Sporting Kansas City at Phoenix Rising FC
2020 Preseason presented by Children's Mercy
Wednesday, Feb. 19 | 8 p.m. CT
Casino Arizona Field | Tempe, Arizona
Live Stream: SportingKC.com for viewers in KC region
Sporting Kansas City's penultimate tune-up for the MLS regular season is slated for 8 p.m. CT against USL Championship club Phoenix Rising FC at Casino Arizona Field in Tempe, Arizona. The contest will stream live on SportingKC.com for viewers in the Kansas City region as Manager Peter Vermes' men continue their Visit Tucson Sun Cup campaign and 2020 preseason, presented by Children's Mercy. Additional in-game updates will be available via the @SportingKC and @SKCMatchday Twitter accounts.
Newly acquired goalkeeper Richard Sanchez and Sporting KC II goalkeeper John Pulskamp combined for a clean sheet in Saturday's Visit Tucson Sun Cup curtain raiser, a 0-0 draw against rivals Real Salt Lake in which Sporting stifled their MLS counterparts and dominated possession. Halftime substitute Johnny Russell nearly broke the deadlock in the early stages of the second half, only to be denied by RSL gloveman David Ochoa.
Sporting already has four exhibition matches in the books, including a pair of 4-0 victories during the first leg of preseason training versus a team of Phoenix Rising FC trialists and MLS outfit FC Cincinnati. Academy products Daniel Salloi and Gianluca Busio both have two goals to their name, while Russell and Roger Espinoza have also opened their preseason scoring accounts.
Vermes gave an hour of playing time to most of his starters on Saturday, with Sanchez shielded by a back four of Matt Besler, Luis Martins, Roberto Puncec and Graham Zusi. The midfield trio consisted of Espinoza, Ilie Sanchez and newcomer Gadi Kinda, and the three-pronged attack saw wingers Salloi and Khiry Shelton flank center forward Alan Pulido.
Led by 2019 USL Championship Coach of the Year Rich Schantz, Rising FC are fresh off a historic campaign that yielded league records for regular season wins, points, goals and goal difference. Among Phoenix's standouts last season was left back Amadou Dia, who has since rejoined Sporting after spending his first stint in Kansas City from 2015-2016.
After facing Phoenix, Sporting will conclude their preseason Saturday against the New York Red Bulls at 3 p.m. CT in Tucson. Vermes' side will then begin their 2020 regular season journey on Feb. 29 when they visit Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Sporting KC 2020 Preseason Schedule
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<strong>Time (CT)<br>
or Result</strong> |
<strong>Location</strong> |
Saturday, Jan. 25 |
Phoenix Rising FC Trialists |
<a href="https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2020/01/25/sporting-kansas-city-cruises-4-0-victory-preseason-opener-against-phoenix-rising"><strong>W 4-0</strong></a> |
Casino Arizona Field;<br>
Tempe, Ariz. |
Saturday, Feb. 1 |
FC Cincinnati |
<a href="https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2020/02/01/recap-sporting-nets-4-0-win-over-fc-cincinnati-end-first-leg-2020-preseason"><strong>W 4-0</strong></a> |
Grande Sports World;<br>
Casa Grande, Ariz. |
Wednesday, Feb. 12 |
Columbus Crew SC |
<a href="https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2020/02/12/recap-sporting-continues-preseason-scrimmage-against-columbus"><strong>L 0-2</strong></a> |
Grande Sports World;<br>
Casa Grande, Ariz. |
Saturday, Feb. 15 |
Real Salt Lake<br>
(Visit Tucson Sun Cup) |
<a href="https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2020/02/15/recap-sporting-and-real-salt-lake-scrap-scoreless-draw-visit-tucson-sun-cup-opener"><strong>T 0-0</strong></a> |
Kino North Stadium;<br>
Tucson, Ariz. |
Wednesday, Feb. 19 |
Phoenix Rising FC<br>
(Visit Tucson Sun Cup) |
8pm |
Casino Arizona Field;<br>
Tempe, Ariz. |
Saturday, Feb. 22 |
New York Red Bulls<br>
(Visit Tucson Sun Cup) |
3pm |
Kino North Stadium;<br>
Tucson, Ariz. |
Sporting KC 2020 Preseason Roster
<strong>#</strong> |
<strong>Player</strong> |
<strong>Position</strong> |
<strong>Age</strong> |
1 |
Richard Sanchez |
Goalkeeper |
25 |
2 |
Botond Barath |
Defender |
27 |
3 |
Andreu Fontas |
Defender |
30 |
4 |
Roberto Puncec |
Defender |
28 |
5 |
Matt Besler |
Defender |
33 |
6 |
Ilie Sanchez |
Midfielder |
29 |
7 |
Johnny Russell |
Forward |
29 |
8 |
Graham Zusi |
Defender |
33 |
9 |
Alan Pulido |
Forward |
28 |
10 |
Felipe Gutierrez |
Midfielder |
29 |
11 |
Khiry Shelton |
Forward |
26 |
12 |
Gerso Fernandes |
Forward |
28 |
13 |
Amadou Dia |
Defender |
26 |
15 |
Roger Espinoza |
Midfielder |
33 |
16 |
Graham Smith |
Defender |
24 |
17 |
Gadi Kinda |
Midfielder |
25 |
19 |
Erik Hurtado |
Forward |
29 |
20 |
Daniel Salloi |
Forward |
23 |
23 |
Tyler Freeman |
Forward |
17 |
26 |
Jaylin Lindsey |
Defender |
19 |
27 |
Gianluca Busio |
Midfielder |
17 |
28 |
Cameron Duke |
Midfielder |
19 |
29 |
Tim Melia |
Goalkeeper |
33 |
36 |
Luis Martins |
Defender |
27 |
Wilson Harris <strong>*</strong> |
Forward |
20 |
|
John Pulskamp <strong>*</strong> |
Goalkeeper |
18 |
|
Kaveh Rad <strong>*</strong> |
Defender |
18 |
|
Camden Riley <strong>*</strong> |
Defender |
23 |
|
Brooks Thompson <strong>*</strong> |
Goalkeeper |
17 |
|
Jake Davis <strong>**</strong> |
Midfielder |
18 |
|
Tucker Lepley <strong>**</strong> |
Midfielder |
18 |
Under contract with Sporting KC II
* Member of Sporting KC Academy
