Starting XI: Independence Day

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.

After putting together a nine-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, Sporting KC fell 2-0 to the Montreal Impact on Saturday night. Montreal snapped their six-game winless drought against Sporting KC in the process. Ignacio Piatti opened the scoring on 54 minutes before Alejandro Silva sealed the result with a 70th-minute spot kick.

2. Besler’s Back

Captain Matt Besler returned to the pitch against the Montreal Impact on Saturday night after missing the last two games due to a hamstring injury. The central defender surpassed Davy Arnaud with his 241st regular-season appearances for Sporting KC on June 9.

3. Ilie an All-Star

Sporting KC midfielder Ilie Sanchez has been named to the MLS All-Star gameday roster, Major League Soccer announced on Friday. Ilie receives MLS All-Star honors for the first time in his career. Now in his second season with Sporting KC, the 27-year-old has played an integral role in helping Sporting KC climb to the top of the Western Conference standings halfway through the 2018 campaign. A native of Barcelona, Spain, Ilie has played every minute in all 19 matches for Sporting KC this season, including 17 MLS fixtures and two victories in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

4. Order Now

SportingStyle has reopened matchday pre-orders today for pickup at Saturday's showdown between Sporting KC and Toronto FC. Fans can shop for a limited assortment of items this week, including the new scarf of the match. The SportingStyle Pop in Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Budweiser Brew House at Children's Mercy Park. Follow @SportingStyle on Twitter and Instagram for sneak peeks of all the latest club apparel.

5. Independence Day

Manager Peter Vermes’ men will have the opportunity to bounce back quickly as the calendar turns to July. Wednesday’s road test against rivals Real Salt Lake will kick off at 9 p.m. CT, with three hours of live coverage at Rio Tinto Stadium beginning at 8:30 p.m. CT on FOX Sports Kansas City Plus and FOX Sports Midwest Plus. Saturday’s home game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT, with a limited number of tickets still available via SeatGeek.com. All fans are welcome to the official watch party for Wednesday’s match at No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District (1370 Grand Blvd.), where food and drink specials will begin at 8:30 p.m. CT.

6. Saturday Night’s All Right

Saturday can’t come soon enough, as the highly anticipated battle between reigning MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield champion Toronto FC and Sporting KC will take place at Children’s Mercy Park. The marquee matchup will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT and supporters in attendance will be treated to a post-game fireworks show. Fans can visit SeatGeek.com for tickets to the game, which will also air live on FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest Plus and FOX Sports GO with radio calls on Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM.

7. Rangers Head West

The Swope Park Rangers were off last week and return to action Thursday with a visit to Seattle Sounders FC 2 in a USL Western Conference clash at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. CT and the match will stream live on ESPN+.

8. No Other Watch Parties

No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District continues to serve as Sporting KC’s World Cup Headquarters as the quadrennial soccer tournament reaches the knockout rounds. No Other Pub will host watch parties for all remaining World Cup matches. Click here for more information about No Other Pub’s World Cup food and drink specials, with matches scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. CT Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

9. King of the Court

Sporting KC will host a King of the Court futsal tournament on Saturday at Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, Kansas (2501 Minnesota Ave.), consisting of 5-v-5 matches for age groups 8-12 and 13-18. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CT, featuring a block party complete with music, yard games, skills challenges, food trucks, music DJs and more. Tournament registration is free for all teams and now open at SportingKC.com/kingofthecourt.

10. Power of Three

GSI Sports and Sporting KC will host the 19th annual Sporting Club 3v3 Classic on Saturday at Stump Park Soccer Complex in Shawnee, Kansas (4751 Woodland Dr.). Games begin at 8 a.m. CT and all teams will receive tickets to Saturday’s contest between Sporting KC and Toronto FC. Select teams will also qualify for the Kick It 3v3 Regional Tournament and the 3v3 Live National Soccer Tour.

11. Rising Stars

Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri, will host the 2017-18 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Championships from July 8-11. A total of 16 matches will be played at Swope Soccer Village with 16 teams vying for national titles as four Development Academy championship matches for the 2017-18 season take place in Kansas City for the first time. Next Sunday’s action begins at 11:30 a.m. CT with the first of four boys’ semifinal matchups at the U-17 and U-19 levels. Click here for more information.

Games to Watch (July 3-5, 2018)