern Conference champion Houston Dynamo at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. After topping two MLS opponents in Tucson, Sporting will get another crack at the Dynamo, who defeated Sporting by a 2-0 scoreline in the Eastern Conference Championship match at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. While Houston figure to be among the favorites in the Eastern Conference once again in 2012, Dominic Kinnear's side will likely feature a few new faces when the two sides come together once again tonight.
Geoff Cameron will not feature after receiving his second call-up to the U.S. Men's National Time ahead of the Feb. 29 friendly with Italy, meaning that offseason acquisition Nathan Sturgis or Canadian international Andre Hainault could slot in alongside Bobby Boswell at centerback. In midfield, Brad Davis is still recovering from the quad injury he suffered in a challenge with Graham Zusi, but former U.S. Under-20 international Brian Ownby has provided a spark coming from deep since his selection in this year's SuperDraft. Up front, second-year target forward Will Bruin could earn a start after several strong performances early on.
The stage is set, and the mood in Sporting Kansas City's camp makes you wonder if the regular season has commenced. Associations are beginning to form in the side, as the new acquisitions ease into more of a comfort zone, and tonight's team sheet should look very similar to the one that's submitted to the referees at RFK Stadium in two weeks' time.
Here are a few more storylines to look out for during the next week in Disney. All matches will be streamed live online at MLSSoccer.com, and the final of the tournament will be available on ESPN3.com. Follow each match live on SportingKC.com and on Twitter at @SKCGameday.
Testing depth
Much has been made of Sporting Kansas City's accumulated depth this offseason, and that group of able-bodied reserves figure to be tested in a big way over the next week. The biggest challenge for Peter Vermes isn't choosing his first eleven to face Houston, but rather putting together a cohesive unit to face Montreal on Sunday, with just one day's rest in between matches. Problems compound further when Kei Kamara and Roger Espinoza depart for their respective national team duties. Teal Bunbury will rejoin the squad in Orlando, but not until all three group games have been played, meaning Sporting Kansas City's young strike duo of Soony Saad and Dom Dwyer should each seen plenty of time spelling C.J. Sapong and Bobby Convey across the forward line. Dwyer in particular made massive strides in Arizona playing on the left, drawing high-praise for his industry and instincts on and off the ball.
New faces aim to impress
Sporting Kansas City currently has two trialists in camp, former New York Red Bulls centerback Sacir Hot along with Mozzi Gyorio, a 22-year-old midfielder who most recently had a spell with FC Tampa Bay. Hot arrived in camp on Thursday, so don't expect him to feature early on in the tournament. Gyorio, however, could work his way into the side depending on how the pool stage progresses.
Calling all (potential) captains
With the departure of Davy Arnaud (who will likely get to face his former team on Sunday) in a November trade to Montreal, Sporting Kansas City has been searching for a captain since preseason began. As of today, there's little indication as to who will be wearing the armband on March 10, but the list of candidates is longer than you might think. Both Matt Besler and Kei Kamara have addressed the entire group at the start and finish of select training sessions, indicating that either could be the final choice. However, Roger Espinoza and Jimmy Nielsen each served as captains last season in the absence of Arnaud and Omar Bravo, while the experienced midfield pair of Paulo Nagamura and Julio Cesar could also quite clearly be considered.
