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Sporting KC Weekly Update: May 4, 2016

SPORTING KC HITS THE ROAD TO FACE HOUSTON ON SATURDAY
Sporting Kansas City will resume regular season action Saturday against rivals Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT with three hours of live television coverage on 38 The Spot and SKCTV starting at 7 p.m. CT. Listeners can follow local radio broadcasts on 99.3 FM and La Grande 1340 AM, and The Final Whistle: Sporting KC Postgame Show will air immediately following the game on 99.3 FM.


A fierce MLS rivalry resumes Saturday as sixth-place Sporting KC (4-4-2, 14 points) and 10th-place Houston Dynamo (1-5-2, 5 points) look to gain ground in the Western Conference standings. Sporting KC is winless in five matches but remains just three points out of first place as Manager Peter Vermes seeks his 100th MLS coaching win (including playoffs). Meanwhile, Houston enters the fixture hoping to snap a six-game winless streak, the longest active skid in MLS.


No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District will host watch parties for the Sporting KC and Swope Park Rangers matches on Saturday evening, offering drink specials for supporters.


SPORTING KC TO HOST THE "MAIN EVENT" BLOCK PARTY ON FRIDAY
On Friday, Sporting KC, LiveKC and 96.5 The Buzz will host the "Main Event" block party on the southwest corner of Truman Road and Main Street to celebrate the grand opening of the Kansas City Streetcar. Everyone is welcome from 4-8:30 p.m. CT for free live music from Buzz Beach Ball artist Brave The Spirit, beer courtesy of Boulevard and Anheuser-Busch and LiveKC yard games.


BRAD DAVIS SCORES STUNNER AS SPORTING KC TIES LA 1-1
Sporting KC extended its home unbeaten streak against LA Galaxy to eight games with a 1-1 draw on Sunday at Children’s Mercy Park. Midfielder Brad Davis fired Sporting KC ahead with a spectacular left-footed strike on the half-hour mark, but the visitors responded just before halftime with a well-taken finish from Giovani dos Santos on the counterattack. Children’s Mercy Park was sold out for the 75th consecutive MLS match as Sporting KC (4-4-2, 14 points) remained sixth in the Western Conference standings, one point behind fourth-place LA Galaxy (4-1-3, 15 points). (Full story)


SPORTING KC COMES FROM BEHIND TO EARN 1-1 DRAW AT VANCOUVER 
Sporting KC came from behind to snap a three-game losing streak last Wednesday, earning a 1-1 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place. Christian Bolanos put the home side ahead early, but Diego Rubio's first MLS goal in the 27th minute extended Sporting KC's unbeaten run against Vancouver to four matches. (Full story)


BESLER AND ZUSI NAMED TO U.S. MNT PRELIMINARY ROSTER FOR COPA AMERICA
U.S. Men's National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann submitted the preliminary roster for the historic 2016 Copa America Centenario on Sunday, including Sporting KC defender Matt Besler and winger Graham Zusi among the 40-man squad. The final 23-player roster will be announced by May 20. (Full story)


The U.S. will begin training camp May 16 in Miami, with MLS players joining the team on May 23 in advance of their Copa America opener against Colombia on June 3 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Children’s Mercy Park will host the United States' third and final tune-up match against and Bolivia on May 28 at 7 p.m. CT, and tickets for the match can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com.


SONI MUSTIVAR NAMED TO HAITI'S PRELIMINARY COPA AMERICA ROSTER
Sporting KC midfielder Soni Mustivar was named to the Haiti Men's National Team's preliminary roster for the Copa America Centenario on Monday. The final 23-man roster will be announced by May 20. A dual citizen of Haiti and France, Mustivar has made 11 international appearances for Haiti since debuting in 2013. He has earned three caps this year, including two World Cup qualifiers and a playoff win over Trinidad and Tobago that punched Les Grenadiers' ticket to the Copa America. (Full story)


TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR U.S. MNT FRIENDLY AT CHILDREN'S MERCY PARK
Tickets are now on sale via Ticketmaster.com for the international friendly between the United States Men’s National Team and Bolivia on May 28 at Children's Mercy Park. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. CT as the United States makes its fifth all-time visit to the state-of-the-art venue. It will be the Americans' final tune-up before hosting the Copa America Cententario in June. (Full story)


SWOPE PARK RANGERS MEET IN-STATE RIVAL SAINT LOUIS FC ON SATURDAY
The Swope Park Rangers (2-2-1, 7 points) resume their inaugural season in the United Soccer League on Saturday, traveling to face in-state foe Saint Louis FC (2-2-2, 8 points) at World Wide Technology Soccer Park in Fenton, Missouri. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT with a live stream on SportingKC.com.


GRAHAM ZUSI NAMED TO TEAM OF THE WEEK AS A DEFENDER
Typically deployed as a winger in Sporting KC’s 4-3-3 setup, Graham Zusi settled into a fullback role as part of Manager Peter Vermes’ revamped lineup in a 1-1 draw against LA Galaxy on Sunday at Children's Mercy Park. The end result for the U.S. international was a spot on MLSsoccer.com’s Team of the Week for Week 9. (Full story)


RANGERS FALL IN FIRST-EVER GAME AT CHILDREN'S MERCY VICTORY FIELD
The Swope Park Rangers (2-2-1, 7 points) dropped their first-ever game at Children's Mercy Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village with a 2-1 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps 2 last Wednesday. Kris Tyrpak put the Rangers ahead with his first goal of the season, but Whitecaps FC 2 responded with goals from Kyle Greig and Ben McKendry to reach the summit of the USL Western Conference. (Full story)


ENTER TO WIN TICKETS TO SEE U.S. MNT AT COPA AMERICA CENTENARIO
Sporting KC supporters can visit SportingKC.com/copa100 and rank the U.S. Men's National Team's 11 goals scored in Copa America history. All who participate will be entered to win two tickets to see the United States play Costa Rica in the Copa America Centenario on June 7 at Soldier Field in Chicago. The sweepstakes closes Monday at 5 p.m. CT, and official rules can be found at SportingKC.com.


KC STEAK MEAT AND GREET SWEEPSTAKES NOW OPEN
During the entire month of May, supporters can visit SportingKC.com/kcsteak and enter the Kansas City Steak Company Meat and Greet SweepSteaks. A winner will receive a one-year supply of steaks from the Kansas City Steak Company and a dinner with a Sporting KC player for up to six people at the Three Points Club, Sporting KC's rooftop event space in downtown Kansas City.


LAWRENCE OLUM AT WESTLAKE ACE HARDWARE TODAY IN OLATHE
Sporting KC midfielder Lawrence Olum will appear at the Westlake Ace Hardware location in Olathe, Kansas (120 N. Clairborne Rd.) from 4-5:30 p.m. CT today for autographs and photo opportunities with fans. Olum has started five of six appearances this season, recording one goal and one assist.


SKC ACADEMY INVITED TO CONCACAF U-13 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
When Sporting KC kicks off the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League this fall, they will be the second team from the organization to play in a continental tournament in 2016. Last Wednesday, CONCACAF announced that the Sporting KC Academy U-13s were drawn into Group C of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Under-13 Champions League. The annual competition features some of the top U-13 programs from across North America, Central America and the Caribbean. (Full story)


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