Preview: Sporting meets Columbus on Wednesday as 2020 preseason rolls onward

Sporting Kansas City vs. Columbus Crew SC
2020 Preseason presented by Children's Mercy
Wednesday, Feb. 12 | 12:30 p.m. CT
Grande Sports World | Casa Grande, Arizona

After a week of recuperation in the comfortable confines of Pinnacle, Sporting Kansas City has ventured from the brisk Heartland to the warm Arizona desert for the resumption of preseason training.

With anticipation building for the new MLS campaign, Manager Peter Vermes' men will take the field Wednesday for their third tune-up of 2020 against fellow MLS charter member Columbus Crew SC. Kickoff at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande is slated for 12:30 p.m. CT as Sporting aims to build off a pair of 4-0 victories secured during leg one of the preseason, presented by Children's Mercy.

A promising start in Arizona saw Sporting hammer a team of Phoenix Rising FC trialists on Jan. 25 and MLS outfit FC Cincinnati on Feb. 1. Academy products Daniel Salloi, Gianluca Busio and Wilson Harris scored twice each across the two fixtures, while veterans Roger Espinoza and Johnny Russell also found the back of the net in the comprehensive defeat of Cincinnati earlier this month.

Sporting allowed the second-most goals in MLS last year but have yet to concede through 180 minutes of preseason action. The quartet of Matt Besler, Graham Zusi, Luis Martins and center back newcomer Roberto Puncec have earned backline starts thus far, with the likes of Mexican striker Alan Pulido and Israeli midfielder Gadi Kinda also making their preseason debuts for the club.

Sporting's current preseason squad consists of 31 players, with 24 members of the first team joined by five Sporting KC II players and two Sporting KC Academy standouts. The Sporting KC II contingent includes Harris, goalkeepers John Pulskamp and Brooks Thompson, and center backs Kaveh Rad and Camden Riley. Academy midfielders Jake Davis and Tucker Lepley have also made the trip after training with the first team last month.

Led by second-year head coach Caleb Porter, Crew SC fell short of the playoffs in 2019 and have reinforced their squad then with the high-profile additions of U.S. international midfielder Darlington Nagbe and record signing Lucas Zelarayan. The Argentine attacking midfielder figures to fill the absence left by veteran and fellow countryman Federico Higuain, who starred in Columbus for eight seasons.

Crew SC are unbeaten through three preseason matches thus far, claiming a 5-1 win over Ventura County Fusion followed by a 1-1 tie with Vancouver Whitecaps FC and a 4-1 victory against the San Jose Earthquakes. Portuguese winger Pedro Santos has scored in all three games, having notched 11 goals and six assists during an impressive 2019 MLS campaign.

Following Wednesday's friendly, Sporting will begin preparations for the Visit Tucson Sun Cup, where they will face Real Salt Lake on Saturday, Phoenix Rising FC on Feb. 19 and the New York Red Bulls on Feb. 22. Tickets for all Visit Tucson Sun Cup fixtures are on sale now at FCTucson.com.

Vermes' side will then return to Kansas City ahead of the club's first MLS regular season match at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Feb. 29.

Sporting KC 2020 Preseason Schedule

Sporting KC 2020 Preseason Roster

 Under contract with Sporting KC II
* Member of Sporting KC Academy