Preview: Sporting KC faces Colorado Rapids in 20th Anniversary Night match

Sporting Kansas City hosts the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. CT to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their inaugural MLS match when the two teams went head-to-head on April 13, 1996. Tickets to 20th Anniversary Night at Children’s Mercy Park are available at Ticketmaster.com, including South Stand GA tickets for just $19.96 courtesy of Ivy Funds. Fans can secure their tickets in the South Stand using promo code WIZ1996 at checkout. The match will also be broadcast on 38 The Spot, SKCTV, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM, with live television coverage beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

The first 10,000 fans through the gates at Children's Mercy Park will receive a complimentary Sporting KC retro jersey koozie, and Legends Hospitality will offer discounted concession pricing until 7 p.m. CT. Retro merchandise will also be available at the match while supplies last, including the team’s black and rainbow warmup jerseys. Fans attending 20th Anniversary Night will be greeted at Children’s Mercy Park with a 1990s throwback experience, including retro-themed videoboard graphics and music from 1996 playing throughout the stadium during pregame. For more information on 20th Anniversary Night, including a full television broadcast of the inaugural match, visit SportingKC.com/20years.

Wednesday's contest will be the 70th time the two clubs clubs have met in all competitions since their first meeting 20 years ago, making the Rapids the most frequent opponent in Kansas City’s history. Sporting KC strung together an 11-game unbeaten streak against the Rapids in all competitions from 2009-2015, but the run ended when the Rapids claimed victories in each of the last two matches against Sporting KC last year. Colorado has historically struggled in Kansas City, going 4-18-5 during the regular season. With a victory on Wednesday, Colorado would have back-to-back victories in Kansas City for the first time since 1999.
After last weekend’s win against the New York Red Bulls, Sporting KC (4-1-0) reclaimed its spot atop MLS Supporters’ Shield standings with 12 points. They sit five points clear of the Rapids (2-2-1), who occupy sixth place with 7 points. Colorado has struggled in away games to begin the season, posting two losses and a draw. Sporting KC and Colorado also met in the 2016 preseason in Tucson, Arizona, where Peter Vermes’ men claimed a 4-1 win.
Both Colorado and Kansas City will enter Wednesday's match with regular starters sidelined through injury. Though Sporting KC captain Matt Besler has cleared MLS concussion protocol since his injury with the U.S. Men's National Team, his availability for Wednesday's match remains questionable. The team's depth in defense and midfield will also be on display, with Soni Mustivar, Justin Mapp, Kevin Ellis and Chance Myers all ruled out for the match. The Rapids, meanwhile, will be without three defenders: Sean St. Ledger, Jared Watts and Marlon Hairston. Forward Kevin Doyle will also sit out with a shin injury. 

In-game updates will be available online at SportingKC.com/gameon, on Twitter @SKCgameday and on the club's official mobile app Sporting KC Uphoria.