Sporting Kansas City vs. New York Red Bulls
2020 Preseason presented by Children's Mercy
Saturday, Feb. 22 | 3 p.m. CT
Kino North Stadium | Tucson, Arizona
Live Stream: SportingKC.com for viewers in KC region
A pair of MLS originals will conclude their preseason campaigns on Saturday when Sporting Kansas City and the New York Red Bulls lock horns in the Visit Tucson Sun Cup at Kino North Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. The 3 p.m. CT matchup will stream live on SportingKC.com to viewers in the Kansas City and Tucson regions, serving as the sixth and final tune-up of Sporting's 2020 preseason, presented by Children's Mercy.
Led by 12th-year manager Peter Vermes, who enters the new decade as the longest-tenured MLS head coach, Sporting owns a 2-2-1 record in their previous five exhibition matches this winter. After scrapping to a scoreless draw in their Visit Tucson Sun Cup opener last weekend, Sporting took a 2-1 loss to USL Championship side Phoenix Rising FC on Wednesday in a game that saw Johnny Russell break a 0-0 deadlock in the 56th minute. Rising FC rallied with late goals from Santi Moar and Joey Calistri to seal a home win at Casino Arizona Field in Tempe.
Russell is one of four Sporting players to score twice this preseason, joining Academy products Daniel Salloi, Gianluca Busio and Wilson Harris, the last of whom is currently under contract with Sporting Kansas City II. The goalkeeping corps, consisting of Tim Melia, Richard Sanchez and Sporting II's John Pulskamp, has also combined for three shutouts between the posts.
Under the guidance of third-year head coach and former MLS veteran Chris Armas, the Red Bulls are 3-2-2 in preseason play with draws in their first two Visit Tucson Sun Cup fixtures. Midfield playmaker Kaku scored in a 1-1 stalemate with the Houston Dynamo last Saturday and forward Brian White converted in a 1-1 tie with Columbus Crew SC on Wednesday evening.
Interestingly enough, the Red Bulls are one of three Eastern Conference opponents that Sporting will not face during the 2020 regular season alongside D.C. United and expansion outfit Inter Miami CF. This will consequently mark the first season ever that Sporting and New York do not meet in the 25-year history of MLS.
The friendly against New York will give fans their final look at Sporting ahead of the club's 2020 MLS regular season opener at Vancouver Whitecaps FC next Saturday, Feb. 29, slated to kick off at 9:30 p.m. CT with live coverage of FOX Sports Kansas City.
After visiting Vancouver, Vermes' men will return to the friendly confines of Children’s Mercy Park for their highly anticipated home opener against rivals Houston Dynamo at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 7. Tickets for the contest are now available at SeatGeek.com and the first 10,000 fans through the stadium gates will receive a free rally towel courtesy of match sponsor UMB Bank.
Tickets for Sporting’s first 10 home matches of the 2020 season, as well as several multi-game ticket packages, are on sale now at SportingKC.com/tickets.
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) |
<a href="https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2020/02/19/recap-sporting-falls-2-1-preseason-against-phoenix-rising-fc"><strong>L 1-2</strong></a> |
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
