UPDATE: Pretty cool moment at KCI Airport this evening. The Under-16 and Under-18 Sporting KC Juniors and the full senior team crossed paths as they checked-in for their respective flights and spent some time chatting with one another while waiting at the gates. Suffice to say, a group of 50+ young guys wearing Sporting KC polos drew some attention and well wishes from fellow flyers.
The Sporting Kansas City Under-16 and Under-18 Juniors will depart for Denver tonight in advance of a pair of weekend U.S. Soccer Development Academy matches against fellow MLS side Colorado Rapids. The games kickoff at 1pm MDT on Field 8 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park when the U18's (1-0-1, 5-3-1) face a Rapids squad that is unbeaten through eight USSDA matches with a 5-0-3 record. The U16's (0-1-1, 2-3-4) will follow at 3:30pm MDT and will be up against an opponent that is 5-1-2 overall and coming off their first loss of the 2011-12 season last weekend.
And then they'll do it all again on Sunday! Dating back to last June when the two teams met on back-to-back days in Kansas City, the two clubs agreed to schedule their matches against one another so that they could be played at the same site on consecutive days. Hence the reduced travel and the two-game series this weekend, with the respective rematches to be played on Sunday at 10:30am MDT between the Under-18 squads and at 1pm MDT for the Under-16's weekend finale.
