Match Notes: Sporting KC at Austin FC | May 18, 2024

SPORTING KANSAS CITY at AUSTIN FC

Sporting Kansas City

2-5-5, 11 points

(1-3-3 home; 1-2-2 away)

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. CT Q2 Stadium (Austin, TX) MLS Regular Season Game 13

T-12th in MLS Western Conference

Austin FC

5-4-4, 19 points

(4-1-2 home; 1-3-2 away) 6th in MLS Western Conference

Apple TV: MLS Season Pass

English Radio: Sports Radio 810 WHB

Spanish Radio: La Grande 1340 AM

Referee: Sergii Boiko

Assistant ref: Jason White

Assistant ref: Nicholas Balcer

4th official: Sergii Demianchuk

VAR: Sorin Stoica

SPORTING KANSAS CITY PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

Dany Rosero danny roh-CERO

6

Nemanja Radoja nem-AHN-ya RAHD-oy-ah 7

Ndenbe en-DEN-bay

Castellanos CASS-tee-YAH-nos

20 FWD Alenis Vargas uh-LEN-iss

21

Felipe Hernandez feh-LEE-pay 22

Zorhan Bassong ZOR-uhn bah-SONG 23 FWD Willy Agada ah-GAH-dah

Ozzie Cisneros (loaned out) sis-NAIR-oce

tommy

Chris Rindov rin-DOVE

29 GK Tim Melia MEE-lia 30 FWD Stephen Afrifa uh-FREE-fuh

Danny Flores 36 GK Ryan Schewe SHAY-way

MID Remi Walter vault-AIR 77 FWD Marinos Tzionis ma-REE-noss JOHN-eese

2024 MLS REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS

2024 REGULAR SEASON TEAM STATS

2024 REGULAR SEASON INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Erik Thommy 4

Memo Rodriguez 3 Erik Thommy 27 Agada, Thommy 10 Davis, Pulido 1 Three Players 1

Erik Thommy 23

Erik Thommy 22

Jake Davis 5 N/A 0

Tim Melia 990 Tim Melia 1.82

Tim Melia 2

COACHES - REGULAR SEASON

SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2024 NUMERICAL ROSTER

NO. PLAYER PRONUNCIATION POS. HT. WT. BIRTHDATE (AGE) HOMETOWN LAST CLUB

1 John Pulskamp GK 6-4 210 04/19/2001 (23) Bakersfield, CA Sporting KC II (USL Championship)

3 Andreu Fontas ahn-DRAY-oo DEF 6-2 200 11/14/1989 (34) Banyoles, Spain Celta Vigo (Spain)

4 Robert Voloder VOLO-derr DEF 6-0 170 05/09/2001 (23) Frankfurt, Germany NK Maribor (Slovenia)

5 Dany Rosero danny roh-CERO DEF 6-2 205 10/06/1993 (30) Bogota, Colombia Atletico Junior (Colombia)

6 Nemanja Radoja nem-AHN-ya RAHD-oy-ya MID 6-0 175 02/06/1993 (31) Novi Sad, Serbia Levante (Spain)

7 Johnny Russell FWD 5-9 175 04/08/1990 (34) Glasgow, Scotland Derby County FC (England)

8 Memo Rodriguez MID 5-8 155 12/27/1995 (28) El Campo, TX Austin FC (MLS)

9 Alan Pulido ah-LAHN pooh-LEE-doh FWD 5-10 170 03/08/1991 (33) Ciudad Victoria, Mexico Chivas Guadalajara (Mexico)

10 Daniel Salloi shallow-EE FWD 6-1 160 07/19/1996 (27) Budapest, Hungary Sporting KC Academy

11 Khiry Shelton KY-ree FWD 6-3 190 06/26/1993 (30) Austin, TX SC Paderborn 07 (Germany)

14 Tim Leibold LIE-bold DEF 5-9 170 11/30/1993 (30) Friolzheim, Germany Hamburger SV (Germany)

17 Jake Davis DEF 5-9 160 01/03/2002 (22) Rochester, MI Sporting KC II (USL Championship)

18 Logan Ndenbe en-DEN-bay DEF 5-8 180 02/09/2000 (24) La Louviere, Belgium EA Guingamp (France)

19 Robert Castellanos CASS-tee-YAH-nos DEF 6-1 195 05/11/1998 (26) Palmdale, CA KuPS (Finland)

20 Alenis Vargas uh-LEN-iss FWD 6-1 160 12/04/2003 (20) San Pedro Sula, Honduras Sporting KC II (MLS NEXT Pro)

21 Felipe Hernandez feh-LEE-pay MID 5-7 140 06/08/1998 (25) Nashville, TN Sporting KC II (USL Championship)

22 Zorhan Bassong ZOR-uhn bah-SONG DEF 5-9 175 05/07/1999 (25) Montreal, Canada Farul Constanta (Romania)

23 Willy Agada ah-GAH-dah FWD 5-9 185 09/17/1999 (24) Bauchi, Nigeria Hapoel Jerusalem (Israel)

24 Kayden Pierre DEF 5-9 155 02/16/2003 (21) Bloomfield Hills, MI Sporting KC Academy

25 Ozzie Cisneros (loaned out) sis-NAIR-oce MID 5-5 140 03/13/2004 (20) Omaha, NE Sporting KC Academy

26 Erik Thommy tommy MID 5-8 155 08/20/1994 (29) Wettenhausen, Germany VfB Stuttgart (Germany)

28 Chris Rindov rin-DOVE DEF 6-2 185 10/08/2001 (22) Rockville, MD

29 Tim Melia MEE-lia GK 6-1 215 05/15/1986 (38) Great River, NY Chivas USA (MLS)

30 Stephen Afrifa uh-FREE-fuh FWD 5-10 155 02/19/2001 (23) Toronto, Canada

31 Danny Flores MID 5-9 150 04/06/2002 (22) Half Moon Bay, CA Oakland Roots (USL Championship)

36 Ryan Schewe SHAY-way GK 6-3 195 03/08/2002 (22) Marietta, GA

54 Remi Walter vault-AIR MID 5-8 165 04/26/1995 (29) Essey-les-Nancy, France Yeni Malatyaspor (Turkey)

77 Marinos Tzionis ma-REE-noss JOHN-eese FWD 5-7 155 07/16/2001 (22) Nicosia, Cyprus Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus)

SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2024 ALPHABETICAL ROSTER

30 Stephen Afrifa uh-FREE-fuh FWD 5-10 155 02/19/2001 (23) Toronto, Canada Florida International University

23 Willy Agada ah-GAH-dah FWD 5-9 185 09/17/1999 (24) Bauchi, Nigeria

22 Zorhan Bassong ZOR-uhn bah-SONG DEF 5-9 175 05/07/1999 (25) Toronto, Canada

19 Robert Castellanos CASS-tee-YAH-nos DEF 6-1 195 05/11/1998 (26) Palmdale, CA

25 Ozzie Cisneros (loaned out) sis-NAIR-oce MID 5-5 140 03/13/2004 (20) Omaha, NE

17 Jake Davis DEF 5-9 160 01/03/2002 (22) Rochester, MI

31 Danny Flores MID 5-9 150 04/06/2002 (22) Burlingame, CA Virginia Tech

3 Andreu Fontas ahn-DRAY-oo DEF 6-2 200 11/14/1989 (34) Banyoles, Spain

21 Felipe Hernandez feh-LEE-pay MID 5-7 140 06/08/1998 (25) Ibague, Colombia

14 Tim Leibold LIE-bold DEF 5-9 170 11/30/1993 (30) Boblingen, Germany

29 Tim Melia MEE-lia GK 6-1 215 05/15/1986 (38) Great River, NY Lynn University

18 Logan Ndenbe en-DEN-bay DEF 5-8 180 02/09/2000 (24) La Louviere, Belgium

24 Kayden Pierre DEF 5-9 155 02/16/2003 (21) Rochester Hills, MI

9 Alan Pulido ah-LAHN pooh-LEE-doh FWD 5-10 170 03/08/1991 (33) Ciudad Victoria, Mexico

1 John Pulskamp GK 6-4 210 04/19/2001 (23) Bakersfield, CA

6 Nemanja Radoja nem-AHN-ya RAHD-oy-ya MID 6-0 175 02/06/1993 (31) Novi Sad, Serbia

28 Chris Rindov rin-DOVE DEF 6-2 185 10/08/2001 (22) Silver Spring, MD University of Maryland

8 Memo Rodriguez MID 5-8 155 12/27/1995 (28) Wharton, TX

5 Dany Rosero danny roh-CERO DEF 6-2 205 10/06/1993 (29) Bogota, Colombia

7 Johnny Russell FWD 5-9 175 04/08/1990 (34) Glasgow, Scotland

10 Daniel Salloi shallow-EE FWD 6-1 160 07/19/1996 (27) Siofok, Hungary

36 Ryan Schewe SHAY-way GK 6-3 195 03/08/2002 (22) Marietta, GA Georgetown University

11 Khiry Shelton KY-ree FWD 6-3 190 06/26/1993 (30) Colorado Springs, CO Oregon State University

26 Erik Thommy tommy MID 5-8 155 08/20/1994 (29) Ulm, Germany

77 Marinos Tzionis ma-REE-noss JOHN-eese FWD 5-7 155 07/16/2001 (22) Nicosia, Cyprus

20 Alenis Vargas uh-LEN-iss FWD 6-1 160 12/04/2003 (20) San Pedro Sula, Honduras

4 Robert Voloder VOLO-derr DEF 6-0 170 05/09/2001 (23) Frankfurt, Germany

54 Remi Walter vault-AIR MID 5-8 165 04/26/1995 (29) Essey-les-Nancy, France

#ATXvSKC: HEAD-TO-HEAD

Sporting Kansas City (2-5-5, 11 pts.) is back on the road this weekend with a trip to take on Austin FC (5-4-4, 19 pts.) at Q2 Stadium on Saturday night. Sporting is looking to snap a six-game winless run and three-game losing streak in MLS play while Austin is coming off a 1-0 home win over Houston Dynamo FC on Wednesday night.

The two sides split the season series in 2023, each winning their home match. First, Sporting claimed a 4-1 victory at Children’s Mercy Park on June 10, 2023 with Alan Pulido producing a Player of the Matchday performance with two goals and an assist in the match, while Robert Castellanos and Khiry Shelton also got on the scoresheet.

The return fixture took place on July 15, 2023 at Q2 Stadium down in Texas. The hosts raced into an early two-goal lead behind strikes from Gyasi Zardes and Ethan Finlay and despite Dany Rosero reducing the deficit with a bullet header in the 33rd minute, Sporting was unable to find an equalizer and fell to a 2-1 defeat.

Sporting trails the all-time season series 2-4-1 against Austin since the Texans joined MLS in 2021, including a winless 0-3-0 record at Q2 Stadium.

#ATXvSKC: Recent Meetings (Austin leads 4-2-1 in regular season)

Date Score Result Details

07/15/2023

06/10/2023

08/13/2022

07/30/2022

KC 1 at ATX 2 L Rosero tallies consolation as Sporting falls on the road

KC 4 vs ATX 1 W Pulido (2), Castellanos and Shelton score in dominant win

KC 3 at ATX 4 L Goals from Fontas, Agada & Russell not enough in loss

#ATXvSKC: BY THE NUMBERS

Sporting KC Team Notes

• Sporting is on a six-match winless run since the start of April with a 0-4-2 record. It is the club’s longest winless drought since opening the 2023 campaign 0-7-3 before rallying to make the postseason and beat top-seeded St. Louis City SC in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.

• Sporting is tied for third in MLS with 19 non-penalty goals this season.

• Sporting leads MLS with five goals from outside the box and has taken 50% of its shot attempts from outside the box, the highest percentage in MLS.

• Sporting has scored seven goals off set pieces this season, tied for the third most in MLS.

• Sporting has outperformed its expected goal total by 5.9 goals this season, the third most in MLS (19 goals scored, 13.1 expected goals).

• Sporting ranks second in MLS in shooting accuracy at 39.9%, with 59 shots on target from 148 total shot attempts.

• Sporting has conceded five goals in five away matches and 16 goals in seven home matches during the 2024 regular season.

• Sporting has outscored opponents 16-8 through the 64th minute and been outscored 13-3 from the 65th minute onward during the 2024 regular season.

• Sporting has dropped 14 points from winning positions this season, the most in MLS.

• Sporting has conceded the first goal in four straight matches across all competitions after doing so just once in the first nine games of 2024.

KC 0 vs ATX 2 L Duke sent off in first half before Ring and Driussi win it for ATX 11/03/2021

KC 1 at ATX 3 L Russell nabs consolation after Driussi, Cascante & Stroud goals

#ATXvSKC: PLAYER HISTORY

• Forward Johnny Russell leads the team with two goals and two assists vs. Austin. He set up a goals in the 2-1 home win on May 9, 2021 and the 1-1 home draw on June 12, 2021. He scored in the 3-1 road loss on Nov. 3, 2021 and the 4-3 road loss on Aug. 13, 2022.

• Forward Alan Pulido has two goals and one assist against Austin, all coming in the 4-1 home win on June 10, 2023.

• Forward Daniel Salloi has one goal and one assist once against Austin, tallying the equalizer in the 1-1 home draw on June 12, 2021 and an assist in the 2-1 road loss on July 15, 2023.

• Forward Khiry Shelton has recorded one goal and one assist against Austin FC, first setting up the late winner in the 2-1 home win on May 9, 2021 before scoring against his hometown team in the 4-1 home win on on June 10, 2023.

• Defender Andreu Fontas has one goal against Austin, scoring the opener in the 4-3 road loss on Aug. 13, 2022.

• Forward Willy Agada has scored once against Austin, coming in the 4-3 road loss on Aug. 13, 2022.

• Defender Robert Castellanos has one goal against Austin, tallying the gamewinner in the 4-1 home win on June 10, 2023.

• Defender Dany Rosero has scored once against Austin, coming in the 2-1 road loss on July 15, 2023.

• Midfielder Erik Thommy has one assist vs. Austin, tallying the secondary assist on the game-winner in the 4-1 home win on June 10, 2023.

• Defender Tim Leibold has one assist against Austin, coming in the 4-1 home win on June 10, 2023.

• Defender Robert Voloder has one assist against Austin, coming in the 4-1 home win on June 10, 2023.

• Goalkeeper Tim Melia is 0-1-1 all-time against Austin FC, with a 2.00 goals against average.

• Goalkeeper John Pulskamp is 1-2-0 all-time against Austin FC with a 2.33 goals against average.

• Midfielder Memo Rodriguez spent the second half of the 2023 season with Austin FC, tallying one assist in nine appearances.

• Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff spent two stints with the Kansas City Wizards during his playing career (2003-2006, 2008-2010) and was inducted to the Sporting Legends hall of honor in 2019.

• Austin FC assistant coach Davy Arnaud spent 10 seasons with the Kansas City Wizards/Sporting KC from 2002-2011 and was inducted to the Sporting Legends hall of honor in 2022.

• Austin FC forward Diego Rubio spent three seasons with Sporting KC from 2016-2018, tallying 20 goals and 10 assists in 65 appearances across all competitions.

• Prior to becoming a MLS league pool goalkeeper, Tim Melia was under contract with Chivas USA in 2013 when Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver was assigned to the club as the league pool goalkeeper at the time.

• Defender Dany Rosero played alongside Austin’s Jhojan Valencia at Colombian side Deportivo Cali from 2017-2019.

• Midfielder Erik Thommy played alongside Austin’s Alex Ring while on loan at FC Kaiserslautern in 2015.

• Forward Khiry Shelton played with Austin goalkeeper Matt Bersano at Oregon State from 2011-2014 and midfielder Alex Ring at New York City FC in 2017.

• Defender Andreu Fontas was in the FC Barcelona Academy while Austin’s Sporting Director Rodolfo Borrell was a youth coach there from 2007-2009.

• Forward Khiry Shelton was at Oregon State in 2013 while Austin assistant coach Terry Boss was an assistant there, while goalkeeper coach Alec Dufty played with Boss at the New York Red Bulls in 2009.

• Austin FC head athletic trainer Satoshi Iida spent four years with Sporting KC as an assistant athletic trainer from 2017-2020.

Sporting KC Player Notes

• Forward Daniel Salloi opened his 2024 scoring account last Saturday in a 2-1 home loss to Houston, passing Chris Klein for fourth most goal contributions in club history across all competitions. Salloi has 98 goal contributions (59 goals, 39 assists) in 227 career appearances for the club.

• Midfielder Memo Rodriguez assisted Salloi’s goal last Saturday and has a team-best three assists this season.

• Forward Alan Pulido has scored a goal in three of his last five matches and is tied for the team lead with four goals this season in all competitions.

• Defender Jake Davis ranks third in MLS in blocks (21) and 10th in dribblers tackled (17).

Austin FC Team Notes

• Austin is 5-2-1 in its last eight MLS matches after opening the season winless in five (0-2-3).

• Austin has won four straight home matches at Q2 Stadium after taking two draws and a loss from its first three home games this season.

• Austin has scored 14 of its 16 goals at home this season. The team is averaging 2.0 goals per home game and 0.33 goals per away game.

• Austin went 307 minutes without allowing a goal from April 20 to May 4, the second longest shutout streak in MLS this season.

• Austin has scored 13 of its 16 goals in the second half this season. Austin has been outscored 6-3 in the first half and outscored opponents 14-10 in the second half, including a 9-5 advantage in the final 30 minutes

• Austin’s three first-half goals are the fewest in MLS

• Eleven of Austin’s 13 matches this season have been decided by one or fewer goals. The team has four wins and three losses in one-goal games.

• Austin has been outshot 215-112 this season, the worst shot discrepancy in MLS at -103.

• Austin ranks last in MLS in shot attempts per game (8.6) and shots on target per game (2.9). Their 16.5 shots faced per game are second most in MLS.

• Austin ranks last in MLS with an expected goal total of 13.06.

Austin FC Player Notes

• Goalkeeper Brad Stuver is tied for the MLS lead in shutouts (five) and leads the league in saves (65).

• Defender Julio Cascante has received six yellow cards this season, tied for the most in MLS.

• Midfielder Sebastian Driussi leads Austin with four goals this season, including goals in each of his last two matches.

• Midfielder Alex Ring leads Austin in assists (four) and key passes (16).

• Forward Diego Rubio is second on the team with three goals this season. Rubio had 20 goals and 10 assists in a three-year stint for Sporting from 2016-2018.

NOTEWORTHY MILESTONES

• Forward Daniel Salloi has appeared in 64 straight regular season matches since June 2022, one shy of passing Ilie Sanchez for the fourth longest streak in club history (Chris Brown 80, Mark Chung 74, Davy Arnaud 67, Ilie Sanchez 64).

SPORTING KANSAS CITY NEWS AND NOTES

LOOKING TO SNAP LEAGUE WINLESS RUN

Sporting Kansas City had an opportunity to catch their collective breath this week following a hectic previous spell that saw the team play 210 minutes in the space of four days last week. Sporting went the full 120 minutes last Wednesday in their 2-1 win over Union Omaha in the U.S. Open Cup before falling 2-1 to Houston Dynamo FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night.

Sporting will look to enter this weekend’s match against Austin FC at Q2 Stadium down in Texas refreshed and ready to turn the club’s form around, having gone winless in their last six MLS matches (0-4-2) since beating Toronto FC 3-1 at BMO Field on March 30. Austin are coming off a midweek match of their own, having earned a late 1-0 victory over Houston at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday night.

Sporting are currently in a tie for 12th place in the Western Conference with 11 points, five points out of the ninth and final playoff position. Heading into this weekend’s slate of matches, Sporting leads the league in goals scored from outside the area (5) and in percentage of shots taken outside the area (50%), while the team is also tied for third in MLS in set piece goals scored (7).

ATTACKING AUSTIN

Sporting Kansas City hits the road this weekend to take on Austin FC at Q2 Stadium down in Texas looking to right the ship after going winless in their last six league games. Austin is coming off a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Houston Dynamo FC at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday night, with star midfielder Sebastian Driussi finding a late winner midweek.

The two sides split the season series in 2023, with each team claiming victory at home. First, Sporting cruised to a 4-1 victory at Children’s Mercy Park on June 10, 2023 behind a brace from Alan Pulido and further goals from Robert Castellanos and Khiry Shelton. Pulido was named MLS Player of the Matchday following his performance.

Sporting last paid a visit to Q2 Stadium in Austin on July 15, 2023 at the end of a busy stretch that saw the team play three matches in seven days and a rotated lineup fell to a 2-1 defeat. Gyasi Zardes and Ethan Finlay gave Austin an early two-goal lead before Dany Rosero pulled a goal back off Daniel Salloi’s corner midway through the first half, but Sporting was unable to find the equalizer.

Sporting is yet to enjoy any success at Q2 Stadium, having lost on all three visits since Austin joined MLS as an expansion team in 2021. Sporting trails the all-time series 2-41, with a winning 2-1-1 mark at home and a 0-3-0 mark on the road.

SALLOI OPENS ACCOUNT IN 2024

Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi got off the mark in 2024 this past weekend, finding the back of the net in the second half of Sporting’s 2-1 loss to Houston Dynamo FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night.

In the 61st minute, Salloi received a pass from Memo Rodriguez 20 yards from goal and turned on a dime before rifling the ball into the bottom corner beyond a sprawling Steve Clark in the Houston goal.

Salloi now has 98 goal contributions (59 goals, 39 assists) for Sporting in all competitions, passing Chris Klein for sole possession of fourth most in club history. The goal was also the 69th of his professional career.

Salloi, who is 12th in Sporting KC history with 227 appearances in all competitions, ranks fourth in club history in both regular season goals (46) and goals across all competitions (59).

RODRIGUEZ SHINES vs. FORMER CLUB

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Memo Rodriguez enjoyed a fine outing against his former club Houston Dynamo FC in the club’s 2-1 loss at Children’s Mercy Park last Saturday night.

Rodriguez proved to be a key driving force in Sporting’s midfield on Saturday night, consistently providing bite and intensity in the middle of the field. In the 61st minute, Rodriguez set up Daniel Salloi for the equalizing goal after striding forward from midfield, marking his team-leading third assist of the MLS season.

Rodriguez, who spent the first eight years of his professional career with the Dynamo after coming through the club’s Academy, had previously set up both of Dany Rosero’s goals this season off corner kicks.

The 28-year-old will face another former team this weekend, having spent the second half of the 2023 season with Austin FC following a trade with the LA Galaxy. He made nine appearances and tallied one assist before leaving the club and joining Sporting as a free agent in the offseason.

SPORTING TO HOST FC TULSA IN OPEN CUP ROUND OF 16

Sporting Kansas City earned a thrilling 2-1 road win at Union Omaha last Wednesday in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and has advanced to host FC Tulsa at 7:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, May 21 at Children’s Mercy Park.

Led by first-year head coach Mario Sanchez – a former draft pick of the Kansas City Wizards in 1998 – FC Tulsa and Sporting Kansas City will meet for the first time in each club’s history. FC Tulsa competes in the USL Championship and has reached the Round of 16 for the first time after a 1-0 victory over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Tuesday.

Sporting Kansas City rallied for a 2-1 comeback victory in Omaha last week as Marinos Tzionis equalized in the second half to force extra time and Alan Pulido came off the bench to score the latest goal in club history with a 120th-minute game-winner.

Sporting Kansas City is one of six remaining Major League Soccer teams in a Round of 16 field that features 10 teams from leagues in the lower divisions of American soccer.

U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TO PLAY FINAL PREP MATCH AT CMP

The U.S. Men’s Olympic Soccer Team will face Asian champion Japan at 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday, June 11 at Children’s Mercy Park in the team’s final preparation match before the USA heads to France for the 2024 Olympics, U.S. Soccer announced last Friday.

The U.S. Men’s Olympic Team is returning to the Olympics this summer for the first time since 2008 and serves as an important part of U.S. Soccer’s mission to develop winning teams. The Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament is restricted to players under the age of 23, with each team allowed three overage players on its roster.

In a marquee opening game of the tournament, the USA will kick off its Olympic return on July 24 against host France before taking on New Zealand on July 27 and Guinea on July 30.

SKC II & AVILA RISE TO OCCASION

Sporting Kansas City II forward Beto Avila was named the MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matcweek 9 after bagging his second brace of the season in a 2-1 win over Colorado Rapids 2 on Sunday at Rock Chalk Park. Avila’s brace helped Sporting KC II mount a late, second half comeback and get them back into the win column.

In another two-goal performance against Colorado, Avila found the back of the net in the 72nd to even the score and then buried the winner in the 83rd. Both goals were assisted by midfielder Kamron Habibullah as the dynamic duo continues to propel the highestscoring offense in MLS NEXT Pro.

In his first season with SKC II, the forward has scored several important goals, firing the leveler at Dynamo Dos in the opening match of the campaign, a pair of goals to spark a comeback at Rapids 2 in April and Sunday’s brace also against Colorado. The striker ranks second on the team in goals scored with five and has added one assist.

QUOTES: #SKCvHOU

Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes

On Houston taking advantage of their chances…

There’s a little bit of that, but I would take a step back. I would say first, the two goals we gave up, they’re atrocious in my opinion. I’m the head coach so I have to take responsibility for it. But the organization is always put together on set pieces. It’s a simple situation. For us to give up that goal the way we did is amateur at best. The second goal is a lack of effort. And it’s really easy to see who those people are. A lack of effort to get back there because their player ran by a couple of ours. That’s not Sporting Kansas City mentality. It’s not. I have a real problem with that aspect of it. I’ll be dealing with that very quickly because that’s just unacceptable to me. If there’s one thing that I can’t put up with, that is the lack of effort on plays. The other thing is we have a responsibility to our fans when they come into this place to leave your heart on the field and to leave your blood, sweat and tears on the field. I think certain guys do that and I think certain guys don’t. If I have to make the changes within the starting lineup then I will do that. It’s unfortunate. Now, I’m going to go back to your question. In the first half, we had some incredible opportunities where we turned them over in their half but our decision making was very poor. We’re shooting from 35 yards out when we can actually dribble right into goal. We stole one and we shoot and Willy (Agada) is wide open. If you just give it to him, he’s walking in 1v1 with the goalkeeper. Decision making, that part of it has to always get better. That’s something that you’re always working on. But you also have to be able to take advantage of the things that you have created for yourself. That’s why I go back to those situations. We won the ball. We turned them over in the first half. We should have scored two goals easily, if not three, based on some of the opportunities that we turned them over on. Did they finish their chances? Sure, but they were both just terrible, terrible defending on our part.”

SPORTING KANSAS CITY TRANSACTION TRACKER

Players In Players Out

DEF - Zorhan Bassong (Signed as Free Agent - Dec. 12, 2023)

FWD - Alenis Vargas (Acquired from Futbol Consultants Desamparados - Dec. 15, 2023)

MID - Memo Rodriguez (Signed as Free Agent - Feb. 1, 2024)

GK - Ryan Schewe (MLS SuperDraft Selection - Feb. 5, 2024)

GK - Kendall McIntosh (Out of Contract - Dec. 1, 2023)

DEF - Kortne Ford (Option Declined - Dec. 1, 2023)

DEF - Graham Zusi (Option Declined - Dec. 1, 2023)

MID - Cam Duke (Out of Contract - Dec. 1, 2023)

MID - Roger Espinoza (Option Declined - Dec. 1, 2023)

MID - Felipe Gutierrez (Option Declined / Retired - Dec. 1, 2023)

MID - Gadi Kinda (Out of Contract - Dec. 1, 2023)

MID - Ozzie Cisneros (Loaned to Carolina Core FC - April 16, 2024)

SPORTING KANSAS CITY TRANSACTION TIMELINE

DATE IN/OUT DETAILS

Dec. 1: OUT Sporting KC declines options on defenders Kortne Ford and Graham Zusi along with midfielders Roger Espinoza and Felipe Gutierrez. In addition, goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh and midfielders Cam Duke and Gadi Kinda are out of contract.

Dec. 12: IN Sporting KC signs free agent defender Zorhan Bassong, most recently with Farul Constanta (Romania).

Dec. 15: IN Sporting KC acquires forward Alenis Vargas in a transfer from Futbol Consultants Desamparados (Costa Rica). Vargas had spent the 2023 season on loan with Sporting KC II (MLS NEXT Pro).

Feb. 1: IN Sporting KC signs free agent midfielder Memo Rodriguez, most recently with Austin FC (MLS).

Feb. 5: IN Sporting KC signs goalkeeper Ryan Schewe, the club’s first round pick (22nd overall) in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft out of Georgetown.

April 16: OUT Sporting KC loans midfielder Ozzie Cisneros to Carolina Core FC (MLS NEXT Pro) for the remainder of the 2024 season.

CONSTRUCTING SPORTING KANSAS CITY

Johnny Russell (1/31/18)

Andreu Fontas (8/8/18)

2020 Khiry Shelton (12/9/19) Alan Pulido (12/10/19)

2021 Remi Walter (12/22/20)

2022 Logan Ndenbe (1/14/22)

Robert Voloder (1/19/22)

Marinos Tzionis (1/24/22)

Willy Agada (6/23/22)

Erik Thommy (6/23/22)

2023 Stephen Afrifa (1st Round - #8) Chris Rindov (2nd Round - #37) Nemanja Radoja (10/26/22) Tim Leibold (1/12/23)

Robert Castellanos (2/17/23) Dany Rosero (3/2/23)

2024 Ryan Schewe (1st Round - #22) Zorhan Bassong (12/12/23) Alenis Vargas (12/15/23)

Danny Flores (1/13/23)

Memo Rodriguez (2/1/24)

Daniel Salloi (1/13/16)

Felipe Hernandez (8/30/19)

John Pulskamp (2/24/20)

Ozzie Cisneros (1/20/21) Kayden Pierre (5/4/21) Jake Davis (8/19/21)

SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2024 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

Saturday, February 24 at Houston Dynamo FC

SATURDAY, MARCH 2 PHILADELPHIA UNION

Saturday, March 9 at Los Angeles FC

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 LA GALAXY

Saturday, March 30 at Toronto FC

SUNDAY, APRIL 7 PORTLAND TIMBERS

SATURDAY, APRIL 13 INTER MIAMI CF

SATURDAY, APRIL 20 ST. LOUIS

April 27 at Minnesota United FC

Saturday, May 4 at Real Salt Lake

Wednesday, May 8 at Union Omaha

T 1-1 Thommy

3-1 Walter, Davis, Vargas

T 3-3 AGADA (2), ROSERO

(2)

Tzionis, Pulido SATURDAY, MAY 11

May 18 at Austin FC

TUESDAY, MAY 21 FC TULSA

CUP

P.M. MLSSOCCER.COM Saturday, May 25 at Portland Timbers

MAY 29 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC

June 1 at

JUNE

June 15 at LA Galaxy

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19 REAL SALT LAKE

June 22 at Columbus Crew

JUNE 29

July 4 at Colorado

JULY 7 FC DALLAS

July 13 at San Jose Earthquakes

July 17 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC

JULY 20

AUGUST 5

AUGUST 24

September 7 at New York Red Bulls

September 15 at Seattle Sounders FC

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

September 28 at St.

OCTOBER 5 LOS ANGELES FC

October 19 at FC Dallas

2024 REFEREE LOG (MLS REGULAR SEASON)

2024 VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE LOG (MLS REGULAR SEASON)

Feb. 24, 2024 at HOU Jaime Herrera

Ian Anderson HOU Goal Overturned - No Goal

Brad Smith heads the ball into the bottom corner off a cross from Coco Carrasquilla. After reviewing the play, referee Jaime Herrera overturns his original decision and disallows the goal because Carrasquilla was offside in the build-up.

March 16, 2024 vs. SJ Amin Hadzic

Ian Anderson SJ Goal Overturned - No Goal

Rodrigues fires the ball home from close range after a free kick is deflected into his path. After reviewing the play, referee Amin Hadzic overturns his original decision and disallows the goal due to handball because the ball came off the arm of Vitor Costa.

March 23, 2024 vs. LA Aleksandar Zhelyazkov Shawn Tehini LA No Goal Overturned - Goal

Marky Delgado fires home at the far post after the ball had been tipped into his path, but the flag goes up for offside. After reviewing the play, referee Aleksandar Zhelyazkov overturns his original decision and allows the goal because Delgado was onside.

SPORTING KC MISCELLANEOUS STATS

2024 Regular-Season Record When...

Scoring first goal 1-2-4

Conceding first goal 1-3-0

Leading at halftime 1-1-2

Tied at halftime 1-2-2

Trailing at halftime 0-2-1

Scoring 0 goals 0-1-1

Scoring 1 goal 0-2-2

Scoring 2 goals 1-2-0

Scoring 3 goals 1-0-2

Scoring 4+ goals 0-0-0

Allowing 0 goals 0-0-1

Allowing 1 goal 2-1-2

Allowing 2 goals 0-2-0

Allowing 3 goals 0-2-2

Allowing 4+ goals 0-0-0

Wearing Sporting blue 2-3-3

Wearing Argyle 0-2-2

Wearing Parley 0-0-0

Leading at 75’ 2-0-2

Tied at 75’ 0-3-3

Trailing at 75’ 0-2-0

Outshooting opponent 1-1-2

Outshot by opponent 1-2-2

Shots even 0-2-1

Shutouts 0-1-1

One-goal games 1-5-0

Day games (before 5 p.m.) 0-0-1

Games 5 p.m. CT or later 2-5-4

Temperature below 75 2-4-5

With SKC red card 0-0-0

With opponent red card 0-0-0

In Pacific time zone 0-0-1

In Mountain time zone 0-1-0

In Central time zone 1-4-4

In Eastern time zone 1-0-0

vs. Western Conference 1-4-4 vs. Eastern Conference 1-1-1

On grass 2-5-5

On turf 0-0-0

With zero subs 0-0-1

With one sub 0-1-1 With two subs 0-1-1

With three subs 1-1-1 With four subs 1-2-0 With five subs 0-0-1 With six subs 0-0-0

Regular Season Record By Month

Feb. 2024 0-0-1

Feb. all-time 1-2-1

March 2024 2-1-2

March all-time 27-16-15

April 2024 0-2-2

April all-time 46-47-25

May 2024 0-2-0

May all-time 47-56-31

June 2024 0-0-0

June all-time 48-36-31

July 2024 0-0-0

July all-time 59-48-32

Aug. 2024 0-0-0

Aug. all-time 56-55-22

Sept. 2024 0-0-0

Sept. all-time 43-53-23

Oct. 2024 0-0-0

Oct. all-time 34-21-19

Nov. 2024 0-0-0

Nov. all-time 1-2-0

Regular Season Team-By-Team (in 2024)

vs. Atlanta United FC 1-2-1 (0-0-0)

vs. Austin FC 2-4-1 (0-0-0)

vs. Charlotte FC 0-0-0 (0-0-0)

vs. Chicago Fire FC 19-28-12 (0-0-0)

vs. Colorado Rapids 29-26-19 (0-0-0)

vs. Columbus Crew 26-22-9 (0-0-0)

vs. D.C. United 22-22-13 (0-0-0)

vs. FC Cincinnati 1-0-1 (0-0-0)

vs. FC Dallas 28-30-14 (0-0-0)

vs. Houston Dynamo FC 14-14-16 (0-1-1)

vs. Inter Miami CF 0-2-0 (0-1-0)

vs. Los Angeles FC 4-6-2 (0-0-1)

vs. LA Galaxy 26-27-18 (0-1-0)

vs. Minnesota United FC 11-5-4 (0-1-0)

vs. CF Montreal 8-5-3 (0-0-0)

vs. Nashville SC 2-2-0 (0-0-0)

vs. NE Revolution 25-20-12 (0-0-0)

vs. New York City FC 2-3-1 (0-0-0)

vs. New York Red Bulls 22-22-14 (0-0-0)

vs. Orlando City SC 2-3-2 (0-0-0)

vs. Philadelphia Union 6-6-7 (0-0-1)

vs. Portland Timbers 9-7-7 (0-0-1)

vs. Real Salt Lake 13-17-9 (0-1-0)

vs. St. Louis 1-2-1 (0-0-1)

vs. SJ Earthquakes 31-26-10 (1-0-0)

vs. Seattle Sounders FC 11-12-4 (0-0-0)

vs. Toronto FC 15-4-8 (1-0-0)

vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 12-6-5 (0-0-0)

Regular Season Home, Away & Neutral

Overall All-time 364-337-199

2024 at home 1-3-3

All-time at home 236-121-92

2024 on road 1-2-2

All-time on road

SPORTING KC IN 2024 (MLS REGULAR SEASON)

Quickest Goal... Erik Thommy (4/13 vs. MIA) - 6th Minute

Quickest Goal Against... Michael Boxall (4/27 at

Game-winning goals after 75’...

Game-tying goals after 75’...

Game-winning goals against after 75’... Mark Delgado (3/23 vs. LA) - 80th Minute Chicho Arango (5/4 at RSL) - 81st Minute Ibrahim Aliyu (5/11 vs. HOU) - 78th Minute

Game-tying goals against after 75’... Alejandro Bedoya (3/2 vs. PHI) - 95+ Minute Eric Miller (4/7 vs. POR) - 81st

SPORTING KC ALL-TIME WIN/LOSS RECORDS IN COMPETITIVE MATCHES

2024 MLS REGULAR SEASON TEAM STATS

SPORTING KC 2024 MLS REGULAR SEASON BOX SCORES

Feb. 24, 2024: Houston Dynamo 1-1 Sporting KC

MLS Regular Season | Shell Energy Stadium | Houston, TX Attendance: 18,818 Weather: 69 degrees and clear

Sporting KC (0-0-1, 1 point)

Houston Dynamo (0-0-1, 1 point)

Sporting KC Houston Dynamo FC GK Melia GK Clark (C)

D Davis D Dorsey

D Rosero D Sviatchenko

D Fontas D Micael

D Leibold (Bassong 74’) D Schmitt

M Radoja M Artur

M Thommy (Rodriguez 74’) M Carrasquilla

M Walter M Raines (Gregus 67’)

F Russell (C) (Afrifa 59’) F Kowalczyk

F Pulido (Agada 59’) F Aliyu

F Salloi (Vargas 86’) F Smith (Segal 67’)

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Tarbell (GK)

Castellanos Awodesu

Voloder Sargeant

Hernandez Steres Gonzalez Sylla Gyamfi

Scoring Summary:

SKC - Erik Thommy 1 (Unassisted) 61’

HOU - Gabe Segal 1 (Ibrahim Aliyu 1, Coco Carrasquilla 1) 69’

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Johnny Russell (Yellow Card; Dissent) 57’

SKC - Erik Thommy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 67’

HOU - Ben Olsen (Yellow Card; Dissent) 89’

Stats Summary SKC HOU Shots (on goal) 6 (2) 12 (6)

4 1

11 13

March 16, 2024: Sporting KC 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes

MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 18,219 Weather: 56 degrees and clear 1 2 F

Sporting KC (1-0-3, 6 points) 2 0 2 San Jose (0-4-0, 0 points) 1 0 1

Sporting KC San Jose

GK Melia GK Daniel

D Davis D Marie (Thompson 85’)

D Rosero D Wilson

D Voloder D Rodrigues

D Leibold D Costa

M Radoja M Espinoza

M Thommy M Yueill (C)

M Rodriguez (Walter 46’) M Gruezo (Morales 72’)

F Russell (C) (Afrifa 53’) M Pellegrino (Skahan 64’)

F Pulido (Agada 87’) F Ebobisse (Kikanovic 63’)

F Salloi (Vargas 88’) F Judd (Bouda 64’)

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Yarbrough (GK)

Bassong Beason

Castellanos Munie

Pierre Baldisimo

Hernandez

Scoring Summary:

SJ - Vitor Costa 1 (Cristian Espinoza 1) 11’

SKC - Dany Rosero 1 (Memo Rodriguez 1) 18’

SKC - Alan Pulido 1 (Johnny Russell 1, Jake Davis 1) 29’

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Dany Rosero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 35’

SJ - Ousseni Bouda (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 66’

SJ - Cristian Espinoza (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 81’

SKC - Daniel Salloi (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 82’

SKC - Erik Thommy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 91+

Stats Summary SKC SJ

Shots (on goal) 5 (3) 13 (6)

Saves 5 1

Fouls 12 15

Offside 1 1

Corner Kicks 3 5

March 2, 2024: Sporting KC 1-1 Philadelphia Union

MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 19,942 Weather: 65 degrees and clear

Sporting KC (0-0-2, 2 points)

Philadelphia Union (0-0-2, 2 points)

Sporting KC Philadelphia Union GK Melia GK Semmle

D Davis D Mbaizo (Wagner 46’)

D Rosero D Elliott (C)

D Fontas D Lowe

D Leibold D Harriel

M Radoja M Martinez (Bedoya 46’)

M Thommy (Rodriguez 80’) M Bueno

M Walter M McGlynn (Anderson 82’)

F Russell (C) M Rafanello (Gazdag 46’)

F Pulido (Agada 80’) F Donovan (Uhre 57’)

F Salloi (Afrifa 87’) F Sullivan

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Rick (GK)

Bassong Glesnes

Castellanos Real Voloder Baribo

Hernandez

Vargas

Scoring Summary:

SKC - Remi Walter 1 (Unassisted) 19’

PHI - Alejandro Bedoya 1 (Unassisted) 95+

Misconduct Summary:

PHI - Alejandro Bedoya (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 49’

PHI - Damion Lowe (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 58’

SKC - Johnny Russell (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 93+

March 9, 2024: LAFC 0-0 Sporting KC MLS Regular Season | BMO Stadium | Los Angeles, CA Attendance: 22,175 Weather: 60 degrees and clear

Sporting KC (0-0-3, 3 points)

LAFC (1-1-1, 4 points)

Sporting KC LAFC GK Melia GK Lloris

D Davis D Hollingshead

D Rosero D Murillo

D Fontas D Long

D Leibold D Campos

M Radoja M Tillman

M Thommy M Ilie (C) (Martinez 78’)

M Rodriguez M Atuesta

F Russell (C) F Olivera

F Pulido F Bogusz

F Salloi F Bouanga

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Romero (GK)

Bassong Palencia

Castellanos Segura

Pierre Duenas

Voloder Musto

Hernandez Angel

Afrifa Ordaz

Agada Vargas

Scoring Summary: None

Misconduct Summary: SKC - Memo Rodriguez (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 27’ LAFC - Omar Campos (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 31’

- Andreu Fontas (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 49’

- Dany Rosero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 60’ LAFC - Eduard Atuesta (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 88’

SKC - Jake Davis (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 92+

March 23, 2024: Sporting KC 2-3 LA Galaxy

MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 18,102

Weather: 46 degrees and overcast

Sporting KC (1-1-3, 6 points) 2 0 2 LA Galaxy (2-0-3, 9 points)

Sporting KC LA Galaxy

GK Melia GK McCarthy

D Davis D Yamane

D Rosero D Zavaleta

D Voloder D Yoshida (C)

D Leibold D Aude

M Walter M Delgado

M Radoja M Cerrillo (Brugman 62’)

M Thommy M Painstil

M Pulido (C) M Puig

M Salloi (Afrifa 83’) M Pec (Fagundez 83’)

F Agada F Joveljic (Berry 83’)

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Micovic (GK)

Bassong Cuevas

Castellanos Nelson

Pierre Aguirre

Rindov Perez

Flores Vivi

Hernandez

Tzionis

Scoring Summary:

SKC - Nemanja Radoja 1 (Daniel Salloi 1) 34’

SKC - Willy Agada 1 (Unassisted) 48+

LA - Eriq Zavaleta 1 (Unassisted) 72’

LA - Dejan Joveljic 5 (Riqui Puig 1, Gaston Brugman 2) 75’

LA - Mark Delgado 1 (Unassisted) 80’

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Erik Thommy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 53’

SKC - Tim Leibold (Yellow Card; Time Wasting) 69’

LA - Gaston Brugman (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 88’

Stats

March 30, 2024: Toronto FC 1-3 Sporting KC MLS Regular Season | BMO Field | Toronto, Canada

Sporting KC Toronto FC GK Melia GK Gavran

D Davis D O’Neill

D Rosero D Long

D Voloder D Rosted (Thompson 68’)

D Leibold M Marshall-Rutty

M Radoja M Longstaff (Kerr 68’)

M Walter M Coello (Flores 59’)

M Rodriguez (Hernandez 78’) M Spicer

F Thommy (Afrifa 96+) M Bernardeschi

F Agada (Vargas 78’) M Osorio (C)

F Salloi (C) F Owusu (Akinola 86’)

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Ranjitsingh (GK) Bassong Franklin Castellanos Mabika

Pierre Mailula

Tzionis Perruzza

Scoring Summary:

SKC - Remi Walter 2 (Unassisted) 57’

SKC - Jake Davis 1 (Willy Agada 1) 64’

SKC - Alenis Vargas 1 (Jake Davis 2) 83’

TOR - Jonathan Osorio 1 (Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty 1) 97+

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Jake Davis (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 44’

TOR - Alonso Coello (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 57’

SKC - Tim Leibold (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 71’

TOR - Jonathan Osorio (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 85’

Stats Summary SKC TOR

(on goal) 17 (10) 12 (2) Saves 1 6

13 10

1 5

SPORTING

April 7, 2024: Sporting KC 3-3 Portland Timbers

MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 17,424 Weather: 66 degrees and sunny 1 2 F

Sporting KC (2-1-4, 10 points) 3 0 3

Portland Timbers (2-3-2, 8 points) 0 3 3

Sporting KC Portland Timbers GK Melia GK Crepeau

D Davis D Mosquera (Bravo 46’)

D Rosero D Araujo

D Voloder D K. Miller

D Leibold D E. Miller

M Radoja M Paredes (Williamson 96+)

M Walter M Ayala (Chara 54’)

M Rodriguez (Vargas 82’) M Moreno (Mora 46’)

F Thommy M Evander (C)

F Agada (Pulido 71’) M Antony (Asprilla 89’)

F Salloi (C) F Rodriguez

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Pantemis (GK)

Bassong Zuparic

Castellanos Fogaca

Fontas

Pierre

Hernandez

Tzionis

Scoring Summary:

SKC - Willy Agada 2 (Unassisted) 13’

SKC - Dany Rosero 2 (Memo Rodriguez 2) 38’

SKC - Willy Agada 3 (Robert Voloder 1, Remi Walter 1) 48+

POR - Evander 3 (Penalty Kick) 64’

POR - Felipe Mora 2 (Jonathan Rodriguez 1, Antony 2) 66’

POR - Eric Miller 1 (Unassisted) 81’

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Dany Rosero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 25’

POR - Kamal Miller (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 34’

SKC - Memo Rodriguez (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 48’

POR - Eric Miller (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 82’

SKC - Jake Davis (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 98+

Stats Summary SKC POR

Shots (on goal) 15 (6) 9 (8) Saves 5 3

16 20

April 27, 2024: Minnesota United 2-1 Sporting KC MLS Regular Season | Allianz Field | St. Paul, MN Attendance: 19,712 Weather: 57 degrees and cloudy 1 2 F

Sporting KC (2-3-5, 11 points)

Minnesota United (5-2-2, 17 points)

Sporting KC Minnesota United GK Melia GK St. Clair

D Pierre (Shelton 70’) D Taylor

D Rosero D Arriaga

D Fontas D Boxall (C)

D Leibold D Padelford (Harvey 80’)

M Walter D Rosales

M Radoja M Lod (Bran 92+)

M Thommy M Trapp

M Pulido (Vargas 83’) F Oluwaseyi (Tapias 66’)

M Salloi (C) F Pukki (Clark 46’)

F Agada (Russell 62’) F Fragapane (Hlongwane 46’)

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Smir (GK)

Bassong Valentin

Castellanos

Voloder

Rodriguez

Tzionis

Scoring Summary:

MIN – Michael Boxall 1 (Robin Lod 6, Joseph Rosales 2) 2’

MIN – Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi 4 (Joseph Rosales 3, Robin Lod 7) 25’

SKC – Alan Pulido 3 (Daniel Salloi 2, Nemanja Radoja 1) 38’

Misconduct Summary:

SKC – Andreu Fontas (Yellow Card; Dissent) 23’

MIN – Devin Padelford (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 32’

MIN – Michael Boxall (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 63’

Stats Summary SKC MIN

Shots (on goal) 7 (3) 9 (5)

Saves 3 1

Fouls 11 16

Offside 5 0

Corner Kicks 4 5

BOX SCORES

April 13, 2024: Sporting KC 2-3 Inter Miami CF MLS Regular Season | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, MO Attendance: 72,610 Weather: 77 degrees and sunny

(2-2-4,

Sporting KC Inter Miami CF GK Melia GK Callender

D Davis D Weigandt

D Rosero D Aviles

D Fontas D Freire

D Leibold D Alba (Negri 78’)

M Walter (Hernandez 46+) M Busquets

M Radoja M Gressel (Cremaschi 67’)

M Thommy (Russell 84’) M Ruiz

M Pulido F Messi (C)

M Salloi (C) F Suarez

F Agada F Gomez (Bright 93+)

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Dos Santos (GK) Bassong Allen

Castellanos Sailor

Pierre Sunderland

Voloder Afonso

Tzionis Borgelin

Vargas

Scoring Summary:

SKC - Erik Thommy 2 (Tim Leibold 1) 6’

MIA - Diego Gomez 2 (Lionel Messi 5) 18’

MIA - Lionel Messi 5 (David Ruiz 2) 51’

SKC - Erik Thommy 3 (Unassisted) 58’

MIA - Luis Suarez 6 (Diego Gomez 5) 71’

Misconduct Summary:

MIA - Tomas Aviles (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 15’

MIA - Diego Gomez (Yellow Card; Delaying a Restart) 56’

SKC - Felipe Hernandez (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 79’

SKC - Nemanja Radoja (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 83’

SKC - Jake Davis (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 89’

Stats

May 4, 2024: Real Salt Lake 1-0 Sporting KC

MLS Regular Season | America First Field | Sandy, UT Attendance: 20,001 Weather: 69 degrees and cloudy

Sporting KC (2-4-5, 11 points)

Real Salt Lake (6-2-3, 21 points)

Sporting KC Real Salt Lake

GK Pulskamp GK MacMath

D Davis D Brody

D Fontas D Glad

D Voloder D Vera

D Leibold D Katranis (Hidalgo 59’)

M Rodriguez M Eneli

M Tzionis (Hernandez 46’) M Ojeda

M Thommy M Gomez (Chang 92+)

F Russell (C) (Vargas 61’) M Arango (C)

F Pulido (Agada 75’) M Barajas (Luna 46’)

F Salloi (Shelton 88’) F Julio (Palacio 70’)

Subs not used: Subs not used: Schewe (GK) Beavers (GK)

Bassong Quinton

Castellanos Silva

Pierre Jacquesson

Radoja

Scoring Summary:

RSL - Chicho Arango 9 (Brayan Vera 1) 81’

Misconduct Summary:

RSL – Emeka Eneli (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 14’

RSL – Brayan Vera (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 47’

RSL – Chicho Arango (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 90’

SKC - Memo Rodriguez (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 94+

April 20, 2024: Sporting KC 3-3 St. Louis

MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 19,637 Weather:

Sporting KC St. Louis GK Melia GK Burki (C)

D Davis D Totland

D Rosero D Parker

D Fontas D Hiebert

D Leibold D Markanich (Dyhr 88’)

M Walter M Ostrak (Kijima 64’)

M Radoja M Durkin

M Thommy M Alm (Thorisson 73’)

M Pulido M Vassilev (Jackson 64’)

M Salloi (C) M Pompeu

F Agada (Russell 54’) F Klauss

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Lundt (GK)

Bassong Nerwinski

Castellanos Nilsson

Pierre Watts

Voloder

Rodriguez

Shelton Vargas

Scoring Summary: SKC - Alan Pulido 2 (Willy Agada 2) 17’

STL - Joao Klauss 3 (Ramus Alm 2, Chris Durkin 1) 31’

STL - Celio Pompeu 3 (Joao Klauss 1) 48+

SKC - Own Goal (Roman Burki) 64’

SKC - Erik Thommy 4 (Andreu Fontas 1) 77’

STL - Tomas Totland 1 (Unassisted) 92+

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Daniel Salloi (Yellow Card; Dissent) 52+

SKC - Nemanja Radoja (Yellow Card; Dissent) 47’

STL - Tim Parker (Yellow Card; Delaying a Restart) 63’

SKC - Jake Davis (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 71’

STL - Celio Pompeu (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 85’ Stats Summary SKC STL

(on goal) 7 (3) 19 (7)

May 11, 2024: Sporting KC 1-2 Houston Dynamo FC

MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 18,562 Weather: 74 degrees and sunny

KC (2-5-5, 11 points)

Dynamo (5-4-2, 17 points)

Sporting KC Houston Dynamo GK Melia GK Clark

D Davis D Dorsey

D Fontas D Sviatchenko

D Voloder D Micael

D Leibold (Bassong 90’) D Steres (Schmitt 46’)

M Radoja M Artur

M Rodriguez M Herrera (C) (Blessing 70’)

M Russell (C) (Vargas 82’) M Carrasquilla

M Pulido (Tzionis 74’) M Bassi (Smith 86’)

M Salloi M Aliyu (Bartlow 92+)

F Agada (Afrifa 90’) F Kowalczyk

Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Tarbell (GK)

Castellanos Gregus

Hernandez Raines

Shelton Gaines

Segal

Scoring Summary:

HOU - Hector Herrera 1 (Amine Bassi 3) 31’

SKC - Daniel Salloi 1 (Memo Rodriguez 3) 61’

HOU - Ibrahim Aliyu 4 (Griffin Dorsey 1) 78’

Misconduct Summary:

SKC - Memo Rodriguez (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 45’

SKC - Andreu Fontas (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 85’

HOU - Sebastian Kowalczyk (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 94+

Stats

(6)

(7)

May 8, 2024: Union Omaha 1-2 Sporting KC

U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 | UNO Caniglia Field | Omaha, NE Attendance: 4,733 Weather: 68 degrees and partly cloudy

Sporting KC Union Omaha

GK Pulskamp GK Nuhu (C)

D Pierre D Acoff (Lewis 98’)

D Castellanos D Milanese (Jiba 93+)

D Voloder D Mastrantonio

D Bassong (Fontas 97’) D Jerome

M Radoja (C) D Malone

M Hernandez (Rodriguez 46’) M Nortey (Aoumaich 117’)

M Thommy (Pulido 61’) M Dolabella (Knapp 77’)

F Shelton (Salloi 46’ (Davis 117’)) M Gallardo

F Agada (Russell 69’) F Gomez

F Tzionis F Kunga (Rodriguez 76’)

Subs not used: Subs not used: Schewe (GK) Lapsley (GK) Holt

Scoring Summary:

OMA - Lagos Kunga 2 (Unassisted) 31’

SKC - Marinos Tzionis 1 (Unassisted) 48’

SKC - Alan Pulido 1 (Marinos Tzionis 1) 120’

Misconduct Summary:

OMA – Luca Mastrantonio (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 57’

SKC – Memo Rodriguez (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 67’

SKC – Johnny Russell (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 78’

OMA – Brandon Knapp (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 81’

OMA – Joe Gallardo (Yellow Card; Time Wasting) 97+

SKC – Nemanja Radoja (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 91’

SKC – Robert Voloder (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 108’

Stats Summary SKC OMA Shots (on goal) 23 (7) 11 (2)

Saves 1 5 Fouls 18 12 Offside 2 0

Kicks 14 2

SPORTING KC STARTERS BY POSITION (2024 REGULAR SEASON)

Formation: 4-3-3 (7 games)

Left forward

Daniel Salloi 7

Left-center midfielder

Memo Rodriguez 4

Remi Walter 2

Erik Thommy 1

Center forward

Alan Pulido 5

Willy Agada 2

Left back

Tim Leibold 7

Right forward

Johnny Russell 5

Erik Thommy 2

Right-center midfielder

Erik Thommy 4

Remi Walter 2

Marinos Tzionis 1

Defensive midfielder

Nemanja Radoja 6

Memo Rodriguez 1

Left center back

Robert Voloder 4

Andreu Fontas 3

Right center back

Dany Rosero 6

Andreu Fontas 1

Right back

Jake Davis 7

Goalkeeper

Tim Melia 6

John Pulskamp 1

Formation: 4-2-3-1 (5 games)

Center forward

Willy Agada 5

Left midfielder

Daniel Salloi 5

Attacking midfielder

Alan Pulido 5

Left-defensive midfielder

Nemanja Radoja 5

Left back

Tim Leibold 5

NOTE: Charts do not account for players interchanging and/ or switching positions over the course of a match. Substitute players are not listed.

Right midfielder

Erik Thommy 4

Johnny Russell 1

Right-defensive midfielder

Remi Walter 4

Memo Rodriguez 1

Left center back

Andreu Fontas 3

Robert Voloder 2

Right center back

Dany Rosero 4

Andreu Fontas 1

Right back

Jake Davis 4

Kayden Pierre 1

Goalkeeper

Tim Melia 5

SPORTING

KC AND CHILDREN’S

MERCY KANSAS CITY CONTINUE TO IMPACT LOCAL COMMUNITY

A leading independent children’s health organization dedicated to holistic care, translational research, educating caregivers and breakthrough innovation to create a world of well-being for all children, Children’s Mercy Kansas City began a 10-year partnership with Sporting KC in 2016. Children’s Mercy provides the highest level of care for children from birth through the age of 21. U.S. News & World Report has repeatedly ranked Children’s Mercy as one of “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals.”

The comprehensive partnership between Sporting KC and Children’s Mercy Kansas City – which includes naming rights to Sporting KC’s world-class stadium, Children’s Mercy Park, as well as the Sporting KC II and Sporting KC Academy complex at Swope Soccer Village – is also at the forefront of Sporting’s state-of-the-art training ground at Compass Minerals National Performance Center. In a first-of-its-kind collaboration between a professional sports team, a national sports federation and a sports medicine provider, the facility opened in 2018 and features the Children’s Mercy Sports Medicine Center alongside Sporting Kansas City and U.S. Soccer.

Children’s Mercy Kansas City is also the official health care and sports medicine provider for the Sporting Kansas City Academy and Compass Minerals National Performance Center as part of a multi-faceted partnership that focuses on the following three components to impact the local community:

1. Strengthening community

• The partnership directly supports The Victory Project, Sporting’s foundation to help children - including those with cancer and disabilities – through all of life’s challenges.

• Sporting KC players and staff engage with, encourage and inspire Children’s Mercy patients throughout the year during hospital visits and special events.

• FLEET, an innovative team of remote experience robots operated via an iPad, regularly attends Sporting KC home matches to provide an all-access interactive experience for patients at Children’s Mercy. Manufactured by Double Robotics, the robot allows users to enjoy two-way live audio and video captured from a 150-degree wide-angle lens while navigating to control their own VIP behind-the-scenes journey.

• Launched in 2018, the RED CARD campaign addresses one of the most significant social issues impacting children nationwide by empowering youth and adults to prevent and intervene in bullying. Through school assemblies and community-wide messaging, the RED CARD initiative aims to reach children, parents, teachers and coaches who have daily opportunities to create supportive environments and stop bullying in its tracks. In 2023 and 2024, Sporting and Children’s Mercy teamed up to provide 90 students at 30 local elementary and middle schools with SKC jerseys on National Random Acts of Kindness Day as part of a Kindness In The Schools (K.I.T.S.) initiative.

2. Improving access to pediatric-trained sports medicine

• The Children’s Mercy Sports Medicine Center at Village West is located inside Compass Minerals National Performance Center and offers a full range of sports medicine services, resources and programming for youth athletes. More than two million high-school athletes and 3.5 million children under age 14 are injured each year in the U.S. playing sports. Only a small percentage are treated by pediatric-trained sports medicine specialists who truly understand the youth’s growing body, developing brain and unique psychosocial stressors.

3. Protecting youth athletes and educating parents and coaches

• The partnership provides athletic training, rehabilitation and conditioning programs for the Sporting KC Academy’s six teams at Swope Soccer Village, which hosts Sporting KC II home matches as well as year-round athletic leagues, tournaments and other marquee events.

April

11

May 18 at Austin FC

May 25 at Portland Timbers

May 29 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

June 1 at Minnesota United FC

June 8 vs. Seattle Sounders FC

June 15 at LA Galaxy

June 19 vs. Real Salt Lake

June 22 at Columbus Crew

June 29 vs. Austin FC

July 4 at Colorado Rapids

July 7 vs. FC Dallas

July 13 at San Jose Earthquakes

July 17 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC

July 20 vs. St. Louis

August 24 vs. Orlando City SC

September 7 at New York Red Bulls

September 15 at Seattle Sounders FC

September 18 vs. Colorado Rapids

September 21 vs. Minnesota United FC

September 28 at St. Louis

October 5 vs. Los Angeles FC

October 19 at FC Dallas

@HOU

SPORTING KC 2024 PARTICIPATION CHART (MLS REGULAR SEASON)

BASSONG

CASTELLANOS

CISNEROS INJ UNAV SKCII INJ UNAV UNAV SKCII UNAV LOAN LOAN LOAN LOAN

DAVIS RB-90 RB-90 RB-90 RB-90 RB-90 RB-90 RB-90 RB-90 RB-90 SUS RB-90 RB-90 FLORES INJ SKCII SKCII SKCII DNP SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII UNAV

FONTAS CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 INJ INJ INJ DNP CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90

HERNANDEZ DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP SUB-12 DNP SUB-46 UNAV SKCII SUB-45 DNP

LEIBOLD LB-74 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 LB-89

MELIA GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 UNAV GK-90

NDENBE INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ

PIERRE SKCII SKCII DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP RB-70 DNP INJ

PULIDO CF-59 CF-80 CF-90 CF-87 AM-90 INJ SUB-19 AM-90 AM-90 AM-83 CF-75 AM-74

PULSKAMP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP GK-90 DNP

RADOJA DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 INJ DM-90

RINDOV SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII DNP SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII

RODRIGUEZ SUB-16 SUB-10 CM-90 CM-45 INJ CM-78 CM-82 INJ DNP DNP DM-90 DM-90

ROSERO CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 INJ INJ

RUSSELL RW-59 RW-90 RW-90 RW-53 INJ INJ INJ SUB-6 SUB-36 SUB-28 RW-61 RW-82

SALLOI LW-86 LW-87 LW-90 LW-88 LW-83 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-88 LW-90

SCHEWE SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII DNP SKCII

SHELTON INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ DNP SUB-20 SUB-2 DNP

THOMMY CM-74 CM-80 CM-90 CM-90 RW-90 RW-89 RW-90 RW-84 RW-90 RW-90 CM-90 UNAV TZIONIS SKCII UNAV SKCII UNAV DNP DNP DNP DNP UNAV DNP CM-45 SUB-16 VARGAS SUB-4 DNP DNP SUB-2 INTL

PLAYER @LA RSL @CLB ATX @COL DAL @SJ @VAN STL ORL @NY @SEA COL MIN @STL LAFC @DAL

AFRIFA

AGADA

BASSONG CASTELLANOS

CISNEROS

DAVIS

FLORES

FONTAS

HERNANDEZ

LEIBOLD

MELIA

NDENBE

PIERRE

PULIDO

PULSKAMP

RADOJA

RINDOV

RODRIGUEZ

ROSERO

RUSSELL

SALLOI

SCHEWE

SHELTON

THOMMY

TZIONIS

VARGAS

VOLODER

WALTER

KEY

Position-Minutes - Starting Position-Minutes Played DNP - Unused Substitute INJ - Injured SKCII - Sporting Kansas City II SUB-Minutes - Substitute-Minutes played UNAV - Unavailable For Selection SUS - Suspended INTL - International Duty LOAN - Out on Loan ACD - Sporting KC Academy

MANAGER & SPORTING DIRECTOR | PETER VERMES

Peter Vermes is in his 16th season as Sporting Kansas City Manager in 2024 and is the longest-tenured active head coach in MLS. He is the team’s longest-serving manager and his 241 coaching victories in all competitions are the most club history. During his tenure, he has won four major trophies – the 2012, 2015 and 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups and the 2013 MLS Cup championship – and finished atop the Eastern Conference regularseason standings in 2011 and 2012, as well as the Western Conference in 2018 and 2020. His three U.S. Open Cup championships are the third most in Open Cup history. He is the first coach in club history to lead Sporting KC to eight straight postseason appearances, as well as the only person to ever win the MLS Cup as both a player and a coach with the same team. His 197 regular-season wins top the club’s all-time chart and rank third most in MLS history. He passed his former coach Bob Gansler as the winningest manager in team history with a 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake on Aug. 12, 2015, his 109th victory in all competitions.

On August 4, 2018, Vermes coached his 302nd MLS regular-season game with Sporting KC, becoming the league’s all-time leader in games coached for one club. He was named the first-ever MLS Sporting Executive of the Year by his peers in 2018. Vermes has coached 572 total games during his Kansas City coaching career, most in club history.

With over 15 years of service at Sporting KC, Vermes is one of the longest serving managers in world soccer. Among all leagues with an average attendance of 10,000+, Vermes ranks second, only behind Bundesliga side FC Heidenheim’s Frank Schmidt (Sept. 17, 2007 – present). Among the top 126 leagues in the world as denoted by the CIES Football Observatory in March 2022, Vermes’ tenure at ranks as the fifth longest active run.

Vermes oversees all soccer operations for Sporting KC, including the active roster, Sporting Kansas City II (MLS NEXT Pro) and the Sporting KC Academy. Vermes entered MLS ahead of its inaugural season in 1996 and retired from the league in 2002, closing out his playing career in Kansas City after stints with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and Colorado Rapids.

Following a standout high school career in which he was named New Jersey Player of the Year, Vermes was a star forward and All-American at Rutgers University. After college, Vermes represented the United States in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, and was named 1988 Chevrolet U.S. Male Soccer Athlete of the Year for his efforts.

Vermes was an integral part of a young U.S. team at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, where he nearly scored against the host Azzurri. It was the first time the U.S. had qualified for the World Cup in 40 years and set the stage for the progress of the U.S. National Team. In 1989 and 1990, Vermes became the first American to play in the Hungarian and Dutch First Divisions, playing for Raba ETO and FC Volendam, respectively. He later spent five years with Figueres of the Spanish Second Division.

For MLS’s inaugural season in 1996, Vermes served as captain of the New York/New Jersey MetroStars. In 1997, he was traded to the Colorado Rapids for current Sporting KC Assistant Coach Kerry Zavagnin and played in Denver through the 1999 season, leading the Rapids to the 1997 MLS Cup Final.

Vermes joined Kansas City in 2000 for what would be the most successful season of his MLS career. During his first year in Kansas City, he anchored one of the best defenses in league history and won MLS Defender of the Year honors in helping lead the Wizards to the 2000 MLS Cup Championship. He retired in 2002 after appearing in 209 MLS matches (including playoffs) and playing more than 18,000 minutes. In 2013, Vermes was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

PETER VERMES HEAD COACHING RECORD AT SPORTING

ASSISTANT COACH | KERRY ZAVAGNIN

Kerry Zavagnin currently holds the MLS record as he enters his 25th season with one club as a player or coach. Zavagnin first joined Kansas City in 2000 as a holding midfielder and was an integral part of the club’s midfield for the next nine seasons, during which time he helped lead the Wizards to MLS Cup (2000) and U.S. Open Cup (2004) Championships. He was named to the MLS All-Star team and the Best XI in 2004. Zavagnin’s primary duties as an assistant include scouting, developing Sporting Kansas City’s younger players, breaking down film and assisting with training sessions. He started his professional career with the MetroStars, where he played in 39 games over two seasons. After spending one season with the Lehigh Valley Steam (USL-1), Zavagnin came to KC in 2000. He played 237 games and logged 20,516 minutes for Kansas City, setting team records in both categories before being overtaken by Matt Besler early in 2018. He scored eight goals and added 22 assists in his nine seasons in KC. Zavagnin was named Team Defender of the Year in 2001. On top of his club success in Kansas City, Zavagnin also appeared 21 times for the U.S. Men’s National Team. He recorded one assist for the U.S., who went 15-2-4 when Zavagnin featured.

ASSISTANT COACH | ZORAN SAVIC

Zoran Savic joined Sporting Kansas City late in the 2009 season after a 30-year career at all levels of the game in the United States. A native of Gornji Milanovac, Yugoslavia, Savic began his journey through American soccer with the Buffalo Stallions of the Major Indoor Soccer League in 1980. Savic would go on to star for several MISL teams, with his most prosperous period coming with the Kansas City Comets, with whom he scored 70 goals in just over 100 appearances from 1982-1984. After retiring as a player in 1991, Savic turned his attention to coaching in the indoor game. Savic led the Kansas City Attack from 1992-1996, winning Coach of the Year honors for the 1994-1995 season while also serving as the team’s General Manager. Savic later coached the Kansas City Comets from 2000-2005. In 2007 Savic switched to the outdoor game, joining Chivas USA as an assistant to then-head coach Preki before moving into the commentary booth for Kansas City matches in 2008 and 2009. Savic’s career as a commentator was cut short, however, when newly installed Manager Peter Vermes tabbed Savic to be part of his coaching staff late in the 2009 season.

ASSISTANT COACH | ASH WALLACE

Ash Wallace has served on Sporting Kansas City’s technical staff since 2012, aiding the first team coaching staff in a variety of roles. Wallace, originally from England, helps scout and develop game plans for upcoming opponents, assists in planning and executing training sessions and provides valuable analysis for coaches and players regarding strategy. Wallace holds a U.S. Soccer A License. Wallace’s first involvement with the club came in August 2012 when he was contracted to produce a detailed scouting report on Seattle Sounders FC ahead of the U.S. Open Cup Final, helping Sporting claim their first of four major titles during a trophy-laden decade. Prior to joining Sporting KC, Wallace was a member of the Preston North End coaching staff and also served as an opposition scout for Fleetwood Town in his native England. Earlier in his career, he worked with Preston North End’s women’s academy teams and Penwortham Boys academy teams while earning a Degree in Sports Coaching from the University of Central Lancashire.

GOALKEEPER COACH | ALEC DUFTY

Alec Dufty is in his ninth season with Sporting Kansas City having been introduced to the organization as the Sporting KC II goalkeeper coach in the side’s inaugural season in 2016. In his first season working with the Sporting KC first team, starting goalkeeper Tim Melia enjoyed a recordbreaking season where he was named the 2017 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. A former MLS player, Dufty began his playing career with the New York Red Bulls in 2009, making one appearance before joining the MLS reserve goalkeeper pool. In 2010, Dufty joined USSF D2 Pro League side AC St. Louis, making 30 appearances before returning to MLS with the Chicago Fire in late 2010. He announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2011 season. Dufty then took to coaching, first working with Florida Gulf Coast University and then the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2015, Dufty served as goalkeeper coach for Toronto FC II in their inaugural USL Championship season.

DIRECTOR, SPORTS PERFORMANCE & SCIENCE | JOEY HARTY

Joey Harty was named Sporting Kansas City’s Director of Sports Performance and Science ahead of the 2020 season, stepping up from his role as assistant fitness coach which he held from 2018-2019. Harty manages all aspects of the club’s performance department from the academy to the senior team. He oversees day-to-day training plans on and off the field, including work in the weight room, soccer session planning, onfield movement training, data analysis and more, aiming to optimize player health and performance. Harty joined Sporting’s organization in January 2016, serving as a fitness coach for the Sporting Kansas City Academy before spending the 2017 season as head fitness coach for Sporting KC II. The Colorado native then transitioned to assistant fitness coach for Sporting’s first team in January 2018 before landing his current role with the club. Prior to arriving in Kansas City, Harty worked for Phoenix Rising FC and Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Harty attended Grand Canyon from 2010-2014, played for the men’s soccer team from 2010-2012 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science. In addition to holding several professional licenses and certifications in athletic performance, Harty is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

#30 | F | STEPHEN AFRIFA

Height: 5-10

Weight: 155

Hometown: Toronto, Canada

College: Florida International University

Acquired: 2023

Birthday: 2/19/2001

MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#8)

Forward Stephen Afrifa was selected by Sporting Kansas City as the eighth overall pick of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft before signing with the team at the conclusion of his senior year in April. He enjoyed a standout career at Florida International, where he amassed 23 goals and 11 assists in 63 appearances from 2019-2022. He made his debut for Sporting on May 17, 2023 at LAFC before earning his first start at Austin on July 15, 2023.

Capable of playing as a striker or a winger, Afrifa began his professional journey on the heels of a phenomenal campaign in 2022 that yielded a team-high 10 goals, four assists and United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American honors. He guided the Panthers to the 2022 American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and was

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 0

Shots on Goal 1, March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA

Shots 1, March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA

Fouls Committed 2, March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA Fouls Suffered 2, March 16, 2024, KC vs. SJ

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal N/A

Assist N/A

2024 Record when: he

named the AAC Championship Most Outstanding Offensive Player. Afrifa ended his senior season as a 2022 MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist and a member of the USC All-East Region Team.

As a freshman, Afrifa tallied three goals and three assists, and added two goals and an assist during his COVID-shortened sophomore year. As a junior, Afrifa helped FIU make its first of two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with a team-best eight goals and three assists. Afrifa competed for USL League Two side One Knoxville SC in 2022, scoring 10 goals and leading the club to a first-place finish in the South Central Division and a run to the national quarterfinals.

#23 | F | WILLY AGADA

Height: 5-9

Weight: 185

Hometown: Bauchi, Nigeria

Last Club: Hapoel Jerusalem (Israel)

Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 6/23/2022

Birthday: 9/17/1999

Willy Agada joined Sporting KC in a transfer from Israeli side Hapoel Jerusalem in June 2022. A native of Nigeria, Agada scored 37 goals across four seasons in Israel before heading to the United States. Agada enjoyed an incredible start to his Sporting KC career, tallying eight goals and two assists in just 12 appearances to close out 2022 - placing him among the best goalscorers by a per-game basis in the league.

Agada turned professional as an 18-year-old and bagged eight goals during his first season with Hapoel Jerusalem in 2018-2019. He doubled his goal haul the following year, scoring a team-best 15 times across 36 appearances in the Israeli second division.

Regular Season Game Highs:

Goals 2, 4 times, last: April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR

Assists 1, 4 times, last: April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL

Shots on Goal 5, Oct. 2, 2022, KC vs. SEA

Shots 7, 2 times, last: March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA

Fouls Committed 5, Aug. 6, 2022, KC vs. LA

Fouls Suffered 3, 3 times, last: March 18, 2023, KC at DAL

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR

Assist April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL

2024 Record when: he starts 1-4-2 he scores 0-1-1

Agada’s excellent 2019-2020 campaign paved the way for a loan to Hapoel Haifa in the Israeli Premier League where he finished second on the team with six goals in 20202021. The 2021-2022 season saw Agada return to Hapoel Jerusalem, which had gained promotion to the Premier League and led the team with eight goals.

#22 | D | ZORHAN BASSONG | @BassongZ

Height: 5-10 Weight: 175 Birthday: 5/7/1999

Hometown: Montreal, Canada

Last Club: Farul Constanta (Romania)

Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 12/12/2023

Sporting Kansas City added left back Zorhan Bassong ahead of the 2024 campaign. The Canadian has previously spent time in France, Belgium, Romania and Major League Soccer, including 43 matches in all competitions with CF Montreal. He played two MLS seasons in Montreal from 2021-2022 before spending 2023 in Romania with Arges Pitesti and Farul Constanta.

Born in Toronto and raised in Montreal, Bassong moved to Belgium in 2013 to join the Mouscron academy. Bassong furthered his development in the heralded academy systems at Belgian side Anderlecht and French club Lille, beginning his professional career at the latter in 2016.

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0

Assists 1, May 29, 2021, MTL at CHI (w/ MTL)

Shots on Goal 1, July 31, 2021, MTL at MIA (w/ MTL)

Shots 1, 7 times, last: May 22, 2022, MTL vs. RSL (w/

Fouls Committed 3, 2 times, last: Sept. 19, 2021, MTL vs. CHI (w/ MTL)

Fouls Suffered 2, 2 times, last: July 7, 2021, MTL vs. MIA (w/ MTL)

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal N/A

Assist May 29, 2021, MTL at CHI (w/ MTL)

2024 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

He joined Belgian outfit Cercle Brugge in January 2019 and left the club in July 2020. Bassong enjoyed a two-year MLS stint with CF Montreal that began in early 2021. Following his time with Montreal, Bassong spent 2023 with two Romanian clubs, Arges Pitesti and Farul Constanta.

On the international stage, Bassong represented the Belgium U-19s for two friendlies in 2017 before switching his allegiance to Canada. He earned two caps for Canada’s senior national team in January 2020, including a 90-minute outing in a 4-1 friendly win over Barbados. In March 2021, Bassong played three matches for Canada at the 2020 Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship in Mexico, reaching the semifinals.

#19 | D | ROBERT CASTELLANOS | @rc4official

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195 Birthday: 5/11/1998

Hometown: Palmdale, California

Last Club: KuPS (Finland)

Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 2/17/2023

Center back Robert Castellanos signed with Sporting Kansas City ahead of the 2023 campaign following a brief stint playing abroad with KuPS in Finland. Castellanos turned professional in 2017 and has had stints in the USL Championship, MLS and Finland. Castellanos made his debut for the club in Philadelphia on April 1, 2023 and scored his first goal for Sporting in the 4-1 home win over Austin FC on June 10, 2023.

Castellanos developed at the youth level with Nomads SC in San Diego before joining Liga MX club Atlas’ academy in 2016. He launched his professional career in early 2017, signing for LA Galaxy II and started 15 of 16 appearances in his debut USL Championship season. Castellanos spent the next three years at RGVFC, where he played 37 matches

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 2 times, last: June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX

Assists 0

Shots on Goal 1, 2 times, last: June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX

Shots 2, Aug. 1, 2021, NSH at TOR (w/ NSH)

Fouls Committed 3, April 1, 2023, KC at PHI

Fouls Suffered 2, June 17, 2023, KC vs. LAFC

Last Regular Season...

Appearance Oct. 7, 2023, KC at RSL

Goal June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX

Assist N/A

2024 Record when: he starts

and scored two goals. Castellanos jumped to MLS by signing for Nashville in February 2021 where he scored an equalizing goal in a 1-1 draw at Toronto FC in his lone appearance for the club. Nashville loaned Castellanos to the Tampa Bay Rowdies for the 2022 season where he played 13 matches, including starts in all three playoff games as the Rowdies reached the Conference Final. Castellanos then ventured abroad by joining KuPS, where he started three matches before leaving the club.

Castellanos is a former U.S. youth international, having made two appearances for the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team in 2016.

#25 | M | OZZIE CISNEROS | @OzzieCisner10

Height: 5-5 Weight: 140 Birthday: 3/13/2004

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Last Club: Sporting KC Academy

Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 1/20/2021

Forward Ozzie Cisneros, who has competed for the Sporting KC Academy at the U-13 through U-19 levels, became the fourth-youngest signing in club history when he inked an MLS contract at age 16 in early 2021. He scored his first professional goal for Sporting KC II against Louisville City FC on July 28, 2021 before making his debut for Sporting KC in a Leagues Cup match against Club Leon on Aug. 10, 2021. Cisneros is currently out on loan at Carolina Core FC in MLS NEXT Pro for the remainder of the 2024 season.

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Cisneros joined the Sporting KC Academy as a 12-year-old in 2016. That summer, he led Sporting to a fourth-place finish at the Concacaf U-13 Champions League in Mexico City. Cisneros went on to play almost 70 matches for

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals N/A

Assists N/A

Shots on Goal N/A Shots N/A

Fouls Committed N/A

Fouls Suffered N/A

Last Regular Season... Appearance N/A Goal N/A

Assist N/A

Sporting in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, scoring 15 goals and climbing to the U-19 ranks by the time he was 15. He helped the U-17s reach the 2019 Development Academy Playoffs and split time between the U-17s and U-19s during the first half of the 2019-20 campaign. Cisneros and the SKC Academy returned to action in September 2020 in MLS Next play, with Cisneros striking twice during the abbreviated fall season - once for the U-17s and once for the U-19s.

On the international stage, Cisneros notably starred at the 2019 Concacaf U-15 Championship in Bradenton, Florida, scoring both goals in a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Costa Rica, and also found the back of the net at the 2019 Torneo delle Nazioni in Italy.

#17 | D | JAKE DAVIS | @jdavis_3211

Height: 5-9 Weight: 160 Birthday: 1/3/2002

Hometown: Rochester, Michigan

Last Club: Sporting KC II (USL Championship) Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 8/19/2021

Sporting Kansas City signed defender Jake Davis as a Homegrown Player in August 2021 as the 19th Homegrown Player to emerge from the Sporting Kansas City Academy. He made his first-team debut in the 4-0 victory over Minnesota United on Sept. 15, 2021 and earned his first MLS start on April 29, 2023 in a home match against Montreal. Davis scored his first goal for Sporting with the game-winner in a 3-1 win at Toronto on March 30, 2024.

Davis spent significant time developing with Sporting KC II under former Sporting greats Paulo Nagamura and Benny Feilhaber from 2019-2022 before breaking out with the first

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, March 30, 2024, KC at TOR

Assists 1, 4 times, last: March 30, 2024, KC at TOR Shots on Goal 1, 2 times, last: March 30, 2024, KC at TOR Shots 2, Sept. 20, 2023, KC vs. NSH

Fouls Committed 3, 2 times, last: July 15, 2023, KC at ATX

Fouls Suffered 2, 3 times, last: May 4, 2024, KC at RSL

Last Regular Season... Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal March 30, 2024, KC at TOR

Assist March 30, 2024, KC at TOR

2024 Record when: he starts 2-4-5 he scores 1-0-0

team in early 2023, switching from central midfield to right back and helping the team post a 12-7-5 record in the 24 regular-season matches he started.

A native of Rochester, Michigan, Davis moved to Kansas City in 2017 at age 15 to join the Sporting KC Academy. He represented Sporting at the U-17 and U-19 levels, amassing eight goals across 54 appearances in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

Davis earned international recognition in November 2019 when he was selected to the United States U-17 National Team for the 19th annual Nike International Friendlies.

#31 | M | DANNY FLORES

Height: 5-9

Weight: 150 Birthday: 4/6/2002

Hometown: Half Moon Bay, CA

College: Virginia Tech

Last Club: Oakland Roots (USL Championship)

Acquired: Signed off Waivers on 1/13/2023

Sporting Kansas City added Danny Flores off MLS waivers in January 2023. Flores began his MLS career after a two-year college stint at Virginia Tech, while he also boasts three seasons of play in the USL Championship, representing Philadelphia Union II from 2019-2020 and Oakland Roots SC in 2021. Flores spent the 2023 season primarily with SKC II, tallying two goals and two assists in 21 MLS NEXT Pro appearances while he also made his first-team debut on March 25 against Seattle.

Flores made his USL Championship debut in September 2019 for Union II and was an ever-present fixture for the club the following year by playing in all 16 matches. Flores returned to California in 2021 as he moved cross-country to join Oakland Roots SC for the

Regular

Last Regular Season... Appearance March 25, 2023, KC vs. SEA Goal N/A Assist N/A 2024 Record when: he

club’s inaugural USL Championship campaign, starting 10 of 12 matches. Following his successful spell in Oakland, Flores began his collegiate career in Virginia Tech’s midfield. He started all 19 matches during his first season and was named the No. 3 freshman in the country by Top Drawer Soccer and earned ACC All-Freshman Team accolades. Flores continued to lead the Hokies in 2022, scoring a team-best four goals and adding two assists.

Flores has represented the U.S. U-17 National Team, where he competed alongside SKC Academy products Gianluca Busio and Tyler Freeman. Flores starred for two clubs at the Academy level, first with Shattuck St. Mary’s and later with the Philadelphia Union.

#3 | D | ANDREU FONTAS | @AFontas3

Height: 6-2 Weight: 200 Birthday: 11/14/1989

Hometown: Banyoles, Spain

Last Club: Celta Vigo (Spain)

Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 8/8/2018

Andreu Fontas joined Sporting KC midway through the 2018 season following a 10-year career with more than 200 appearances in his native Spain. Fontas underwent Achilles surgery in late 2019, keeping him out for the majority of the 2020 season before returning as an MLS Defender of the Year contender in 2021. Fontas has made 135 appearances in all competitions for Sporting KC, tallying three goals and three assists.

Fontas spent five seasons from 2013-2018 with Celta Vigo in Spain’s top-flight La Liga, where he played alongside current Sporting midfielder Nemanja Radoja and started 100 of 105 league appearances, helping the club to the semifinals of the 2016-17 UEFA

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 3 times, last: Aug. 21, 2022, KC vs. POR

Assists 1, 3 times, last: April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL

Shots on Goal 1, 10 times, last: May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Shots 2, 8 times, last: June 21, 2023, KC at LA

Fouls Committed 3, 4 times, last: Sept. 16, 2023, KC at MIN

Fouls Suffered 3, May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal Aug. 21, 2022, KC vs. POR

Assist April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL

2024 Record when: he starts 0-4-4 he scores 0-0-0

Europa League. The defender developed in FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia youth academy, playing nearly 100 matches combined for FC Barcelona B and FC Barcelona from 2008-2012. Fontas advanced from Barcelona’s B team to the first team in 2009 and played in 16 games for the Spanish giants, including a sub appearance in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup Final. Fontas spent the 2012-13 season on loan at Mallorca before signing with Celta Vigo in June 2013.

Internationally, Fontas has represented Spain at the Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 levels and has also played for the Catalonia National Team.

#21 | M | FELIPE HERNANDEZ | @Fe1ipe98

Height: 5-7

Weight: 140 Birthday: 6/8/1998

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Last Club: Sporting Kansas City II (USL Championship)

Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 8/30/2019

Felipe Hernandez signed with Sporting KC as a Homegrown Player in August 2019. Hernandez is the first Sporting player to progress from an Academy Affiliate club to the SKC Academy to Sporting KC II before signing with the senior team. He signed with the first team following a breakout 2019 with SKC II in the USL Championship, where he started 24 of 26 appearances, scored a team-best eight goals and recorded four assists.

Hernandez scored his first MLS goal for the club in a June 23, 2021 victory over the Colorado Rapids and also tallied the opener against his hometown club Nashville SC in a 2-1 Sporting victory on June 19, 2022.

Regular Season Game Highs:

Goals 1, 4 times, last: May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR

Assists 2, May 14, 2022, KC at POR

Shots on Goal 2, May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR

Shots 4, 4 times, last: Sept. 10, 2022, KC at HOU

Fouls Committed 3, 4 times, last: July 23, 2022, KC vs. LAFC

Fouls Suffered 4, 2 times, last: April 8, 2023, KC vs. COL

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 4, 2024, KC at RSL

Goal May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR

Assist May 14, 2022, KC at POR

2024 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores

Hernandez played for Sporting Nashville Heroes, a former Academy Affiliate, and moved to Kansas City in the summer of 2014 to join the Academy. At age 16, Hernandez earned a preseason training stint with the first team in January 2015, before signing an Academy contract with SKC II in August 2016, two months prior to earning Bob Gansler Academy Player of the Year honors that then led to a professional SKC II contract in early 2017.

On the international stage, Hernandez played for the U.S. U-19 and U-20 National Teams in 2016 and 2017.

#14 | D | TIM LEIBOLD

Height: 5-9 Weight: 170 Birthday: 11/30/1993

Hometown: Friolzheim, Germany

Last Club: Hamburger SV (Germany)

Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 1/12/2023

Tim Leibold joined Sporting Kansas City in January 2023 having amassed more than 20 goals and 40 assists in nearly 300 professional appearances in his native Germany. Leibold is the third German newcomer at Sporting since the start of 2022, following center back Robert Voloder and midfielder Erik Thommy. Since joining the club, Leibold has tallied four assists in 33 appearances across all competitions.

Leibold spent eight seasons across Germany’s top two divisions from 2015-2022. He starred at Nurnberg from 2015-2019 before moving to Hamburg, where he served as club captain during the 2020-21 campaign. Leibold developed in youth academies at VfB Stuttgart, TSF Ditzingen and SGV Freiberg before turning professional with Freiberg at

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0

Assists 1, 4 times, last: April 13, 2024, KC vs. MIA

Shots on Goal 2, March 30, 2024, KC at TOR

Shots 2, 3 times, last: April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR

Fouls Committed 3, June 21, 2023, KC at LA

Fouls Suffered 5, March 9, 2024, KC at LAFC

Last Regular Season... Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal N/A

Assist April 13, 2024, KC vs. MIA

2024 Record when: he starts 2-5-5 he scores 0-0-0

age 18 in 2012. Leibold enjoyed a breakthrough in 2015 by joining 2. Bundesliga side Nurnburg and solidifying his place as a regular starter. The 2018-19 campaign saw Leibold lead Nurnburg with 32 Bundesliga starts while also assisting three goals. Competing in one of the world’s best leagues, he led the team in key passes, tackles, recoveries and touches while placing second in minutes played.

Leibold then returned to the 2. Bundesliga with a move to Hamburg, where he had his best professional season to date in 2019-20. He played every minute of all 34 league matches and led the 2. Bundesliga with 16 assists. At the international level, Leibold played five matches for the Germany U-20s in 2013.

Height: 6-1

#29 | GK | TIM MELIA | @TimMelia28

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals Allowed 7, 2 times, last: May 14, 2022, KC at POR Saves 10, April 8, 2018, KC at LA

Last Regular Season... Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU Shutout March 9, 2024, KC at LAFC 2024 Record when: he starts 2-4-5

Weight: 215 Birthday: 5/15/1986

Hometown: Great River, New York

College: Lynn University

Last Club: Chivas USA (MLS)

Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 12/23/2014

Tim Melia leads Sporting KC in regular-season wins (102), shutouts (67) and saves (710), and has also played the most games (243) of any goalkeeper in club history. Melia claimed the 2017 Goalkeeper of the Year crown with career-highs in wins (12), shutouts (10), saves (91), starts (31) and minutes (2,759) before surpassing each of those stats in 2018.

Melia has an unbelievable knack for saving penalty kicks, having only conceded 19 of the 34 he has faced for Sporting while also guiding the team to penalty shootout victories in the 2015 U.S. Open Cup Final, the 2017 U.S. Open Cup Semifinal, the 2020 MLS is Back Round of 16, the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs Quarterfinal and the 2023 Wild Card Game.

Among goalkeepers with at least 15 regular-season appearances in 2017, he led MLS with a 0.78 goals against average, 78.4 save percentage and 69.2-percent passing accuracy. He also ranked second in shutouts. On April 8, 2018, Melia set a new club record and career-high with 10 saves in a 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy. During his breakout campaign in 2015, he was named MLS Comeback Player of the Year.

After a four-year college career with NCAA DIII program Lynn University, Melia began his professional career in 2008 with the Rochester Rhinos of the USL First Division. After stints with Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA, he spent the latter half of 2014 as a League Pool Goalkeeper, earning call-ups from Sporting KC, FC Dallas and D.C. United.

#18 | D | LOGAN NDENBE | @Ndenbe22

Height: 5-8 Weight: 180 Birthday: 2/9/2000

Hometown: La Louviere, Belgium

Last Club: EA Guingamp (France)

Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 1/14/2022

Logan Ndenbe joined Sporting in a transfer from French team EA Guingamp in January 2022. Ndenbe arrived in Kansas City after spending his first five professional seasons in Europe with Belgian top-flight side KV Oostende and Guingamp.

Ndenbe has made 50 appearances for the club in all competitions, tallying two goals and two assists with both goals coming in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs series against St. Louis. Ndenbe suffered a torn ACL in the second match against St. Louis on Nov. 5, 2023 and is set to be out until the summer of 2024.

Regular Season Game Highs:

Goals 0

Assists 1, Oct. 7, 2023, KC at RSL

Shots on Goal 1, 3 times, last: Oct. 7, 2023, KC at RSL

Shots 3, April 30, 2022, KC vs. DAL

Fouls Committed 3, 2 times, last: Sept. 30, 2023, KC at STL

Fouls Suffered 4, 2 times, last: July 3, 2022, KC vs. NY

Last Regular Season...

Appearance Oct. 21, 2023, KC vs. MIN

Goal N/A

Assist Oct. 7, 2023, KC at RSL

2024 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

Ndenbe developed in the Royal Excel Mouscron academy before joining KV Oostende as a 17-year-old in 2017. Ndenbe left Belgium in July 2020, signing for Guingamp to mark the start of a successful stint in the French Ligue 2.

On the youth international stage, Ndenbe rose through the Belgian U-17 and U-18 teams before earning his Belgium U-21 debut in June 2021 for his first of six matches in 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying. He started in four games during qualifying, helping the team go 3-0-1.

Height: 5-9

Weight: 155

Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Last Club: Sporting KC Academy

#24 | D | KAYDEN PIERRE | @KaydenPierre5

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0

Assists 1, July 13, 2022, KC at MIN

Shots on Goal 0

Shots 1, Sept. 13, 2022, KC vs. DC

Fouls Committed 3, Sept. 4, 2022, KC at LA

Fouls Suffered 4, July 3, 2022, KC vs. NY

Last Regular Season...

Appearance April 27, 2024, KC at MIN

Goal N/A

Assist July 13, 2022, KC at MIN

2024 Record when: he starts 0-1-0 he

Birthday: 2/16/2003

Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 5/4/2021

Kayden Pierre signed with Sporting as a Homegrown player early in the 2021 season after impressing at preseason camp in Arizona with the Sporting KC first team. He made his debut for the club against Club Leon in the Leagues Cup on Aug. 10, 2021 before making his MLS debut at Colorado on March 12, 2022. He enjoyed a breakout spell over the summer of 2022 with senior right back Graham Zusi sidelined through injury, as Pierre made 12 of his 19 appearances on the season between June 25-Sept. 17.

Pierre joined the Sporting KC Academy in 2018 from Vardar SC in his native Michigan. He represented Sporting at the U-15, U-17 and U-19 levels and helped guide the U-17s to

the Academy Playoffs in 2019. Capable of playing at left back and right back, Pierre gained his first professional experience in 2020 when he signed an amateur academy contract with SKC II. Pierre enjoyed a breakout season for Sporting in 2022, making 22 appearances in all competitions.

On the international stage, Pierre has competed for the U.S. U-14, U-16 and U-20 national teams.

#9 | F | ALAN PULIDO | @alanpulido

Height: 5-10

Weight: 170

Hometown: Ciudad Victoria, Mexico

Last Club: C.D. Guadalajara (Mexico)

Regular Season Game Highs:

Goals 2, 6 times, last: Sept. 2, 2023, KC vs. STL Assists 2, July 22, 2020, KC at RSL

Shots on Goal 6, Oct. 24, 2020, KC vs. COL

Shots 8, May 22, 2021, KC at SJ

Fouls Committed 3, June 19, 2021, KC at POR

Fouls Suffered 5, 2 times, last: Aug. 4, 2021, KC at LAFC

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal April 27, 2024, KC at MIN

Assist June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX

2024 Record when: he starts 1-5-4 he scores 1-1-1

Birthday: 3/8/1991

Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 12/10/2019

Mexican star Alan Pulido signed with Sporting KC as a Designated Player in a club-record transfer from Chivas Guadalajara in December 2019. Pulido has scored over 100 combined goals for club and country during a decorated career highlighted by five domestic championships and the 2018 Concacaf Champions League title.

Pulido tallied 15 goals and eight assists in 36 games in his first two seasons in MLS and was named Sporting’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2020. Pulido missed the entire 2022 season following knee surgery, returning to the field on April 1, 2023 and was named MLS Comeback Player of the Year after tallying 14 goals on his return in 2023. Pulido has recorded 34 goals and 14 assists in 82 appearances across all competitions for the club.

Pulido developed in the Tigres UANL youth academy before breaking into the first team in 2009 as an 18-year-old. He helped Tigres to the 2009 SuperLiga title and two years later,

Pulido scored in the second leg of the 2011 Liga MX Apertura Final as Tigres won its first league championship since 1982. Pulido enjoyed a breakout 2013-14 campaign with 25 goals in all competitions during his final season at Tigres, scoring in the 2014 Copa MX Clausura Final to finish as the tournament’s top scorer. Pulido then signed for Greek outfit Levadiakos before heading to Greek powerhouse Olympiacos. Pulido returned to Liga MX in August 2016, joining Chivas on a club-record transfer fee. His first full season with Chivas yielded 14 goals, helping his side to a double-winning campaign that ended with his first Liga MX Best XI selection. In 2018, he led Chivas to the Concacaf Champions League title and the club’s first continental championship in 56 years.

At the international level, Pulido has bagged five goals in 20 caps for Mexico’s senior team and was part of the El Tri squad at the 2011 Copa America and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

#1 | GK | JOHN PULSKAMP | @john_pulskamp

Height: 6-4

Weight: 210 Birthday: 4/19/2001

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Last Club: Sporting Kansas City II (USL Championship)

Acquired: Signed as a Homegrown Player on 2/24/2020

John Pulskamp joined Sporting KC as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2020 season after acquiring his Homegrown rights from the LA Galaxy where he spent two seasons in the club’s Academy. He made his MLS debut in the 2021 season opener, helping the side to a 2-1 victory at the New York Red Bulls.

Pulskamp became the youngest goalkeeper in Sporting KC history to record a shutout following a 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy on Oct. 27, 2021 at the age of 20 years and 191 days. He enjoyed a breakout year in 2022 when he deputized for an injured Tim Melia to make 15 starts in all competitions, posting an 8-3-4 record.

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals Allowed 4, 2 times, last: March 25, 2023, KC vs. SEA Saves 7, July 17, 2022, KC at RSL

Last Regular Season... Appearance May 4, 2024, KC at RSL Shutout March 11, 2023, KC vs. LA 2024 Record when: he starts 0-1-0

Pulskamp joined the MLS ranks on the heels of a breakout 2019 USL Championship season with SKC II. Pulskamp arrived in Kansas City in April 2019 after a two-year stint in the LA Galaxy Academy. He also spent time on trial with English Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth in the summer of 2018. Prior to joining the Galaxy, he represented youth sides Real So Cal and Central California Aztecs.

Pulskamp was called in to a U.S. Men’s National Team training camp in December 2021. At the youth international level, Pulskamp has represented the U.S. at the U-18 and U-20 levels.

| M | NEMANJA RADOJA

Height: 6-0 Weight: 175 Birthday: 2/6/1993

Hometown: Novi Sad, Serbia

Last Club: Levante (Spain)

Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 10/26/2022

Nemanja Radoja signed with Sporting KC ahead of the 2023 campaign, having spent most of the last decade in the Spanish La Liga with Celta Vigo and Levante. Radoja played nearly 300 matches across the top divisions of Serbia and Spain and also boasts experience in the UEFA Europa League with Vojvodina and Celta Vigo. Radoja has tallied one goal and four assists in 42 appearances across all competitions since joining SKC.

Radoja began his professional career with Serbian club Vojvodina before embarking on an eight-year journey in La Liga. He logged 181 La Liga appearances from 2014-2022, playing alongside Sporting defender Andreu Fontas at Celta Vigo from 2014-2018 and spent three seasons with Levante from 2019-2022. Radoja developed in Vojvodina’s youth academy and joined the club’s senior team in 2011 prior to brief loan spells in Serbia. Celta Vigo acquired Radoja via transfer in August 2014 and he took little time

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA Assists 2, Aug. 26, 2023, KC vs. SJ Shots on Goal 2, March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA

Shots 3, March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA

Fouls Committed 3, 4 times, last: April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL

Fouls Suffered 3, 2 times, last: July 15, 2023, KC at ATX

Last Regular Season... Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU Goal March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA Assist April 27, 2024, KC at MIN 2024 Record when: he starts 2-4-5 he scores 0-1-0

settling in as a key figure for Celta, regularly competing in tandem with Fontas for a team that finished eighth in 2014-15. Radoja and Celta improved upon their fortunes in 2015-16 leading to a sixth-place league finish. Celta Vigo’s 2016-17 campaign was highlighted by runs to the semifinals of the Copa del Rey and UEFA Europa League, where they fell to eventual champions Manchester United. Radoja moved to Levante ahead of the 2019-20 campaign. His first year at the club was highlighted by scoring in a 3-1 upset win over European powerhouse FC Barcelona.

On the international stage, Radoja has two caps for the Serbia Men’s National Team. He earned his senior debut in a friendly match at Ukraine in November 2016 and made one appearance in Serbia’s successful qualifying campaign ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. As a youth, Radoja represented Serbia at the U-18 through U-21 levels.

#28 | D | CHRIS RINDOV | @ChrisRindov

Height: 6-2

Weight: 185 Birthday: 10/8/2001

Hometown: Rockville, Maryland

College: Maryland

Acquired: 2023 MLS SuperDraft 2nd Round (#37)

Sporting Kansas City singed center back Chris Rindov ahead of the 2023 season after selecting the defender in the Second Round (37th overall) of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of Maryland. Rindov became Sporting’s first MLS SuperDraft selection to sign for the first team since 2018. Rindov made his MLS debut as a late substitute on April 22, 2023 at New England.

Rindov was a defensive mainstay for perennial powerhouse Maryland, starting in each of the program’s 38 matches over his final two seasons and finishing his college career with four goals and five assists in 58 appearances. Rising from freshman walk-on to team captain as a senior, he had a banner year in 2022 as an All-Big Ten First Team honoree

and an MLS College Showcase participant. Rindov played every minute in all 20 matches for the Terrapins in 2022, pushing Maryland to the Big Ten regular season title with an unbeaten 4-0-4 conference record. A two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, Rindov guided the Terps to their 22nd consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in the fall of 2022.

Rindov won four consecutive state championships at Rockville High School. He also played for youth club OBGC, where he competed at two national championships and won an Eastern Regional title in 2018.

#8 | M | MEMO RODRIGUEZ | @40_jrod

Height: 5-8

Weight: 155

Hometown: El Campo, Texas

Last Club: Austin FC (MLS)

Birthday: 12/27/1995

Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 2/1/2024

Sporting Kansas City signed midfielder Memo Rodriguez ahead of the 2024 MLS campaign. Prior to joining Sporting, Rodriguez scored 34 goals in 227 professional club appearances since joining Houston Dynamo FC as a homegrown player in late 2014. He spent seven MLS seasons in Houston, notably winning the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, prior to representing both LA Galaxy and Austin FC in 2023.

Born in Wharton, Texas, and raised in nearby El Campo, Rodriguez entered the Houston Dynamo Academy in 2011. He was named its Academy Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013 before launching his MLS career at age 18, inking a Homegrown Player deal with the Dynamo ahead of the 2015 season. He spent most of his debut campaign on loan

Regular Season Game Highs:

Goals 2, 2 times, last: July 13, 2020, HOU at LAFC (w/ HOU)

Assists 1, 19 times, last: May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU Shots on Goal 3, 3 times, last: July 24, 2021,

June 29, 2022, HOU at POR (w/

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal May 31, 2023, LA at RSL (w/ LA)

Assist May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

2024 Record when: he starts 2-2-2 he scores 0-0-0

with the Charleston Battery in the USL Championship before joining the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros, Houston’s then-USL affiliate, for a breakout 2016 season. Rodriguez rejoined Houston in 2017 and made his MLS debut on April 8, 2017. In 2018, Rodriguez and Houston collected silverware as champions of the prestigious U.S. Open Cup before being named the Dynamo Young Player of the Year in 2019.

The Galaxy signed Rodriguez as a free agent in January 2023. He scored his first goal for the club in a thrilling 3-2 road win over Real Salt Lake on May 31 before moving to Austin FC in a trade on Aug. 1. He played nine MLS matches for Austin and finished the year with 21 league appearances, notching one goal and two assists.

Height: 6-2

Weight: 205

Hometown: Bogota, Colombia

Last Club: Atletico Junior (Colombia)

Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 3/2/2023

Birthday: 10/6/1993

#5 | D | DANY ROSERO

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 4 times, last: April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR

Assists 0

Shots on Goal 1, 10 times, last: April 27, 2024, KC at MIN

Shots 3, April 1, 2023, KC at PHI

Fouls Committed 3, 2 times, last: April 27, 2024, KC at MIN

Fouls Suffered 3, 2 times, last: April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL

Last Regular Season...

Appearance April 27, 2024, KC at MIN

Goal April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR

Assist N/A

2024 Record when: he starts 2-3-5

Sporting Kansas City acquired center back Dany Rosero in a transfer from Colombian side Atletico Junior in March 2023. Rosero eclipsed 300 professional appearances across Argentina and his native Colombia, scoring 20 goals and competing in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana. Beginning his career at Argentine club Arsenal de Sarandi as a teenager, the defender spent seven seasons in the Colombian top-flight Categoria Primera A with Patriotas Boyacá, Deportivo Cali and Junior. To date, Rosero has tallied five goals in 43 appearances across all competitions for Sporting KC.

Born in Colombia, Rosero moved to Argentina to join Arsenal’s youth academy and began his professional career with the club in 2012. He enjoyed a pair of early breakthroughs by helping Arsenal win the 2013 Copa Argentina and by appearing in the 2014 Copa Libertadores. Rosero returned to his home country in 2016 with Patriotas Boyacá where

strong performances paved the way for Rosero to join Colombian powerhouse Deportivo Cali in 2017. Rosero delivered his most dominant season to date in 2019, scoring seven goals and starting 55 games in all competitions, with Deportivo Cali finishing as Copa Colombia runners-up.

In 2020, Rosero signed for Colombian heavyweights Junior and played in both the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, making 11 starts across the two tournaments. The following season, Rosero made seven appearances in the Copa Libertadores and one in the Copa Sudamericana while scoring three goals in 33 Primera A matches as Junior finished fifth in the aggregate league table. Rosero remained one of the Colombian first division’s best center backs in 2022, starting 36 league games and propelling Junior to the Copa Colombia finals.

#7 | F | JOHNNY RUSSELL

Height: 5-9 Weight: 175 Birthday: 4/8/1990

Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland

Last Club: Derby County FC (England)

Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 1/31/2018

Scottish winger Johnny Russell joined Sporting KC in a transfer from English club Derby County FC in January 2018. A cult-hero at the club, Russell has tallied 62 goals and 44 assists in 206 appearances for Sporting KC since the start of 2018. He was named club captain ahead of the 2021 season.

In 2021, Russell scored in eight consecutive games as part of a run where he tallied 15 goals in 19 matches over the second half of the campaign. Russell was named the club’s MVP in 2020 and 2022 as well as Offensive Player of the Year in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

Russell previously scored 93 goals during a 12-year professional career in England and his native Scotland. Russell developed in the Dundee United Academy in Scotland before

Regular Season Game Highs:

Goals 3, 2 times, last: May 26, 2019, KC vs. SEA

Assists 2, 3 times, last: Sept. 15, 2021, KC vs. MIN

Shots on Goal 4, 4 times, last: Aug. 28, 2021, KC vs. COL

Shots 8, Sept. 2, 2020, KC vs. DAL

Fouls Committed 5, April 30, 2022, KC vs. DAL

Fouls Suffered 6, 2 times, last: April 8, 2023, KC vs. COL

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal Oct. 21, 2023, KC vs. MIN

Assist March 16, 2024, KC vs. SJ

2024 Record when: he starts 1-2-3 he scores 0-0-0

making his professional debut for the top-flight Scottish Premiership club in May 2007 at age 17. He spent most of the following three seasons out on loan and marked his first Dundee United start with a goal in the 2009 Scottish FA Cup. After scoring 23 goals from 2010-2012, Russell’s final season at Dundee saw him produce a team-best 20 goals. Russell joined Derby County in the summer of 2013 and marked his debut for the Rams with his first of nine goals in the 2013-14 English Championship as Derby fell just short of promotion to the EPL. He totaled 18 goals over the next two seasons.

Russell has 13 career caps for Scotland and scored his first international goal during a European Championship Qualifier in San Marino on March 24, 2019. He has also represented Scotland at the U-19 and U-21 levels.

Height: 6-1

Weight: 160

Hometown: Budapest, Hungary

Last Club: Sporting KC Academy

#20 | F | DANIEL SALLOI

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, 4 times, last: May 18, 2022, KC vs. COL Assists 2, 4 times, last: Oct. 21, 2023, KC vs. MIN

Shots on Goal 4, 3 times, last: July 13, 2019, KC at VAN

Shots 8, May 5, 2018, KC vs. COL

Fouls Committed 4, June 7, 2019, KC at TOR Fouls Suffered 5, July 31, 2021, KC vs. DAL

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Assist April 27, 2024, KC at MIN

2024 Record when: he starts 2-5-5 he scores 0-1-0

Birthday: 7/19/1996

Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 1/13/2016

Daniel Salloi signed with Sporting KC as a Homegrown Player in early 2016 and made his Sporting KC debut on April 9, 2017. After enjoying a breakout campaign in 2018 where he tallied 16 goals and seven assists in all competitions, Salloi rebounded from a few lean years to be named an MLS All-Star and an MLS MVP finalist in 2021 after recording 16 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, tying the club record for most non-penalty goals in a single MLS regular season. His 16 game-winning goals are the most in club history.

Salloi, who signed a new four-year contract in late 2022, enjoyed another productive year in 2023 by leading the team with 22 goal contributions (10 goals, 12 assists) and has recorded 59 goals and 39 assists in 227 appearances across all competitions. Salloi scored on his first start for the club - a 4-0 win over Minnesota United in the U.S. Open Cup on June 14, 2017 - and added his first MLS goal vs. Portland on July 1, 2017 before scoring the winning goal in the 2017 U.S. Open Cup Final against the Red Bulls.

Salloi moved to the U.S. in 2014 as an AFS exchange student and attended Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas, joining the SKC Academy. Salloi briefly returned to his former Hungarian Academy side Ujpest FC in July 2015 where he made his pro debut on July 18, 2015 before returning to Kansas City in 2016. He split the 2016 season on loan with SKC II and Gyirmot SE in Hungary before joining the Sporting KC first team full-time in 2017.

Salloi has four caps for the senior Hungary National Team, having made his debut in a World Cup Qualifier against England on Sept. 2, 2021. He previously played for the Hungary Under-21 National Team.

Height: 6-3 Weight: 195 Birthday: 3/8/2002

Hometown: Marietta, Georgia

College: Georgetown

Acquired: 2024 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#22)

Sporting Kansas City selected goalkeeper Ryan Schewe as the 22nd overall pick in the first round of MLS SuperDraft 2024. In two outstanding seasons as a starter at Georgetown University from 2022-2023, Schewe posted a 20-4-4 record with a 0.79 goals against average, 12 clean sheets and 86 saves. He enjoyed a breakout season as a junior in 2022, landing Second Team All-BIG EAST recognition after leading the conference in save percentage (.838) and shutouts (seven) en route to an 11-2-1 record.

During his senior year in 2023, Schewe propelled the Hoyas to the BIG EAST regular season championship with a 9-2-3 record and led the conference with the lowest goals against average (0.84) and the most shutouts (five). He punctuated his final college

campaign with BIG East Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-BIG EAST honors while also receiving United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-East Region accolades.

In addition to playing for Georgetown, Schewe competed as an amateur for Georgia club Apotheos FC of the National Premier Soccer League in 2022 and the New York-based Westchester Flames of USL League Two in 2023. At the youth level, the Georgia native spent three years each with the Atlanta United Academy and United Football Academy in his home state.

Height: 6-3

Weight: 190

Hometown: Austin, Texas

College: Oregon State

Last Club: SC Paderborn 07 (Germany)

#11 | F | KHIRY SHELTON | @KhiryShelton

Regular Season Game Highs:

Goals 1, 18 times, last: June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX

Assists 3, Sept. 23, 2016, NYC vs. CHI (w/ NYC)

Shots on Goal 4, July 17, 2020, KC vs. COL

Shots 6, May 5, 2018, KC vs. COL

Fouls Committed 4, 2 times, last: Oct. 21, 2018, KC at FCD

Fouls Suffered 4, April 11, 2015, NYC at PHI (w/ NYC)

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 4, 2024, KC at RSL

Goal June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX

Assist July 9, 2022, KC at MTL

2024 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

Birthday: 6/26/1993

Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 12/9/2019

Khiry Shelton is in the midst of his second stint with Sporting Kansas City, having initially helped the club to a first place in the Western Conference and a record-breaking scoring season in 2018, before departing to play in Germany with SC Paderborn 07 for one season in 2019. He returned to the club ahead of the 2020 season and has tallied 15 goals and 17 assists across 141 appearances for the club.

Shelton was selected second overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by expansion side New York City FC and spent three seasons with the club before initially arriving in KC via trade ahead of the 2018 season.

He was NYCFC’s first-ever SuperDraft pick and played a total of 54 regular-season games for the club, notching six goals and 10 assists across just 23 starts.

In college, Shelton attended Oregon State University where he was an NSCAA All-America Second Team selection; Pac-12 Player of the Year; All-Far West Region First Team as he helped lead the Beavers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003 during his senior year. Shelton was a member of the U.S. U-18 National Team as a youth player.

#26 | M | ERIK THOMMY | @erikthommy

Height: 5-8 Weight: 155 Birthday: 8/20/1994

Hometown: Wettenhausen, Germany

Last Club: VfB Stuttgart (Germany)

Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 6/23/2022

Erik Thommy, a German Bundesliga veteran, signed with Sporting KC in June 2022. Thommy previously recorded 42 goals and 33 assists across nine seasons in his native Germany - including nine goals, 14 assists and 96 appearances in the top-flight Bundesliga. He scored his first goal for Sporting in the 4-2 victory over the LA Galaxy on Aug. 6, 2022 and has tallied 12 goals and 15 assists across 67 appearances across all competitions for the club.

Regular Season Game Highs:

Goals 2, April 13, 2024, KC vs. MIA

Assists 2, Sept. 2, 2023, KC vs. STL

Shots on Goal 4, 2 times, last: March 11, 2023, KC vs. LA

Shots 8, March 11, 2023, KC vs. LA

Fouls Committed 4, April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL

Fouls Suffered 5, 3 times, last: April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 4, 2024, KC at RSL

Goal April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL

Assist Oct. 7, 2023, KC at RSL

2024 Record when: he starts 2-4-5 he scores 0-1-2

Capable of playing in an advanced midfield role or on the wing, Thommy launched his professional career with FC Augsburg in 2014 before going on loan to FC Kaiserslautern (2014-2016) and Jahn Regensburg (2016-2017). Thommy joined VfB Stuttgart in 2017, starred for Fortuna Dusseldorf during a successful loan spell in 2019-2020, and ended his time at Stuttgart in the Spring of 2022 by appearing in each of the club’s last six matches of the 2021-2022 campaign.

Thommy developed in academies at SV Kleinbeuren (2000-2002), SSV Ulm (2002-2009) and TSG Thannhausen (2009-2010) before moving to FC Augsburg. He signed for FC Augsburg II in 2013 and made his Bundesliga debut with Augsburg’s senior team as a 19-year-old in February 2014.

#77 | F | MARINOS TZIONIS

Height: 5-7

Weight: 155 Birthday: 7/16/2001

Hometown: Nicosia, Cyprus

Last Club: Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus)

Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 1/24/2022

Marinos Tzionis signed with Sporting KC in a transfer from Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus in late January 2022. Tzionis scored 15 goals in 88 appearances for hometown club Omonia Nicosia since turning professional as a 15-year-old in 2017. Appearing mostly as a substitute during his time with Sporting, Tzionis has tallied four goals and two assists in 56 appearances across all competitions.

Tzionis scored his first goal for the club with a last-gasp equalizer in the 98th minute of the club’s U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 clash with FC Dallas on May 10, 2022 and scored his first MLS goal four days later in a loss at Portland.

Regular Season Game Highs:

Goals 1, May 14, 2022, KC at POR

Assists 1, May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR

Shots on Goal 2, 2 times, last: Sept. 10, 2022, KC at HOU

Shots 3, 3 times, last: Aug. 26, 2023, KC vs. SJ

Fouls Committed 2, 5 times, last: Sept. 20, 2023, KC vs. NSH

Fouls Suffered 5, April 17, 2022, KC at LAFC

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal May 14, 2022, KC at POR

Assist May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR

2024 Record when: he starts 0-1-0 he scores 0-0-0

Tzionis developed in Omonia Nicosia’s academy, signed for the first team in 2017 and made his senior debut for the club in May 2018. In a breakout 2020-21 campaign, Tzionis guided Omonia to the club’s first league title in 11 years by tallying seven goals in 43 games. He landed his UEFA Champions League debut in the qualifying rounds and started all six of Omonia’s games in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

Tzionis represented Cyprus at the U-17 and U-19 youth levels, before breaking into the senior national team in September 2020. To date, Tzionis has two goals in 25 caps for the Cyprus National Team, scoring his first goal in a 2-0 win over Estonia on March 29, 2022.

#20 | F | ALENIS VARGAS | @_aleeenis

Height: 6-1

Weight: 160

Hometown: San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Birthday: 12/4/2003

Last Club: Futbol Consultants Desamparados (Costa Rica)

Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 12/15/2023

Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Alenis Vargas in a transfer from Costa Rican side Futbol Consultants Desamparados ahead of the 2024 season. Vargas spent the 2023 season on loan with SKC II and enjoyed an excellent campaign in MLS NEXT Pro. In 21 appearances, Vargas recorded six goals and five assists while drawing three penalty kicks and helping the team reach the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs with a third-place finish in the Western Conference.

A native of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Vargas did not begin playing competitive soccer until he was 16. He developed in the Leones Academy from 2019-2020 before joining the

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, March 30, 2024, KC at TOR

Assists 0 Shots on Goal 2, March 30, 2024, KC at TOR Shots 2, March 30, 2024, KC at TOR

Fouls Committed 1, 4 times, last: April 27, 2024, KC at MIN Fouls Suffered 1, 3 times, last: May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal March 30, 2024, KC at TOR

Assist N/A

2024 Record when: he

reserve team at Honduran powerhouse C.D. Olimpia in December 2020 at age 17. Vargas left his home country in 2022, signing for Futbol Consultants in Costa Rica’s second division. During the latter half of the year, he trained with reigning top-flight champion Cartaginés, where he was coached by former striker and Costa Rican World Cup veteran Paulo Wanchope.

Vargas excelled on loan with SKC II in 2023, scoring a sensational scissor-kick goal to spark a 4-0 home win over first-place Colorado Rapids 2 before scoring a hat trick in a 6-1 win over Portland Timbers 2 in Aug. 13, 2023.

Height: 6-0

Weight: 170

Hometown: Frankfurt, Germany

Last Club: NK Maribor (Slovenia)

Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 1/19/2022

Birthday: 5/9/2001

#4 | D | ROBERT VOLODER

Regular Season Game Highs:

Goals 1, Sept. 13, 2022, KC vs. DC

Assists 1, 2 times, last: April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR

Shots on Goal 1, Sept. 13, 2022, KC vs. DC

Shots 1, 4 times, last: June 3, 2023, KC at VAN

Fouls Committed 2, 3 times, last: May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU Fouls Suffered 4, April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR

Last Regular Season...

Appearance May 11, 2024, KC vs. HOU

Goal Sept. 13, 2022, KC vs. DC

Assist April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR

2024 Record when: he starts 2-3-1 he scores 0-0-0

Robert Voloder arrived in Kansas City in a transfer from NK Maribor in the Slovenian first division ahead of the 2022 MLS season. Voloder had played every minute for Slovenian powerhouse Maribor during the 2021-22 season before making the move to MLS. Since joining Sporting KC, Voloder has made 37 appearances in all competitions and tallied his first MLS goal against D.C. United on Sept. 13, 2022.

Prior to joining Maribor, Voloder began his professional career at heralded German side FC Cologne. He developed in the club’s academy from 2016-2020 before being selected to Cologne’s first team squad for three German Bundesliga matches at the end of the

2019-20 campaign. Voloder featured regularly for FC Cologne II in 2020-21, starting all 26 appearances.

On the youth international stage, Voloder represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the U-17 through U-19 levels from 2017-2019 before switching his national team allegiance to Germany in September 2019, debuting for the country’s U-19s in a friendly against England. He played his first of five matches for the German U-20s in the fall of 2020 and recently captained the team in an Under 20 Elite League matchup against Norway on Sept. 6, 2021.

#54

| M | REMI WALTER | @remi_walter

Height: 5-8 Weight: 165 Birthday: 4/26/1995

Hometown: Essey-les-Nancy, France

Last Club: Yeni Malatyaspor (Turkey)

Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 12/22/2020

Remi Walter signed with Sporting KC in December 2020, having amassed nearly 200 professional appearances since 2012 while playing in his native France and one season in Turkey. Walter has been an integral part of the Sporting KC squad since 2021, tallying nine goals and 10 assists in 120 appearances, and was the only Sporting player to start all 34 regular-season matches in 2022.

Walter developed in Nancy’s youth academy before joining the first team as an 18-year-old in 2013. He became a regular starter in the early stages of the 2013-14 season and spent the next two and a half years as an integral midfield contributor for the side before being transferred to French title contender Nice in early 2016. Walter helped

Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 8 times, last: March 30, 2024, KC at TOR Assists 1, 9 times, last: April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR

Shots on Goal 2, June 17, 2023, KC vs. LAFC

Shots 3, 4 times, last: June 17, 2023, KC vs. LAFC

Fouls Committed 3, March 5, 2022, KC vs. HOU

Fouls Suffered 3, Nov. 7, 2021, KC vs. RSL

Last Regular Season... Appearance April 27, 2024, KC at MIN

Goal March 30, 2024, KC at TOR

Assist April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR

2024 Record when: he starts 1-3-4 he scores 1-0-1

the club to a fourth-place finish as well as qualification to the 2016-17 UEFA Europa League. The following season, Walter and Nice took another step forward by placing third in Ligue 1 and booking a spot in the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League. Walter split the 2017-18 campaign between Nice and Troyes on loan, before returning to Nice in the summer of 2018. Walter transferred to Turkish first division outfit Yeni Malatyaspor in January of 2020 before departing later that summer.

On the international stage, Walter was a French youth international who participated in a number of high-profile tournaments, namely the 2012 UEFA U-17 Championship in Slovenia and qualifying for the 2017 UEFA U-21 Championship in Poland.

SINGLE SEASON RECORDS (FIELD

Games C.J. Sapong (2011), Ilie Sanchez (2018), Graham Zusi (2018), Luis Martins (2021), Felipe Hernandez (2022), Remi Walter (2022)

Ilie Sanchez (2018), Graham Zusi (2018)

Dom Dwyer (2014)

(1997 & 2003)

(2004)

Davy Arnaud (2010), Roger Espinoza (2019)

SINGLE SEASON RECORDS (GOALKEEPERS)

Jimmy Nielsen (2012 & 2013), Tim Melia (2018)

(2012 & 2013), Tim Melia (2018)

Digital Takawira (1998), Preki (1998), Davy Arnaud (2004), Eddie Johnson (twice in 2007),

9.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL ALL-TIME CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)

ASSISTS

SHOTS

SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL SINGLE-SEASON CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)

Year Player GP SV

2000 Tony Meola 31 129

2003 Tony Meola 30 121

2008 Kevin Hartman 30 117

2005 Bo Oshoniyi 32 112 2019 Tim Melia 32 111 SHUTOUTS

Year Player GP SO

2000 Tony Meola 31 16

2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 15

2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 13

2018 Tim Melia 34 13

2008 Kevin Hartman 30 10 2010 Jimmy Nielsen 29 10 2017 Tim Melia 31 10 GOALKEEPER WINS Year Player GP GW

Mike Ammann 29 21 2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 18 2018 Tim Melia 34 18

2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 17

2000 Tony Meola 31 15

1996 Garth Lagerwey 23 12

2011 Jimmy Nielsen 31 12

2017 Tim Melia 31 12 GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE Year Player GP GA GAA

2017 Tim Melia 31 24 0.78

2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 27 0.79

2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 30 0.88

2000 Tony Meola 31 29 0.92

2004 Tony Meola 21 22 1.05

*Minimum 1,000 minutes played

SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL HIGHS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)

GOALS

Career: 71 Preki

Season: 22 Dom Dwyer (2014)

Game: 3 10 times

Half: 3 Vitalis Takawira (05/16/1998 at NE, 2nd)

Half: 3 Eddie Johnson (06/02/2007 vs. NY, 2nd)

Half: 3 Gerso Fernandes (05/17/2017 vs. SEA, 2nd)

ASSISTS

Career: 98 Preki

Season: 17 Preki (1997)

Season: 17 Preki (2003)

Game: 4 Chris Henderson (06/20/1999 vs. MET)

Half: 3 Chris Henderson (06/20/1999 vs. MET, 1st)

Half: 3 Preki (06/21/2003 vs. CHI, 1st)

SHOTS

Career: 693 Preki

Season: 140 Preki (1996)

Game: 12 Preki (04/12/1997 at TB)

Half: 8 Preki (04/12/1997 at TB, 2nd)

Half: 8 Onandi Lowe (08/12/2001 at COL, 2nd)

Half: 8 Preki (07/06/2002 vs. DAL, 2nd)

GOALS

Season: 65 in 2018

Game: 7 03/30/2019 vs. MTL

2-Tms: 10 05/02/1996 vs. CLB

Half: 5 05/02/1996 vs. CLB (2nd)

Half: 5 06/21/1997 vs. DC (2nd)

ASSISTS

Season: 69 in 2018

Game: 10 06/20/1999 vs. MET

2-Tms: 12 07/04/2001 vs. CHI

Half: 8 06/20/1999 vs. MET (1st)

SHOTS

Season: 583 in 2018

Game: 34 05/15/2016 vs. ORL

Game: 34 04/20/2018 vs. VAN

Game: 34 10/06/2018 vs. LA

2-Tms: 44 4 times

Half: 23 04/20/2018 vs. VAN (2nd)

SHOTS ON GOAL

Career: 283 Preki

Season: 61 Preki (1996)

Game: 6 Preki (05/19/1996 at LA)

Game: 6 Eddie Johnson (06/02/2007 vs. NY)

Game: 6 Alan Pulido (10/24/2020 vs. COL)

Half: 4 10 times

FOULS COMMITTED

Career: 517 Roger Espinoza

Season: 79 Chris Henderson (2000)

Game: 8 Davy Arnaud (05/29/2010 at RSL)

Game: 8 Oriol Rosell (07/27/2013 at MTL)

Half: 7 Scott Uderitz (05/11/1996 vs. DAL, 1st)

FOULS SUFFERED

Career: 528 Davy Arnaud

Season: 111 Davy Arnaud (2004)

Game: 10 Davy Arnaud (10/14/2006 at NY)

Half: 6 8 times

CORNER KICKS

Career: 800 Graham Zusi

Season: 150 Graham Zusi (2012)

Game: 12 Alex Zotinca (07/22/2006 at NY)

Half: 8 Chris Henderson (04/10/1999 vs. SJ, 2nd)

Half: 8 Chris Henderson (05/20/2000 vs. SJ, 1st)

Half: 8 Johnny Russell (08/14/2019 at ORL, 2nd)

GOALS ALLOWED

Career: 314 Tim Melia

Season: 60 Tim Melia (2019)

Game: 7 Bo Oshoniyi (07/04/2001 vs. CHI)

Game: 7 Tim Melia (09/15/2019 at LA)

Game: 7 Tim Melia (05/14/2022 at POR)

Half: 6 Tim Melia (09/15/2019 at LA, 2nd)

Half: 6 Tim Melia (05/14/2022 at POR, 2nd)

SAVES

Career: 710 Tim Melia

Season: 129 Tony Meola (2000)

Game: 10 Tim Melia (04/08/2018 at LA)

Half: 7 4 times

SPORTING KANSAS CITY TEAM HIGHS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)

SHOTS ON GOAL

Season: 250 in 1996

Game: 14 08/23/1998 vs. MIA

Game: 14 06/21/2003 vs. CHI

Game: 14 04/20/2018 vs. VAN

2-Tms: 22 05/02/1996 vs. CLB

2-Tms: 22 04/18/1997 vs. DAL

Half: 11 08/23/1998 vs. MIA (1st)

FOULS COMMITTED

Season: 511 in 2013

Game: 27 07/04/1997 at CLB

2-Tms: 52 05/17/2000 vs. DC

Half: 16 04/05/1997 vs. LA (1st)

Half: 16 07/04/1997 at CLB (2nd)

Half: 16 03/08/2014 at SEA (1st)

FOULS SUFFERED

Season: 541 in 2000

Game: 30 08/16/2003 at DAL

2-Tms: 51 05/17/2000 vs. DC

Half: 20 07/27/1996 vs. NE (2nd)

CORNER KICKS

Season: 207 in 2021

Game: 15 04/10/1999 vs. SJ

2-Tms: 22 08/14/1999 at MET

Half: 10 04/10/1999 vs. SJ (2nd)

GOALS ALLOWED

Season: 67 in 2019

Game: 7 07/04/2001 vs. CHI

Game: 7 09/15/2019 at LA

Game: 7 05/14/2022 at POR

2-Tms: 10 05/02/1996 vs. CLB

Half: 6 09/15/2019 at LA (2nd)

Half: 6 05/14/2022 at POR (2nd)

SAVES

Season: 133 in 1999

Game: 10 04/08/2018 at LA

2-Tms: 18 04/18/1997 vs. DAL

2-Tms: 18 09/02/2000 vs. TB

Half: 7 4 times