Starting XI: Real Reckoning

Starting XI is a biweekly series on SportingKC.com that highlights 11 of the biggest storylines and news updates from Sporting Kansas City, MLS and soccer around the globe. Click here to visit the Starting XI archive.

Sporting Kansas City (3-1-3, 12 points) is back home Saturday to host rivals Real Salt Lake (2-4-2, 8 points) in a 7:30 p.m. CT kickoff on FOX Sports Kansas City Plus, FOX Sports GO, ESPN 99.3 FM and La Grande 1340 AM. Tickets for the Western Conference clash on SeatGeek.com as Sporting KC looks to extend its home unbeaten run in the regular season to a club-record 13 games.

Real Salt Lake has held an upper hand in the series ever since falling to Sporting KC in the 2013 MLS Cup, but their recent struggles on the road, coupled with Kansas City’s fine form at Children’s Mercy Park, paints a positive picture for the hosts. The Salt Lake Tribune’s Chris Kamrani shared his thoughts on the matchup, insisting that Dom Dwyer will be the decisive pendulum that swings Saturday’s result one way or the other.

2. Stay Seated

Sporting Kansas City announced Tuesday that the club has signed 19 players from Special Olympics Kansas and Special Olympics Missouri to two-game contracts. The unified team will take the field Saturday upon conclusion of Sporting KC’s showdown with Real Salt Lake. After the professional teams exit the pitch, supporters are encouraged to stay in their seats for a Special Olympics Unified Soccer exchange game between Special Olympics Kansas City and Special Olympics Utah.

3. Rangers Ride Onward

The Swope Park Rangers (3-1-0, 9 points) conclude a two-game road swing Saturday when they travel to face Real Monarchs (4-1-0, 12 points) at Rio Tinto Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. CT with a live stream available on SportingKC.com. The Rangers suffered their first defeat of 2017 on Sunday, falling 4-3 at Phoenix Rising FC, but nearly erased a four-goal deficit to salvage a point. Influential midfielder Kevin Oliveira spearheaded the announcement with two goals, landing a spot on the USL Team of the Week.

4. Jaylin Jubilant

Sporting KC Academy defender Jaylin Lindsey and the U.S. U-17Men’s National Team made history on Wednesday, defeating archrival Mexico 4-3 at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Panama. The victory was the United States’ first in World Cup qualifying against Mexico at the U-17 level. Lindsey played 90 minutes for the second straight game and became the second Sporting KC Academy product in as many months to defeat Mexico in World Cup qualifying, emulating the feat accomplished by U.S. U-20 captain Erik Palmer-Brown when USA knocked off Mexico 1-0 last month. Lindsey and the U.S. conclude group stage action Saturday at 5 p.m. CT against El Salvador on the CONCACAF YouTube channel.

5. Dallas Doubleheader

The Sporting KC U-18s and U-16s continue their push to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs on Sautrday with a doubleheader against FC Dallas, whose U-18 and U-16 tems sit atop the Frontier Division Standings. The two-game set will be played on the campus of the University of Tulsa, with games kicking off at noon and 2:30 p.m. CT, respectively. Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter for live updates.

6. Top It Off

The National Training and Coaching Development Center took another momentous step toward completion on Thursday as the facility’s final steel beam was installed during the NTCDC Topping Off Ceremony. Hundreds of Sporting Kansas City supporters signed the steel beam on April 9 at Children’s Mercy Park, leaving their mark on a foundational piece of the world-class NTCDC, which is slated to open this winter.

7. Monday Night Raw

Dom Dwyer began his week in a different spotlight than normal. The Sporting KC forward joined MLS personality Susannah Collins for an all-access, back-stage experience during WWE’s Monday Night Raw at the Sprint Center in downtown Kansas City. Click here for a recap.

8. Week 9 is Fine

Two nationally televised MLS matches fall on either side of Saturday night’s battle between Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake at Children’s Mercy Park. At 3 p.m. CT Saturday, surging Orlando City SC hosts strugglers Colorado Rapids in an interconference clash on the Univision Deportes Facebook page. At 2 p.m. CT Sunday, high-powered Atlanta United FC hosts D.C. United on FS1 and FOX Deportes. MLSsoccer.com analyst Matthew Doyle shared some of his thoughts on Week 9 — and a lot more — in his latest Twitter mailbag.

9. Pachuca’s Prize

Mexican powerhouse Pachuca won its fifth CONCACAF Champions League title on Wednesday, defeating Tigres UANL 1-0 to claim a 2-1 aggregate victory. And while the Tuzos will have every reason to celebrate the accomplishment, Goal.com’s Jon Arnold points out that the club faces tough decisions about whether to hold onto young stars such as Hirving Lozano and Erick Gutierrez. Transfer dilemmas aside, Wednesday was another crowning moment for U.S. international and Pachuca defender Omar Gonzalez, who previously won three MLS Cups with LA Galaxy. And as ESPN FC’s Tom Marshall writes, Gonzalez just may be laying down a model for Americans in Mexico.

10. Bigger is Better

That’s the saying, isn’t it? And that’s exactly what’s on the minds of the Portland Timbers, who on Wednesday proposed a new, $50 million-plus, privately funded expansion project that would add around 4,000 new seats to Providence Park. The Timbers have sold out every single MLS match at home since joining the league in 2011 and currently have a seaon ticket waiting list of more than 13,000.

11. Seeking Samaritans

Sporting KC and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City are teaming up in 2017 to recognize Blue KC Sporting Samaritans, honoring students and teachers who make the Kansas City community a better place to live, work and play. Once a month, a Samaritan will be recognized on the pitch at Children's Mercy Park before a Sporting KC home game. The Samaritan and up to three guests will receive a behind the scenes VIP experience, four tickets to the game, a parking pass and a $50 gift card redeemable for Sporting KC merchandise. Supporters can nominate members of their community to be the next Blue KC Sporting Samaritan at SportingKC.com/bluekc.

Games to Watch (April 28 - May 1)