SPORTING KANSAS CITY vs. REAL SALT LAKE
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. CT
Children’s Mercy Park (Kansas City, KS)
MLS Regular Season Game 24 Sporting
1-5-6 away)
T-9th in MLS Western Conference
Real Salt Lake
9-7-6, 33 points
(3-4-4 home; 6-3-2 away)
T-3rd in MLS Western Conference
Apple TV: MLS Season Pass
English Radio: Sports Radio 810 WHB
Spanish Radio: La Grande 1340 AM
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
Assistant ref: Andrew Bigelow
Assistant ref: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
4th official: Calin Radosav
VAR: Alejandro Mariscal
SPORTING KANSAS CITY PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
2023 REGULAR SEASON TEAM STATS
SPORTING
2023 MLS REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
QUESTIONABLE
SEASON
PLAYER AVAILABILITY REPORT
As of Monday, July 10
• MID - Nemanja Radoja (Adductor Injury)
OUT
• GK - Tim Melia (Quad Injury)
• DEF - Kortne Ford (Achilles Surgery)
• DEF - Graham Zusi (Hamstring Injury)
• FWD - Willy Agada (Tibia Stress Fracture)
1
WWW.SPORTINGKC.COM/MEDIA-GUIDE No. Pos. Name Pronunciation 1 GK John Pulskamp 3 DEF Andreu Fontas ahn-DRAY-oo 4 DEF Robert Voloder VOLO-derr 5 DEF Dany Rosero danny roh-CERO 6 MID Nemanja Radoja nem-AHN-ya RAHD-oy-ah 7 FWD Johnny Russell 8 DEF Graham Zusi gram ZOO-see 9 FWD Alan Pulido AH-lahn pooh-LEE-doh 10 MID Gadi Kinda GAH-dee KINN-dah 11 FWD Khiry Shelton KY-ree 12 DEF Kortne Ford COURT-knee 13 MID Felipe Gutierrez feh-LEE-pay 14 DEF Tim Leibold LIE-bold 15 DEF Roger Espinoza 17 MID Jake Davis 18 DEF Logan Ndenbe en-DEN-bay 19 DEF Robert Castellanos CASS-tee-YAH-nos 20 FWD Daniel Salloi shallow-EE 21 MID Felipe Hernandez feh-LEE-pay 22 GK Kendall McIntosh MACK-in-tosh 23 FWD Willy Agada ah-GAH-dah 24 DEF Kayden Pierre 25 FWD Ozzie Cisneros sis-NAIR-oce 26 MID Erik Thommy tommy 28 MID Cam Duke 29 GK Tim Melia MEE-lia 30 FWD Stephen Afrifa uh-FREE-fuh 31 MID Danny Flores 54 MID Remi Walter vault-AIR 77 FWD Marinos Tzionis ma-REE-noss JOHN-eese 82 DEF Chris Rindov rin-DOVE
Kansas City
25 points (5-5-1 home;
6-10-7,
KANSAS CITY REAL SALT LAKE 9-7-6 (33 pts.) 1.50 22 T-3rd in West 30 1.36 40 31 1.41 -1 337 (125) 37.1% 236 235 50 1 RECORD POINTS PER GAME GAMES PLAYED CONFERENCE POSITION GOALS GOALS/GAME ASSISTS GOALS ALLOWED ALLOWED/GAME GOAL DIFFERENTIAL SHOTS (ON GOAL) ON GOAL % FOULS COMMITTED FOULS SUFFERED CAUTIONS EJECTIONS 6-10-7 (25 pts.) 1.09 23 T-9th in West 28 1.22 28 32 1.39 -4 309 (112) 36.2% 225 286 39 3
REGULAR
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS SPORTING KANSAS CITY REAL SALT LAKE 5 Jefferson Savarino 5 Gomez, Ruiz 56 Jefferson Savarino 19 Jefferson Savarino 3 Damir Kreilach 4 Andres Gomez 34 Braian Ojeda 32 Braian Ojeda 7 Justen Glad 1 Pablo Ruiz 1575 Zac MacMath 1.26 Zac MacMath 7 Zac MacMath 6 Zac MacMath 47 Zac MacMath GOALS ASSISTS SHOTS SHOTS ON GOAL GAME-WINNING GOALS GAME-WINNING ASSISTS FOULS COMMITTED FOULS SUFFERED CAUTIONS EJECTIONS
MINUTES PLAYED GOALS AGAINST AVG. WINS SHUTOUTS SAVES Alan Pulido 10 Erik Thommy 5 Erik Thommy 59 Daniel Salloi 23 Daniel Salloi 2 Kinda, Thommy 2 Erik Thommy 24 Erik Thommy 37 Rosero, Thommy 6 Three Players 1 Kendall McIntosh 1011 Tim Melia 1.33 Kendall McIntosh 4 John Pulskamp 2 Kendall McIntosh 27
REGULAR SEASON PETER VERMES PABLO MASTROENI 7th season 66-76-52 (.474) 3rd season 28-25-17 (.521) MLS EXPERIENCE MLS RECORD YEAR WITH TEAM RECORD WITH TEAM 15th season (.535) 189-157-114 15th season (.535) 189-157-114 Eastern Conference Pts W L T GD GP 1. FC Cincinnati 45 13 2 6 +11 21 2. Nashville SC 38 11 6 5 +13 22 3. New England Revolution 37 10 4 7 +9 21 4. Columbus Crew 36 10 6 6 +13 22 5. Atlanta United FC 35 9 5 8 +5 22 6. Philadelphia Union 34 10 7 4 +10 21 7. Orlando City SC 34 9 6 7 +5 22 8. D.C. United 30 8 9 6 +2 23 9. CF Montreal 26 8 11 2 -9 21 10. New York Red Bulls 26 6 7 8 -1 21 11. Chicago Fire FC 26 6 7 8 -4 21 12. Charlotte FC 26 6 8 8 -8 22 13. New York City FC 26 5 7 11 -4 23 14. Toronto FC 19 3 10 10 -14 23 15. Inter Miami CF 18 5 13 3 -11 21 Western Conference Pts W L T GD GP 1. st. louis city sc 38 12 7 2 +16 21 2. Seattle Sounders FC 35 10 7 5 +8 22 3. Los Angeles FC 33 9 6 6 +6 21 4. Real Salt Lake 33 9 7 6 -1 22 5. Austin FC 29 8 8 5 0 21 6. FC Dallas 29 8 9 5 -1 22 7. San Jose Earthquakes 29 7 7 8 -3 22 8. Houston Dynamo FC 28 8 9 4 -2 21 9. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 25 6 7 7 +3 20 10. Sporting Kansas City 25 6 10 7 -4 23 11. Minnesota United FC 24 6 8 6 -7 20 12. Portland Timbers 22 5 9 7 -8 21 13. LA Galaxy 22 5 9 7 -10 21 14. Colorado Rapids 17 3 10 8 -14 21
2023
GK
COACHES -
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2023 NUMERICAL ROSTER
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2023 ALPHABETICAL ROSTER
2 NO. PLAYER PRONUNCIATION POS. HT. WT. BIRTHDATE (AGE) HOMETOWN LAST CLUB 1 John Pulskamp GK 6-4 205 04/19/2001 (22) Bakersfield, CA Sporting KC II (USL Championship) 3 Andreu Fontas ahn-DRAY-oo DEF 6-2 200 11/14/1989 (33) Banyoles, Spain Celta Vigo (Spain) 4 Robert Voloder VOLO-derr DEF 6-0 175 05/09/2001 (22) Frankfurt, Germany NK Maribor (Slovenia) 5 Dany Rosero danny roh-CERO DEF 6-2 190 10/06/1993 (29) Bogota, Colombia Atletico Junior (Colombia) 6 Nemanja Radoja nem-AHN-ya RAHD-oy-ya MID 6-0 175 02/06/1993 (30) Novi Sad, Serbia Levante (Spain) 7 Johnny Russell FWD 5-9 170 04/08/1990 (33) Glasgow, Scotland Derby County FC (England) 8 Graham Zusi ZOO-see DEF 5-10 160 08/18/1986 (36) Orlando, FL 9 Alan Pulido AH-lahn pooh-LEE-doh FWD 5-10 180 03/08/1991 (32) Ciudad Victoria, Mexico Chivas Guadalajara (Mexico) 10 Gadi Kinda GAH-dee KINN-dah MID 5-7 155 03/23/1994 (29) Ashdod, Israel Beitar Jerusalem (Israel) 11 Khiry Shelton KY-ree FWD 6-3 180 06/26/1993 (30) Austin, TX SC Paderborn 07 (Germany) 12 Kortne Ford COURT-knee DEF 6-2 180 01/26/1996 (27) Olathe, KS Colorado Rapids (MLS) 13 Felipe Gutierrez feh-LEE-pay MID 5-9 155 10/08/1990 (32) Quintero, Chile Al Wasl FC (United Arab Emirates) 14 Tim Leibold LIE-bold DEF 5-9 165 11/30/1993 (29) Friolzheim, Germany Hamburger SV (Germany) 15 Roger Espinoza MID 5-10 190 10/25/1986 (36) Denver, CO Wigan Athletic (England) 17 Jake Davis MID 5-9 160 01/03/2002 (21) Rochester, MI Sporting KC II (USL Championship) 18 Logan Ndenbe en-DEN-bay DEF 5-8 180 02/09/2000 (23) La Louviere, Belgium EA Guingamp (France) 19 Robert Castellanos CASS-tee-YAH-nos DEF 6-1 190 05/11/1998 (25) Palmdale, CA KuPS (Finland) 20 Daniel Salloi shallow-EE FWD 6-1 165 07/19/1996 (26) Budapest, Hungary Sporting KC Academy 21 Felipe Hernandez feh-LEE-pay MID 5-7 140 06/08/1998 (25) Nashville, TN Sporting KC II (USL Championship) 22 Kendall McIntosh MACK-in-tosh GK 5-11 180 01/24/1994 (29) Santa Rosa, CA New York Red Bulls (MLS) 23 Willy Agada ah-GAH-dah FWD 5-9 180 09/17/1999 (23) Bauchi, Nigeria Hapoel Jerusalem (Israel) 24 Kayden Pierre DEF 5-9 150 02/16/2003 (20) Bloomfield Hills, MI Sporting KC Academy 25 Ozzie Cisneros sis-NAIR-oce FWD 5-5 145 03/13/2004 (19) Omaha, NE Sporting KC Academy 26 Erik Thommy tommy MID 5-8 160 08/20/1994 (28) Wettenhausen, Germany VfB Stuttgart (Germany) 28 Cam Duke MID 5-6 130 02/13/2001 (22) Overland Park, KS Sporting KC Academy 29 Tim Melia MEE-lia GK 6-1 210 05/15/1986 (37) Great River, NY Chivas USA (MLS) 30 Stephen Afrifa uh-FREE-fuh FWD 5-10 150 02/19/2001 (22) Toronto, Canada 31 Danny Flores MID 5-9 145 04/06/2002 (21) Half Moon Bay, CA Oakland Roots (USL Championship) 54 Remi Walter vault-AIR MID 5-8 160 04/26/1995 (28) Essey-les-Nancy, France Yeni Malatyaspor (Turkey) 77 Marinos Tzionis ma-REE-noss JOHN-eese FWD 5-7 150 07/16/2001 (21) Nicosia, Cyprus Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus) 82 Chris Rindov rin-DOVE DEF 6-2 185 10/08/2001 (21) Rockville, MD
NO. PLAYER PRONUNCIATION POS. HT. WT. BIRTHDATE (AGE) BIRTHPLACE COLLEGE 30 Stephen Afrifa uh-FREE-fuh FWD 5-10 150 02/19/2001 (22) Toronto, Canada Florida International University 23 Willy Agada ah-GAH-dah FWD 5-9 180 09/17/1999 (23) Bauchi, Nigeria 19 Robert Castellanos CASS-tee-YAH-nos DEF 6-1 190 05/11/1998 (25) Palmdale, CA 25 Ozzie Cisneros sis-NAIR-oce FWD 5-5 145 03/13/2004 (19) Omaha, NE 17 Jake Davis MID 5-9 160 01/03/2002 (21) Rochester, MI 28 Cam Duke MID 5-6 130 02/13/2001 (22) Overland Park, KS 15 Roger Espinoza MID 5-10 190 10/25/1986 (36) Puerto Cortes, Honduras Ohio State University 31 Danny Flores MID 5-9 145 04/06/2002 (21) Burlingame, CA Virginia Tech 3 Andreu Fontas ahn-DRAY-oo DEF 6-2 200 11/14/1989 (33) Banyoles, Spain 12 Kortne Ford COURT-knee DEF 6-2 180 01/26/1996 (27) Olathe, KS University of Denver 13 Felipe Gutierrez feh-LEE-pay MID 5-9 155 10/08/1990 (32) Quintero, Chile 21 Felipe Hernandez feh-LEE-pay MID 5-7 140 06/08/1998 (25) Ibague, Colombia 10 Gadi Kinda GAH-dee KINN-dah MID 5-7 155 03/23/1994 (29) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 14 Tim Leibold LIE-bold DEF 5-9 165 11/30/1993 (29) Boblingen, Germany 22 Kendall McIntosh MACK-in-tosh GK 5-11 180 01/24/1994 (29) Oakland, CA Santa Clara University 29 Tim Melia MEE-lia GK 6-1 210 05/15/1986 (37) Great River, NY Lynn University 18 Logan Ndenbe en-DEN-bay DEF 5-8 180 02/09/2000 (23) La Louviere, Belgium 24 Kayden Pierre DEF 5-9 150 02/16/2003 (20) Rochester Hills, MI 9 Alan Pulido AH-lahn pooh-LEE-doh FWD 5-10 180 03/08/1991 (32) Ciudad Victoria, Mexico 1 John Pulskamp GK 6-4 205 04/19/2001 (22) Bakersfield, CA 6 Nemanja Radoja nem-AHN-ya RAHD-oy-ya MID 6-0 175 02/06/1993 (30) Novi Sad, Serbia 82 Chris Rindov rin-DOVE DEF 6-2 185 10/08/2001 (21) Silver Spring, MD University of Maryland 5 Dany Rosero danny roh-CERO DEF 6-2 190 10/06/1993 (29) Bogota, Colombia 7 Johnny Russell FWD 5-9 170 04/08/1990 (33) Glasgow, Scotland 20 Daniel Salloi shallow-EE FWD 6-1 165 07/19/1996 (26) Siofok, Hungary 11 Khiry Shelton KY-ree FWD 6-3 180 06/26/1993 (30) Colorado Springs, CO Oregon State University 26 Erik Thommy tommy MID 5-8 160 08/20/1994 (28) Ulm, Germany 77 Marinos Tzionis ma-REE-noss JOHN-eese FWD 5-7 150 07/16/2001 (21) Nicosia, Cyprus 4 Robert Voloder VOLO-derr DEF 6-0 175 05/09/2001 (22) Frankfurt, Germany 54 Remi Walter vault-AIR MID 5-8 160 04/26/1995 (28) Essey-les-Nancy, France 8 Graham Zusi ZOO-see DEF 5-10 160 08/18/1986 (36) Longwood, FL University of Maryland
Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
#SKCvRSL: HEAD-TO-HEAD
Sporting Kansas City (6-10-7, 25 pts.) returns home midweek to take on high-flying Real Salt Lake (9-7-6, 33 pts.) at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting will go from visiting the West’s best home team in Houston on Saturday to hosting the conference’s best road team with RSL coming to town on Wednesday night.
The two teams split the regular-season series in 2022, with both teams claiming all three points at home. The first match took place at Children’s Mercy Park on March 26, 2022 and Johnny Russell’s late goal was all it took to seal a 1-0 victory for the hosts on the night.
The return fixture took place almost exactly a year ago on July 17, 2022 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah. Closing out a three-game road swing, Sporting found it tough in the match and eventually succumbed to a 3-0 setback following goals from Sergio Cordova, Pablo Ruiz and Jefferson Savarino.
Sporting has won just four of their last 20 regular-season games against RSL and are 12-16-8 in the all-time regular-season series and 15-18-10 in all competitions.
#SKCvRSL: Recent Meetings (RSL leads 16-12-8 in regular season)
Date Score Result Details
07/17/2022 KC 0 at RSL 3 L Goals from Cordova, Ruiz and Savarino sink Sporting KC
03/26/2022 KC 1 vs RSL 0 W Russell scores late goal to seal three points for Sporting
11/07/2021 KC 0 vs RSL 1 L Kreilach scores late in controversial SKC loss
05/01/2021 KC 1 at RSL 3 L Pulido opens scoring before Salt Lake comes back to win
11/08/2020 KC 2 at RSL 0 W Shelton and Hurtado score either side of haltime in snowstorm
#SKCvRSL: PLAYER HISTORY
• Forward Johnny Russell has three goals and two assists against Salt Lake. He scored in the 2-1 home loss on Aug. 10, 2019, while both his assists set up Ike Opara goals in the 4-2 road defeat on July 4, 2018 and the 1-1 home draw on Sept. 30, 2018. He scored the opener in the 2-0 win at the MLS is Back Tournament on July 22, 2020 and again in the 1-0 home win on March 26, 2022.
• Midfielder Roger Espinoza has one goal and four assists against Real Salt Lake, including the game-winning strike in a 2-0 victory at Children’s Mercy Park on Aug. 3, 2011. He also assisted Feilhaber’s game-winner in a 3-0 win on April 29, 2017. He had two assists in the 4-2 road loss on July 4, 2018.
• Forward Alan Pulido has a goal and two assists against Real Salt Lake, setting up both goals in the 2-0 win at the MLS is Back Tournament on July 22, 2020 before scoring in the 3-1 road loss on May 1, 2021.
• Forward Khiry Shelton has scored once and tallied one assist against RSL, netting the game-winner in the 2-0 road win on Decision Day on Nov. 8, 2020 before tallying an assist in the 3-1 road loss on May 1, 2021.
• Forward Daniel Salloi has one goal against Salt Lake, opening the scoring in a 4-2 road defeat on July 4, 2018.
• Defender Graham Zusi has four assists all-time against Real Salt Lake, with three coming on game-winners. The first two were recorded in 2012 and 2013 before he assisted Feilhaber’s opening strike in a 3-0 on April 29, 2017. His most recent assist came in a 2-1 road loss on October 22, 2017.
• Goalkeeper Tim Melia is 4-9-3 against his former team RSL, including five shutouts - coming for Sporting in 2016, 2017, during both appearances in 2020 and most recently in the 1-0 home win on March 26, 2022.
• Goalkeeper John Pulskamp is 0-2-0 against RSL with a 3.00 goals against average.
#SKCvRSL: PLAYER/COACH CONNECTIONS
• Goalkeeper Tim Melia played for Real Salt Lake from 2010-2011, but never made an appearance for the club.
• Defender Graham Zusi and Sporting KC II coach Benny Feilhaber have played alongside RSL striker Rubio Rubin on the U.S. National Team.
• Defender Kortne Ford played alongside RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath at the Colorado Rapids from 2017-2018. Ford was also given his MLS debut in 2017 by current RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni while both were at the Rapids.
• Former Kansas City Wizards striker Matt Taylor is an assistant coach with RSL.
#SKCvRSL: BY THE NUMBERS
Sporting KC Team Notes
• Since the start of May, Sporting lead MLS with 25 goals scored (1.92 goals per match). The club scored just three goals in its first 10 matches through the end of April.
• In all competitions this season, Sporting are 7-0-2 when scoring multiple goals and 0-11-5 when scoring one or fewer.
• Sporting lead the Western Conference with 11 goals scored in the first 30 minutes of matches this season.
• Sporting have a 5-3-3 record when scoring first this season, the second worst in MLS ahead of only Colorado (2-3-1).
• Sporting’s five home defeats are tied with Inter Miami CF for the most in MLS (5-5-1 home record).
• SKC have committed 9.8 fouls per match, the 2nd fewest in MLS. Conversely, Sporting rank second in MLS with 3.1 fouls suffered in the attacking third.
• Since Aug. 14, 2021, Sporting are 5-1-4 in the regular season with all three DPs in the starting lineup. Alan Pulido, Johnny Russell and Gadi Kinda were DPs from 2021-2022. Pulido, Kinda and Erik Thommy are DPs in 2023.
• SKC are the only team in MLS to have competed on every matchday in 2023.
• Sporting have used 21 different lineups in 25 matches this season across all competitions. In 2022, Sporting used 32 different lineups in 38 matches across all competitions.
Sporting KC Player Notes
• Forward Alan Pulido has a team-high 10 MLS goals and 11 goals in all competitions this season. His 10 league goals (tied for third most in MLS) and 11 goals in all competitions are his most for Sporting in a single season since joining the club in 2020. His nine goals since the start of June are the most in MLS during that time.
• Among players with at least 20 regular season matches played for Sporting, Alan Pulido ranks first in club history with 0.47 goals per game (24 goals in 51 matches). Fellow forward and teammate Willy Agada ranks second in club history with 0.45 goals per game (nine goals in 20 matches).
• Among players with at least 500 minutes this season, midfielder Gadi Kinda ranks second in MLS with 0.62 primary assists per 90 minutes (four primary assists in 579 minutes). Kinda has assists in back-to-back matches.
Real Salt Lake Team Notes
• RSL boast the most away wins and the best road record in MLS, going 6-3-2 on their travels this season. Their six away wins tie a club record in a single regular season.
• RSL are unbeaten in their last seven regular season road matches (5-0-2) and have not lost in their last 10 away games in all competitions (8-0-2). The club last lost away from home on April 15.
• RSL lead MLS with 1.36 road goals per match (15 goals in 11 games).
• RSL are one of two MLS teams (DAL) with zero penalty kicks taken this season.
• RSL lead MLS in shots on target per game (5.7) and rank second in total shots per game (15.3).
• RSL are 10-0-1 when scoring first this season in all competitions (7-0-1 in MLS matches).
• RSL are 8-0-0 when leading at halftime this season in all competitions (5-0-0 in MLS matches).
Real Salt Lake Player Notes
• Midfielder Pablo Ruiz has set MLS career-highs in goals (four) and assists (five). He ranks fifth in MLS with 12 successful through balls and seventh with a dribble success rate of 76.5%.
• Forward Anderson Julio has scored off the bench in each of the last two matches.
• Defender Justen Glad ranks eighth in MLS with 37 interceptions.
NOTEWORTHY MILESTONES
SPORTING KC SOCIAL PROPERTIES
Web Twitter Other Social Media
SportingKC.com @SportingKC Facebook.com/SportingKC
SportingKC.com/News @SKCMatchday Instagram.com/SportingKC
SportingKC.com/Videos @SportingKCII Facebook.com/SportingKCII
SportingKC.com/Media @CMPark Instagram.com/SportingKCII
SportingKCAcademy.com @SKCAcademy Instagram.com/SKCAcademy
SportingKCYouth.com @SportingKCYouth Facebook.com/SportingKCYouth
VictoryKC.org @VictoryKC Facebook.com/VictoryProjectKC
SportingStyle.com @SportingStyle Instagram.com/SportingStyle
SportingAthletics.com @SportingGaming TikTok: @SportingKC
NoOtherPubKC.com @NoOtherPub Facebook.com/NoOtherPub
SportingClubEventsKC.com @SportingKCSTM Facebook.com/SKCSeasonTicketMembers
CompassMineralsNPC.com @SoySporting YouTube.com/SportingKansasCity
3 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
• Forward Daniel Salloi has 42 regular season goals for Sporting, sixth most in club history and one shy of Davy Arnaud and Josh Wolff in fourth.
VITAL WEEK ON THE HORIZON
SPORTING KANSAS CITY NEWS AND NOTES
Sporting Kansas City are in the midst of a vital week in the club’s season, playing three games in seven days before the MLS regular season takes a break for the Leagues Cup. Sporting began the week with a frustrating 2-2 draw on the road at Houston Dynamo FC where the team surrendered the lead in the 98th minute of the match.
Now, Sporting will host the best road team in MLS with Real Salt Lake coming to down. RSL has gone 6-3-2 on the road this year and are unbeaten in their last seven road matches (5-0-2). Across all competitions, RSL are 8-0-2 in their last 10 road matches, including four consecutive wins in MLS play and three on the bounce in the U.S. Open Cup.
Sporting have been buoyed by the return to form of Designated Players Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda of late, with Pulido tallying nine goals in seven games since the start of June - the most in MLS - while Kinda has tallied assists in back-to-back games and went the full 90 for the first time post-surgery on Saturday in Houston.
Sporting will take some confidence from the fact that Houston had only conceded three goals at home prior to Saturday’s match, with SKC almost doubling that in 90 minutes.
HOSTING LEAGUE’S BEST ROAD TEAM
Sporting Kansas City returns home midweek for another stern test of the club’s credentials as Peter Vermes’ side hosts Real Salt Lake, the league’s best road team in 2023. This, coming on the back of earning a 2-2 draw away at the Western Conference’s best home team in Houston Dynamo FC on Saturday night. RSL have gone 6-3-2 on the road this year and are unbeaten in their last seven road matches (5-0-2).
Sporting and RSL split the season series 1-1-0 last season with both teams claiming all three points at home. Sporting won the first contest 1-0 on March 26, 2022 at Children’s Mercy Park with Johnny Russell’s late goal enough to seal the victory.
The return fixture took place at Rio Tinto Stadium almost exactly one year ago on July 17, 2022 and RSL took control from the start with a 3-0 victory following goals from Sergio Cordova, Pablo Ruiz and Jefferson Savarino.
Sporting KC trails the all-time regular-season series 12-16-8 and has gone 7-5-5 at home against RSL. However, Sporting has won just four of their last 20 regular-season matches against the Utes, going 2-4-3 at home since the start of 2014.
PULIDO BREAKS INTO GOLDEN BOOT RACE
Sporting Kansas City forward and Designated Player Alan Pulido showed no signs of slowing down his stunning recent form, bagging another pair of goals in Saturday night’s 2-2 draw with Houston Dynamo FC at Shell Energy Stadium.
Pulido now has nine goals in the past seven games and leads all of MLS with nine goals since the start of June. Pulido also leads Sporting with 14 goal contributions in all competitions this season (11 goals, three assists).
Pulido’s two goals over the weekend give him 10 on the season in MLS play, tied for third in the Golden Boot race behind only Hany Mukhtar (13) and Denis Bouanga (12). With Saturday’s performance, Pulido is now Sporting’s leader in goals per game among players with at least 20 regular-season matches played.
SPORTING KC GOALS PER GAME LEADERS (MIN 20 GAMES PLAYED)
Willy Agada 9 20 0.450
Dom Dwyer 57 128 0.445
KINDA HEATIN’ UP
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gadi Kinda continued to round into form as his minutes increase following knee surgery that forced him to miss all of 2022. Kinda put in his first 90-minute shift since returning during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Houston Dynamo FC at Shell Energy Stadium.
Kinda tallied his fourth assist of the season and his second in as many games on Alan Pulido’s opening goal, sending a backheel flick through the legs of a defender to free the Mexican forward to dink a finish over the onrushing goalkeeper. Kinda was not credited with an assist on the second goal, but it was his driving run and piece of skill that forced Artur to commit a foul in the box that saw Pulido step up and convert his second of the night.
Kinda has been hugely productive for Sporting when available since joining the club as a Designated Player in 2020, tallying 13 goals and 16 assists in 56 MLS regular-season appearances.
FONTAS TALLIES FIRST ASSIST IN TWO YEARS
Sporting Kansas City center back Andreu Fontas sparked Sporting during Saturday night’s 2-2 draw with Houston Dynamo FC at Shell Energy Stadium, firing a pass into Gadi Kinda who in turn flicked the ball to Alan Pulido to open the scoring midway through the first half.
The secondary assist was Fontas’ first assist of any kind for Sporting since June 23, 2021, when he tallied his only other assist for the club in a 3-1 home win over the Colorado Rapids.
Fontas has struck up a solid partnership with fellow center back Dany Rosero in the heart of Sporting’s backline, with the team going 4-0-0 when the center back pairing start together at home this season, outscoring opponents 12-2 in those four matches.
Since the start of 2021, Fontas has completed more passes (5,227) than any other player in MLS has attempted passes (Ilie Sanchez at 4,696).
SPORTING KC TO HOST HALFTIME MEDIA GAME
Sporting Kansas City’s media corp is set to be put to the test once again as the annual Halftime Media Game makes its triumphant return when Sporting KC hosts Real Salt Lake at Children’s Mercy Park on Wednesday, July 12.
The joyous/exciting/occasionally comedic event is a thrill for fans and the press alike, with 35 members of the local media scene set to go head-to-head in the Blue Hell for ultimate intra-industry bragging rights.
The two teams will be split into one group of 17 and one of 18. Sporting Blue will be showcasing the resplendent Hoops 4.0 jerseys, while Sporting Indigo will don the classy State Line 3.0 outfits that debuted in 2022. Media members from all walks of the industry, be it television networks, radio stations, newspapers, podcasts and soccer sites from throughout the region will all be taking place in the event.
SPORTING KC SIGNS FELIPE GUTIERREZ
Sporting Kansas City announced last Thursday that the club has signed Felipe Gutierrez, sealing the Chilean midfielder’s return to Kansas City following his three-year stint as a Designated Player from 2018-2020.
Gutierrez has enjoyed a heralded playing career across the globe, notching 62 goals and 46 assists in 379 club appearances since 2009 with stops in the Spanish La Liga, Dutch Eredivisie, Brazilian Serie A, Chilean Primera Division and Major League Soccer. He has also collected 35 caps for the Chile Men’s National Team as a 2014 FIFA World Cup participant and a 2015 Copa America champion.
Gutierrez first joined Sporting ahead of the 2018 campaign and scored five goals in his first five appearances, including match-winning goals in each of the club’s first three victories of the year. His hot start culminated in MLS Player of the Month honors for March 2018, setting the tone for a season that would see Sporting finish atop the West and reach the conference finals.
In 2019, Gutierrez landed Sporting KC Golden Boot honors by scoring 12 goals and becoming the fourth midfielder in club history to hit double-digit goals in a single regular season. He also had four assists and led all Sporting field players in appearances (38), starts (37) and minutes (3,225) across all competitions.
POSTGAME: #HOUvSKC
Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
Thoughts on the match…
“I think, for other than the last two minutes of the first half and the last three minutes of the second half, we were very good in the game. But our smelling of the situation to close out the game was not good enough and we gave away two points. We were in a fantastic position, both leading 1-0 and then being up 2-1 and there’s no way that the last ball should drop on the ground, no matter what. For us to concede a ball dropping on the ground 25 yards away from goal when we have five in the back shouldn’t happen. Unfortunately, we gave the points away tonight.”
On the combination between Gadi Kinda and Alan Pulido…
“They’re finally playing together and they’re on the field and they’re not injured. I mean, it’s as simple as that. They had the same connection when we started in 2020 in the first two games of the season in Vancouver and in Houston. It was the same exact thing. Now they’re just getting getting fitter and fitter, and they’re starting to connect again. That part of it is very good, but we can’t give up the two goals that we gave up tonight. It’s incredibly disappointing to me.”
4 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Goals Games GPG
Pulido 24
Player
Alan
51 0.471
ALL-TIME REGULAR SEASON RESULTS
Sporting KC MLS record vs. Real Salt Lake: 12-16-8 Home games: 7-5-5 (20 GF, 16 GA)
ALL-TIME REGULAR SEASON SERIES STATS
CHILDREN’S MERCY PARK BY THE NUMBERS
5 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
TOTAL MLS SELLOUTS 177 206 MLS matches at full capacity since 2011 (including postseason)
KC MATCHES
SPORTING KC MATCHES WON 258 139 207 MLS regular season, 12 MLS postseason, 23 Open Cup, 11 International, 5 friendlies not including penalty shootout victories in 2012 U.S. Open Cup and 2013 MLS Cup finals ALL-TIME AVERAGE MLS ATTENDANCE 19,251 206 MLS matches at full capacity since 2011 (including postseason) PERCENT CAPACITY IN MLS MATCHES 104.2 206 MLS matches at full capacity since 2011 Seating capacity: 18,467 SPORTING KC GOALS SCORED
in 258 matches played at the stadium
SPORTING
PLAYED
456
(full
ATTENDANCE RECORDS
capacity games only)
Road
Neutral site: 1-0-0 (2
0
Date Score Result Location 07/16/2005 KC 3 vs RSL 2 W Arrowhead Stadium 08/13/2005 KC 4 at RSL 2 W Rice-Eccles Stadium 05/20/2006 KC 1 at RSL 2 L Rice-Eccles Stadium 09/30/2006 KC 3 vs RSL 3 T Arrowhead Stadium 07/14/2007 KC 1 vs RSL 0 W Arrowhead Stadium 08/29/2007 KC 1 at RSL 3 L Rice-Eccles Stadium 06/07/2008 KC 0 at RSL 0 T Rice-Eccles Stadium 06/28/2008 KC 1 vs RSL 0 W CommunityAmerica Ballpark 05/16/2009 KC 2 at RSL 0 W Rio Tinto Stadium 08/29/2009 KC 0 vs RSL 1 L CommunityAmerica Ballpark 05/29/2010 KC 1 at RSL 4 L Rio Tinto Stadium 08/07/2010 KC 1 vs RSL 1 T CommunityAmerica Ballpark 08/03/2011 KC 2 vs RSL 0 W Livestrong Sporting Park 09/17/2011 KC 0 at RSL 1 L Rio Tinto Stadium 04/14/2012 KC 1 vs RSL 0 W Livestrong Sporting Park 07/20/2013 KC 2 at RSL 1 W Rio Tinto Stadium 04/05/2014 KC 0 vs RSL 0 T Sporting Park 04/11/2015 KC 0 vs RSL 0 T Sporting Park 06/21/2015 KC 1 at RSL 2 L Rio Tinto Stadium 07/24/2015 KC 1 at RSL 2 L Rio Tinto Stadium 04/02/2016 KC 1 vs RSL 2 L Children’s Mercy Park 05/21/2016 KC 1 vs RSL 3 L Children’s Mercy Park 10/16/2016 KC 0 at RSL 0 T Rio Tinto Stadium 04/29/2017 KC 3 vs RSL 0 W Children’s Mercy Park 07/22/2017 KC 1 at RSL 1 T Rio Tinto Stadium 10/22/2017 KC 1 at RSL 2 L Rio Tinto Stadium 07/04/2018 KC 2 at RSL 4 L Rio Tinto Stadium 09/30/2018 KC 1 vs RSL 1 T Children’s Mercy Park 06/29/2019 KC 0 at RSL 2 L Rio Tinto Stadium 08/10/2019 KC 1 vs RSL 2 L Children’s Mercy Park 07/22/2020 KC 2 at RSL 0 W Marathon Sports Field 11/08/2020 KC 2 at RSL 0 W Rio Tinto Stadium 05/01/2021 KC 1 at RSL 3 L Rio Tinto Stadium 11/07/2021 KC 0 vs RSL 1 L Children’s Mercy Park 03/26/2022 KC 1 vs RSL 0 W Children’s Mercy Park 07/17/2022 KC 0 at RSL 3 L Rio Tinto Stadium
games: 4-11-3 (20 GF, 32 GA)
GF,
GA)
REAL SALT LAKE Category 1 2 OT Total Goals 26 22 0 48 Shots 184 228 0 412 Shots on Goal 71 92 0 163 Fouls 244 234 0 478 Offsides 52 51 0 103 Corner Kicks 77 58 0 135 Category 1 2 OT Total Goals 19 23 0 42 Shots 204 246 0 450 Shots on Goal 70 99 0 169 Fouls 184 237 0 421 Offsides 45 37 0 82 Corner Kicks 103 99 0 202
SPORTING KANSAS CITY ALL-TIME REGULAR SEASON SERIES LEADERS SPORTING KANSAS CITY REAL SALT LAKE Corey Baird 4 Damir Kreilach 5 Joao Plata 27 Kyle Beckerman 11 Kyle Beckerman 29 Javier Morales 29 Nick Rimando 9 Nick Rimando 4 Nick Rimando 5 Nick Rimando 61 Nick Rimando 16 GOALS ASSISTS SHOTS SHOTS ON GOAL FOULS COMMITTED FOULS SUFFERED WINS LOSSES SHUTOUTS SAVES GOALS ALLOWED 4 Four Players 5 Arnaud, Wolff 28 Dom Dwyer 13 Dom Dwyer 30 Roger Espinoza 37 Roger Espinoza 4 Tim Melia 8 Tim Melia 5 Tim Melia 47 Tim Melia 20 Tim Melia
SPORTING KANSAS CITY REAL SALT LAKE Four Players 2 Four Players 2 Beckerman, Saborio 6 (7/17/22) Jefferson Savarino 4 Harris, Olave 6 (5/29/10) Javier Morales 7 (4/5/14) Jeff Attinella 8 (8/13/05) D.J. Countess 4 GOALS ASSISTS SHOTS SHOTS ON GOAL FOULS COMMITTED FOULS SUFFERED SAVES GOALS ALLOWED 2 Three Players 3 Josh Wolff (8/13/05) 6 Three Players 3 11 Players 8 Davy Arnaud (5/29/10) 6 Three Players 7 Four Players 4 Nielsen, Melia 1-15 16-30 31-45 46-60 61-75 76-90 OT Total KC 3 12 4 9 6 8 0 42 RSL 5 4 17 5 6 11 0 48
SCORED IN SERIES BY INTERVAL
ALL-TIME REGULAR SEASON GAME HIGHS
GOALS
SPORTING KANSAS CITY TRANSACTION TRACKER
Players In Players Out
MID - Nemanja Radoja (Signed as Free Agent - Oct. 26, 2022)
DEF - Tim Leibold (Signed as Free Agent - Jan. 12, 2023)
MID - Danny Flores (Signed off Waivers - Jan. 13, 2023)
DEF - Chris Rindov (MLS SuperDraft Selection - Feb. 10, 2023)
DEF - Robert Castellanos (Signed as Free Agent - Feb. 17, 2023)
DEF - Dany Rosero (Acquired from Atletico Junior - March 2, 2023)
DEF - Mo Abualnadi (Short-Term Loan from SKC II - April 24, 2023)
MID - Ethan Bryant (Short-Term Loan from SKC II - April 24, 2023)
MID - Sebastian Cruz (Short-Term Loan from SKC II - April 24, 2023)
FWD - Stephen Afrifa (MLS SuperDraft Selection - April 26, 2023)
MID - Ethan Bryant (Short-Term Loan from SKC II - May 9, 2023)
MID - Sebastian Cruz (Short-Term Loan from SKC II - May 9, 2023)
MID - Felipe Gutierrez (Signed as Free Agent - July 6, 2023)
DEF - Nicolas Isimat-Mirin (Option Declined - Nov. 15, 2022)
DEF - Kaveh Rad (Option Declined - Nov. 15, 2022)
MID - Uri Rosell (Waived - Jan. 20, 2023)
DEF - Ben Sweat (Waived - April 4, 2023)
DEF - Mo Abualnadi (End of Short-Term Loan from SKC II - April 26, 2023)
MID - Ethan Bryant (End of Short-Term Loan from SKC II - April 26, 2023)
MID - Sebastian Cruz (End of Short-Term Loan from SKC II - April 26, 2023)
MID - Ethan Bryant (End of Short-Term Loan from SKC II - May 11, 2023)
MID - Sebastian Cruz (End of Short-Term Loan from SKC II - May 11, 2023)
SPORTING KANSAS CITY TRANSACTION TIMELINE
DATE IN/OUT DETAILS
Oct. 26: IN
Sporting KC signs free agent midfielder Nemanja Radoja, most recently with Levante (Spain).
Nov. 15: OUT Sporting KC declines options on defenders Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Kaveh Rad and Graham Zusi. In addition, defender Andreu Fontas and midfielder Roger Espinoza are out of contract.
Dec. 2: IN
Sporting KC re-signs defenders Andreu Fontas and Graham Zusi along with midfielder Roger Espinoza
Jan. 12: IN Sporting KC signs free agent defender Tim Leibold, most recently with Hamburger SV (Germany).
Jan. 13: IN Sporting KC signs midfielder Danny Flores off MLS waivers, having recently departed Virginia Tech.
Jan. 20: OUT Sporting KC waives midfielder Uri Rosell
Feb. 10: IN Sporting KC signs defender Chris Rindov, the club’s second round pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of Maryland.
Feb. 17: IN Sporting KC signs free agent defender Robert Castellanos, most recently with KuPS (Finland).
March 2: IN Sporting KC acquires defender Dany Rosero in a transfer from Atletico Junior (Colombia).
April 4: OUT Sporting KC waives defender Ben Sweat
April 24: IN Sporting KC signs defender Mo Abualnadi and midfielders Ethan Bryant and Sebastian Cruz to short-term loans from SKC II ahead of Open Cup match vs. Tulsa Athletic.
April 26: OUT Sporting KC ends short-term loans from SKC II for defender Mo Abualnadi and midfielders Ethan Bryant and Sebastian Cruz
April 26: IN Sporting KC signs forward Stephen Afrifa, the club’s first round pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of FIU.
May 9: IN Sporting KC signs midfielders Ethan Bryant and Sebastian Cruz to short-term loans from SKC II ahead of Open Cup match at Houston Dynamo FC.
May 11: OUT Sporting KC ends short-term loans from SKC II for midfielders Ethan Bryant and Sebastian Cruz
July 6: IN Sporting KC signs free agent midfielder Felipe Gutierrez, most recently with Al Wasl FC (United Arab Emirates)
CONSTRUCTING SPORTING KANSAS CITY
2009 Graham Zusi (2nd Round - #23)
Johnny Russell (1/31/18)
Andreu Fontas (8/8/18)
2019
2020 Khiry Shelton (12/9/19)
Alan Pulido (12/10/19)
Gadi Kinda (1/23/20)
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)
Kortne Ford (1/14/22)
Cam Duke (7/18/19)
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)
Kendall McIntosh (12/17/20)
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)
Felipe Gutierrez (7/6/23)
Danny Flores (1/13/23)
6
2023
Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12,
vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Year MLS SuperDraft Overseas Signings Domestic/Free Agents Homegrown Players Re-Entry Draft
Roger
Tim Melia (12/23/14)
2015
Espinoza (1/6/15)
2016 Daniel Salloi (1/13/16) 2018
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2023 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
7
| July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes DATE OPPONENT COMPETITION TIME (CT) / RESULT TV / SCORERS Monday, February 27 at Portland Timbers MLS L 0-1 Saturday, March 4 at Colorado Rapids MLS T 0-0 SATURDAY, MARCH 11 LA GALAXY MLS T 0-0 Saturday, March 18 at FC Dallas MLS L 1-2 Salloi SATURDAY, MARCH 25 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC MLS L 1-4 AGADA Saturday, April 1 at Philadelphia Union MLS T 0-0 SATURDAY, APRIL 8 COLORADO RAPIDS MLS L 0-1 -Saturday, April 15 at San Jose Earthquakes MLS L 0-3 Saturday, April 22 at New England Revolution MLS L 1-2 Russell TUESDAY, APRIL 25 TULSA ATHLETIC U.S. OPEN CUP W 3-0 SALLOI, PULIDO, TZIONIS SATURDAY, APRIL 29 CF MONTREAL MLS L 0-2 -Sunday, May 7 at Seattle Sounders FC MLS W 2-1 Thommy, Pulido Wednesday, May 10 at Houston Dynamo FC U.S. Open Cup L 0-1 SATURDAY, MAY 13 MINNESOTA UNITED FC MLS W 3-0 ROSERO, SALLOI, KINDA Wednesday, May 17 at Los Angeles FC MLS T 1-1 Russell Saturday, May 20 at st. louis city sc MLS L 0-4 SUNDAY, MAY 28 PORTLAND TIMBERS MLS W 4-1 THOMMY, SALLOI, OWN GOAL, HERNANDEZ WEDNESDAY, MAY 31 FC DALLAS MLS W 2-1 KINDA, SALLOI Saturday, June 3 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC MLS T 1-1 Pulido SATURDAY, JUNE 10 AUSTIN FC MLS W 4-1 PULIDO (2), CASTELLANOS, SHELTON SATURDAY, JUNE 17 LOS ANGELES FC MLS L 1-2 PULIDO Wednesday, June 21 at LA Galaxy MLS T 2-2 Pulido (2) SATURDAY, JUNE 24 CHICAGO FIRE FC MLS L 0-1 SATURDAY, JULY 1 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC MLS W 3-0 WALTER, PULIDO, THOMMY Saturday, July 8 at Houston Dynamo FC MLS T 2-2 Pulido (2) WEDNESDAY, JULY 12 REAL SALT LAKE MLS 7:30 P.M. APPLE TV - MLS SEASON PASS Saturday, July 15 at Austin FC MLS 7:30 P.M. Apple TV - MLS Season Pass Sunday, July 23 at FC Cincinnati Leagues Cup 6:30 P.M. Apple TV - MLS Season Pass MONDAY, JULY 31 CHIVAS GUADALAJARA LEAGUES CUP 9:00 P.M. APPLE TV - MLS SP / FS1 / UNIMAS SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MLS 7:30 P.M. APPLE TV - MLS SEASON PASS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 st. louis city sc MLS 7:30 P.M. APPLE TV - MLS SEASON PASS Saturday, September 9 at Inter Miami CF MLS 6:30 P.M. Apple TV - MLS Season Pass Saturday, September 16 at Minnesota United FC MLS 7:30 P.M. Apple TV - MLS Season Pass WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 NASHVILLE SC MLS 7:30 P.M. APPLE TV - MLS SEASON PASS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 HOUSTON DYNAMO FC MLS 7:30 P.M. APPLE TV - MLS SEASON PASS Saturday, September 30 at st. louis city sc MLS 7:30 P.M. Apple TV - MLS Season Pass Saturday, October 7 at Real Salt Lake MLS 8:30 P.M. Apple TV - MLS Season Pass SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21 MINNESOTA UNITED FC MLS 8:00 P.M. APPLE TV - MLS SEASON PASS
Sporting KC Game Notes
2023 REFEREE LOG (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
2023 VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE LOG (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
DATE REFEREE VAR INCIDENT DECISION
March 4, 2023 at COL Allen Chapman Malik Badawi COL Goal
Overturned - No Goal
Darren Yapi bundles the ball home from close range after a cross is re-directed into his path by Sam Nicholson. After reviewing the play, referee Allen Chapman overturns his original decision and disallows the goal because Yapi was offside.
March 18, 2023 at DAL
Pierre-Luc Lauziere Carol Anne Chenard SKC Penalty Saved
Overturned - Retake Penalty
Willy Agada steps up to take a penalty in the second half of the match but it’s saved by Maarten Paes. After reviewing the play, referee Pierre-Luc Lauziere orders a retake because Paes had encroached on Agada’s attempt.
March 18, 2023 at DAL
Pierre-Luc Lauziere Carol Anne Chenard SKC Penalty/DAL Red Card
Overturned - No Penalty/No Red Card
Felipe Hernandez latches onto a loose ball in the area and is brought down by goalkeeper Maarten Paes, and referee Pierre-Luc Luziere awards Sporting a penalty kick and shows Paes his second yellow card of the match. After reviewing the play, Luziere deems that Hernandez was in an offside position thus negating the penalty and the second yellow card.
April 22, 2023 at NE Nima Saghafi Alejandro Mariscal SKC Second Yellow Card
Overturned - Straight Red Card
Andreu Fontas brings down Giacomo Vrioni on the break and is shown his second yellow card and is sent off. After reviewing the play, referee Nima Saghafi changes his decision from a second yellow card to a straight red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity.
May 17, 2023 at LAFC Armando Villarreal
Jair Marrufo LAFC Goal
Overturned - No Goal
Ryan Hollingshead receives a pass from Nathan Ordaz and fires home late in the match to give LAFC a 2-1 lead. After reviewing the play, referee Armando Villarreal overturns his original decision and disallows the goal because Ordaz was offside in the build-up.
May 28, 2023 vs. POR Rubiel Vazquez Jorge Gonzalez SKC Goal
Overturned - No Goal
Daniel Salloi scores the rebound after Marinos Tzionis’ header is saved following a corner. After reviewing the play, referee Rubiel Vazquez overturns his original decision and disallows the goal because of a foul by Dany Rosero in the build-up.
June 3, 2023 at VAN Lukasz Szpala Sorin Stoica SKC Yellow Card
Confirmed - Yellow Card
Robert Castellanos is shown a yellow card for pulling down Sergio Cordova after losing the ball near midfield. After reviewing the play for a potential red card for DOGSO, referee Lukasz Szpala confirmed his original decision and sticks with a yellow card.
June 3, 2023 at VAN Lukasz Szpala
Sorin Stoica VAN No Penalty
Overturned - Penalty
Robert Voloder slides in an attempt to tackle Deiber Caicedo in the box and the ball goes out for a corner kick. After reviewing the play, referee Lukasz Szpala overturned his original decision and awarded Vancouver a penalty kick.
June 17, 2023 vs. LAFC Rosendo Mendoza Younes Marrakchi SKC No Penalty
Overturned - Penalty
Denil Maldonado slides into Gadi Kinda and takes him down in the penalty area, but the referee doesn’t award a foul. After reviewing the play, referee Rosendo Mendoza overturned his original decision and awarded Sporting a penalty kick.
June 17, 2023 vs. LAFC Rosendo Mendoza Younes Marrakchi SKC Goal
Overturned
Roger Espinoza heads home what Sporting believe to be a late equalizer off Nemanja Radoja’s cross. After reviewing the play, referee Rosendo Mendoza overturned his original decision for a foul by Khiry Shelton in the build-up.
8 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
-
Goal
No
REFEREE GAMES RECORD SKC FOULS OPP. FOULS SKC YC OPP. YC SKC RC OPP. RC SKC PK OPP. PK Alex Chilowicz 3 1-2-0 30 35 4 5 1 0 0 1 Victor Rivas 2 1-0-1 18 28 5 5 0 0 0 1 Armando Villarreal 2 0-0-2 17 23 1 3 0 0 0 0 Tim Ford 2 0-2-0 19 22 2 5 1 0 0 1 Nima Saghafi 2 0-1-1 22 23 4 3 1 0 1 0 Allen Chapman 1 0-0-1 10 9 1 2 0 0 0 0 Pierre-Luc Lauziere 1 0-1-0 10 9 1 2 0 0 1 0 Joe Dickerson 1 0-1-0 8 17 2 4 0 0 0 0 Ramy Touchan 1 0-1-0 13 12 3 3 0 0 0 0 Chris Penso 1 0-1-0 18 9 2 1 0 0 0 1 Rubiel Vazquez 1 1-0-0 15 13 3 1 0 0 0 0 Guido Gonzales Jr. 1 1-0-0 2 13 1 1 0 0 0 0 Lukasz Szpala 1 0-0-1 7 11 3 5 0 0 0 1 Marcos DeOliveira 1 1-0-0 11 12 2 2 0 0 0 0 Rosendo Mendoza 1 0-1-0 14 17 1 2 0 0 1 0 Filip Dujic 1 0-0-1 11 11 2 1 0 0 1 0 Malik Badawi 1 1-0-0 9 13 2 1 0 0 0 0
SPORTING KC MISCELLANEOUS STATS
2023 Regular-Season Record When...
Regular Season Record By Month
SPORTING KC IN 2023 (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
goals against after 75’...
Red Cards...
Ryan Gauld (6/3 at VAN) - 88th Minute
Ivan Franco (7/8 at HOU) - 98+ Minute
Ben Sweat (3/25 vs. SEA) - 63rd Minute
Robert Castellanos (4/15 at SJ) - 38th Minute
Andreu Fontas (4/22 at NE) - 61st Minute
Red Cards Against... N/A
Penalty Kicks...
Erik Thommy (3/18 at DAL) - Saved by Maarten Paes
Alan Pulido (6/17 vs. LAFC) - Scored on John McCarthy
Alan Pulido (6/21 at LA) - Scored on Jonathan Bond
Alan Pulido (7/8 at HOU) - Scored on Steve Clark
Penalty Kicks Earned...
Foul on Willy Agada (3/18 at DAL) - 61st Minute
Foul on Gadi Kinda (6/17 vs. LAFC) - 17th Minute
Daniel Aguirre Handball (6/21 at LA) - 91+ Minute
Foul on Gadi Kinda (7/8 at HOU) - 62nd Minute
Penalty Kicks Against...
Jeremy Ebobisse (4/15 at SJ) - Scored on Tim Melia
Nicolas Lodeiro (5/7 at SEA) - Scored on Tim Melia
Sang Bin Jeong (5/13 vs. MIN) - Saved by Tim Melia
Eduard Lowen (5/20 at stl) - Scored on Kendall McIntosh
Ryan Gauld (6/3 at VAN) - Scored on Kendall McIntosh
Youngest Goalscorer...
Oldest Goalscorer...
Youngest Starter...
Youngest to play in a game...
Willy Agada (3/25 vs. SEA) - 23 years and 189 days
Johnny Russell (5/17 at LAFC) - 33 years and 39 days
Jake Davis (4/29 vs. MTL) - 21 years and 116 days
Kayden Pierre (3/18 at DAL) - 20 years and 30 days
Oldest Starter... Tim Melia (5/13 vs. MIN) - 36 years and 363 days
Oldest to play in a game... Tim Melia (5/13 vs. MIN) - 36 years and 363 days
2023 MLS REGULAR SEASON TEAM STATS
SPORTING KC ALL-TIME WIN/LOSS RECORDS IN COMPETITIVE MATCHES
9 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Scoring first goal 5-3-3 Conceding first goal 1-7-1 Leading at halftime 5-2-1 Tied at halftime 1-3-6 Trailing at halftime 0-5-0 Scoring 0 goals 0-6-3 Scoring 1 goal 0-4-2 Scoring 2 goals 2-0-2 Scoring 3 goals 2-0-0 Scoring 4+ goals 2-0-0 Allowing 0 goals 2-0-3 Allowing 1 goal 4-3-2 Allowing 2 goals 0-4-2 Allowing 3 goals 0-1-0 Allowing 4+ goals 0-2-0 Wearing Sporting blue 6-6-5 Wearing dark indigo 0-3-2 Wearing Parley 0-1-0 Leading at 75’ 6-0-2 Tied at 75’ 0-2-4 Trailing at 75’ 0-8-1 Outshooting opponent 5-6-4 Outshot by opponent 0-4-3 Shots even 1-0-0 Shutouts 2-6-3 One-goal games 2-6-0 Day games (before 5 p.m.) 2-0-0 Games 5 p.m. CT or later 4-10-7 Temperature 75 & up 4-2-1 Temperature below 75 2-8-6 With SKC red card 0-3-0 With opponent red card 0-0-0 In Pacific time zone 1-2-3 In Mountain time zone 0-0-1 In Central time zone 5-7-2 In Eastern time zone 0-1-1 vs. Western Conference 6-7-6 vs. Eastern Conference 0-3-1 On grass 5-8-6 On turf 1-2-1 With zero subs 0-0-0 With one sub 0-0-0 With two subs 0-2-1 With three subs 1-3-2 With four subs 2-1-2 With five subs 3-4-2 With six subs 0-0-0
Feb. 2023 0-1-0 Feb. all-time 1-2-0 March 2023 0-2-2 March all-time 25-15-13 April 2023 0-4-1 April all-time 46-45-23 May 2023 4-1-1 May all-time 47-54-31 June 2023 1-2-2 June all-time 48-36-31 July 2023 1-0-1 July all-time 59-47-31 Aug. 2023 0-0-0 Aug. all-time 55-55-22 Sept. 2023 0-0-0 Sept. all-time 40-50-23 Oct. 2023 0-0-0 Oct. all-time 32-21-19 Nov. 2023 0-0-0 Nov. all-time 1-2-0 Regular Season Team-By-Team (in 2023) vs. Atlanta United FC 1-2-1 (0-0-0) vs. Austin FC 2-3-1 (1-0-0) vs. Charlotte FC 0-0-0 (0-0-0) vs. Chicago Fire FC 19-28-12 (0-1-0) vs. Colorado Rapids 29-26-19 (0-1-1) 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 (1-1-0) vs. Houston Dynamo FC 13-13-15 (0-0-1) vs. Inter Miami CF 0-0-0 (0-0-0) vs. Los Angeles FC 4-6-1 (0-1-1) vs. LA Galaxy 26-26-18 (0-0-2) vs. Minnesota United FC 9-4-4 (1-0-0) vs. CF Montreal 8-5-3 (0-1-0) vs. Nashville SC 2-1-0 (0-0-0) vs. NE Revolution 25-20-12 (0-1-0) 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 6-6-6 (0-0-1) vs. Portland Timbers 9-7-6 (1-1-0) vs. Real Salt Lake 12-16-8 (0-0-0) vs. st. louis city sc 0-1-0 (0-1-0) vs. SJ Earthquakes 29-26-10 (0-1-0) vs. Seattle Sounders FC 11-12-4 (1-1-0) vs. Toronto FC 14-4-8 (0-0-0) vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 12-6-5 (1-0-1) Regular Season Home, Away & Neutral Overall All-time 356-328-193 2023 at home 5-5-1 All-time at home 231-117-88 2023 on road 1-5-6 All-time on road 123-210-105 2023 neutral 0-0-0 All-time neutral 2-1-0
Quickest Goal... Erik Thommy (5/7 at SEA) - 4th Minute Quickest Goal Against... Juan Mosquera (2/27 at POR) - 6th Minute
75’... N/A Game-tying
75’... Alan Pulido (6/21 at LA) - 91+ Minute
Jesus Ferreira (3/18 at DAL) - 84th Minute Carlos Vela (6/17 vs. LAFC) - 90th Minute
Game-winning goals after
goals after
Game-winning goals against after 75’...
Game-tying
Competition W L T GF GA MLS Reg. Season 356 328 193 1242 1179 MLS Playoffs 19 24 11 73 76 MLS is Back KO 0 1 1 1 3 U.S. Open Cup 34 18 8 124 71 International 13 16 9 51 63 TOTAL 422 387 222 1491 1392 OVERALL Competition W L T GF GA MLS Reg. Season 231 117 88 739 514 MLS Playoffs 16 6 4 48 29 U.S. Open Cup 25 7 3 87 33 International 8 6 5 29 24 TOTAL 280 136 100 903 600 HOME
PK’S (MADE/ATTEMPTED) 1 2 TOTAL SPORTING KC 1/1 2/3 3/4 OPPONENT 2/3 2/2 4/5 CORNER KICKS 1 2 TOTAL SPORTING KC 79 61 140 OPPONENT 44 44 88 OFFSIDES 1 2 TOTAL SPORTING KC 16 13 29 OPPONENT 25 28 53 FOULS 1 2 TOTAL SPORTING KC 98 127 225 OPPONENT 121 165 286 CAUTIONS 1 2 TOTAL SPORTING KC 14 25 39 OPPONENT 14 34 48 EJECTIONS 1 2 TOTAL SPORTING KC 1 2 3 OPPONENT 0 0 0 GOALS 1 2 TOTAL SPORTING KC 16 12 28 OPPONENT 14 18 32 SHOTS 1 2 TOTAL SPORTING KC 156 154 310 OPPONENT 120 142 262 SHOTS ON GOAL 1 2 TOTAL SPORTING KC 55 57 112 OPPONENT 42 52 94
Competition W L T GF GA MLS Reg. Season 123 210 105 497 661 MLS Playoffs 2 17 7 22 44 U.S. Open Cup 9 11 5 37 38 International 5 10 3 22 39 TOTAL 139 248 120 578 782 AWAY Competition W L T GF GA MIB Reg. Season 2 1 0 6 4 MIB KO Stage 0 1 1 1 3 MLS Cup 1 1 0 3 3 SuperLiga 0 0 1 0 0 TOTAL 3 3 2 10 10 NEUTRAL
Sporting KC Game Notes |
SPORTING KC 2023
June 17, 2023: Sporting KC 1-2 Los Angeles FC
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 19,410
Sporting KC Los Angeles FC
GK McIntosh GK McCarthy
D Davis (Russell 76’) D Gaines (Murillo 46’)
D Rosero D Maldonado
D Castellanos D Long
D Leibold (Espinoza 59’) D Palacios (Hollingshead 46’)
M Radoja M Duenas
M Walter M Ilie (C) (Vela 46’)
M Kinda (C) (Shelton 58’) M Crisostomo
F Thommy F Bogusz
F Pulido F Ordaz (Subah 77’)
F Salloi F Biuk
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Jakupovic (GK)
Voloder Jaime Flores Torres
Hernandez
Afrifa
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Alan Pulido 5 (Penalty Kick) 17’
LAFC - Denil Maldonado 1 (Mateusz Bogusz 1) 48’
LAFC - Carlos Vela 5 (Aaron Long 1) 90’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Dany Rosero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 50’
LAFC - Mateusz Bogusz (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 59’
LAFC - Stipe Biuk (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 65’
MLS REGULAR SEASON BOX SCORES
June 21, 2023: LA Galaxy 2-2 Sporting KC
MLS Regular Season | Dignity Health Sports Park | Carson, CA Attendance: 20,960 Weather: 69 degrees and sunny
Sporting KC LA Galaxy
GK McIntosh GK Bond
D Davis D Calegari
D Rosero D Caceres (Leerdam 85’)
D Fontas D Mavinga
D Leibold D Aude (Edwards 62’)
M Radoja M Brugman (C)
M Thommy (Espinoza 76’) M Delgado
M Walter M Puig
F Shelton (Russell 65’) F Boyd (Cuevas 86’)
F Pulido (C) F Judd (Bibout 76’)
F Salloi F Costa (Aguirre 75’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Klinsmann (GK)
Castellanos Alvarez
Voloder Vivi
Flores Saldana
Hernandez
Afrifa
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Alan Pulido 6 (Erik Thommy 5, Daniel Salloi 4) 12’
LA - Martin Caceres 2 (Douglas Costa 2) 24’
LA - Preston Judd 2 (Riqui Puig 3, Raheem Edwards 1) 64’
SKC - Alan Pulido 7 (Penalty Kick) 91+
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Erik Thommy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 17’
SKC - Dany Rosero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 23’
LA - Daniel Aguirre (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 90’
June 24, 2023: Sporting KC 0-1 Chicago Fire FC
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS
Sporting KC Chicago Fire
GK McIntosh GK Brady
D Davis (Shelton 84’) D Souquet
D Castellanos D Pineda
D Fontas D Czichos (C)
D Leibold D Aceves (Dean 70’)
M Radoja M Gimenez (Shaqiri 59’)
M Thommy (Kinda 55’) M Navarro
M Walter M Torres (Teran 70’)
F Russell (C) (Tzionis 65’) M Gutierrez (Koutsias 89’)
F Pulido M Herbers (Haile-Selassie 58’)
F Salloi F Kamara
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Richey (GK)
Rindov Burks
Voloder Omsberg
Espinoza Przybylko
Hernandez
Afrifa
Scoring Summary:
CHI - Fabian Herbers 3 (Unassisted) 47’
Misconduct Summary:
CHI - Rafael Czichos (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 38’
CHI - Mauricio Pineda (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 64’
CHI - Arnaud Souquet (Yellow Card; Delaying a Restart) 67’
SKC - Khiry Shelton (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 88’
SKC - Daniel Salloi (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 92+
July 1, 2023: Sporting KC 3-0 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS
Attendance: 18,867
Weather: 79 degrees and partly cloudy
Sporting KC (6-10-6, 24 points)
Vancouver Whitecaps (6-6-7, 25 points)
1 2 F
Sporting KC Vancouver Whitecaps
GK McIntosh GK Takaoka
D Davis D Laborda
D Rosero D Veselinovic
D Fontas D Martins
D Leibold (Ndenbe 86’) M Raposo (Aguilar 81’)
M Radoja (Thommy 46’) M Vite (Caicedo 61’)
M Walter M Cubas (Berhalter 46’)
M Kinda (Espinoza 78’) M Schopf (Ngando 78’)
F Russell (C) M Gauld (C)
F Pulido (Afrifa 86’) F Cordova
F Salloi (Tzionis 78’) F Becher (Johnson 61’)
Subs not used: Subs not used:
Pulskamp (GK) Hasal (GK)
Castellanos Campagna
Hernandez Yao
Shelton Habibullah
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Remi Walter 1 (Gadi Kinda 3) 33’
SKC - Alan Pulido 8 (Tim Leibold 3, Remi Walter 3) 47+
SKC - Erik Thommy 3 (Unassisted) 53’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Erik Thommy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 57’
VAN - Sebastian Berhalter (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 66’
SKC - Jake Davis (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 89’
Stats Summary SKC VAN Shots (on goal) 16 (4) 11 (2)
Saves
Fouls
Offside
July 8, 2023: Houston Dynamo FC 2-2 Sporting KC MLS Regular Season | Shell Energy Stadium | Houston, TX Attendance: 16,489 Weather: 90 degrees and sunny
Sporting KC Houston Dynamo
GK McIntosh GK Clark
D Davis D Escobar
D Rosero D Sviachenko
D Fontas D Bartlow
D Leibold (Ndenbe 75’) D Steres (Smith 88’)
M Walter M Artur
M Thommy (Shelton 75’) M Herrera (C)
M Kinda M Baird (Franco 78’)
F Russell (C) (Espinoza 66’) M Bassi
F Pulido (Castellanos 90’) M Quinones (Ulfarsson 68’)
F Salloi (Tzionis 66’) F Aliyu (Ferreira 78’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Valdez (GK)
Duke Dorsey
Flores Gasper
Afrifa Caicedo Raines
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Alan Pulido 9 (Gadi Kinda 4, Andreu Fontas 1) 25’
HOU - Ibrahim Aliyu 1 (Hector Herrera 8, Corey Baird 3) 47+
SKC - Alan Pulido 10 (Penalty Kick) 62’
HOU - Ivan Franco 2 (Thor Ulfarsson 1, Hector Herrera 9) 98+
Misconduct Summary:
HOU - Thor Ulfarsson (Yellow Card; Dissent) 49’
HOU - Hector Herrera (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 50’
SKC - Dany Rosero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 65’
HOU - Sebastian Ferreira (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 100+
SKC - Tim Leibold (Yellow Card; Dissent) 101+
Stats Summary SKC HOU Shots (on goal) 5 (3) 19 (6)
Saves 4 1
Fouls 10 19
Offside 1 1 Corner Kicks 4 5
13
July 12, 2023
vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Weather: 84 degrees and sunny 1 2 F Sporting KC (5-9-5, 20 points) 1 0 1 Los Angeles FC (8-3-5, 29 points) 0 2 2
Stats Summary SKC LAFC Shots (on goal) 16 (7) 6 (4) Saves 2 6 Fouls 14 17 Offside 0 4 Corner Kicks 8 2
1 2 F Sporting KC (5-9-6, 21 points) 1 1 2 LA Galaxy (3-9-5, 14 points) 1 1 2
Stats Summary SKC LA Shots (on goal) 21 (5) 10 (2) Saves 0 3 Fouls 11 11 Offside 1 0 Corner Kicks 8 6
Attendance: 18,032 Weather: 91 degrees and sunny 1 2 F
KC (5-10-6, 21 points) 0 0 0 Chicago Fire (5-6-8, 23 points) 0 1 1
Sporting
Stats Summary SKC CHI Shots (on goal) 13 (4) 12 (5) Saves 4 4 Fouls 9 12 Offside 0 2 Corner Kicks 7 1
2
1 3
0 0 0
1 1
9 13
0 5 Corner
Kicks 7 8
1 2 F
KC (6-10-7, 25 points) 1 1 2 Houston Dynamo (8-9-4, 28 points) 1 1 2
Sporting
SPORTING KC 2023 U.S. OPEN CUP BOX SCORES
April 25, 2023: Sporting KC 3-0 Tulsa Athletic
U.S. Open Cup 3rd Round | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 9,912
May 10, 2023: Houston Dynamo FC 1-0 Sporting KC
U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 | Shell Energy Stadium | Houston, TX Attendance: 5,094 Weather: 75 degrees and cloudy
Sporting KC Tulsa Athletic
GK Pulskamp GK Reed
D Davis D Ro. Torres (Reyes 82’)
D Castellanos D Harris
D Fontas D Taylor
D Voloder (Abualnadi 81’) D Chavez
M Walter (Espinoza 60’) M Ugbah
M Hernandez M Garcia (Diallo 66’)
M Kinda (Bryant 31’) M Vinicius (C) (Winters 52’)
F Tzionis M Ruiz
F Pulido (C) (Thommy 60’) M Cashion (Ru. Torres 82’)
F Salloi (Cruz 60’) F Watson (Svetanovic 66’)
Subs not used: Subs not used:
McIntosh (GK) Moody (GK)
Rindov Mello
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Daniel Salloi 1 (Unassisted) 32’
SKC - Alan Pulido 1 (Daniel Salloi 1) 54’
SKC - Marinos Tzionis 1 (Erik Thommy 1) 68’
Misconduct Summary:
TUL - Roman Torres (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 59’
TUL - Aaron Ugbah (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 64’
TUL - Jonathan Harris (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 92+
Sporting KC Houston Dynamo
GK Pulskamp GK Tarbell (C)
D Zusi D Murana
D Castellanos (Voloder 78’) D Bartlow (Micael 46’)
D Rindov D Gasper
D Espinoza (C) D Smith (van der Kust 65’)
M Radoja M Quinones (Ibrahim 75’)
M Hernandez (Davis 78’) M Caicedo
M Kinda (Bryant 46’) M Raines (Auguste 85’)
F Tzionis M Dorsey
F Afrifa (Salloi 46’) F Ferreira
F Shelton (Walter 60’) F Ulfarsson (Maples 85’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: McIntosh (GK) Moody (GK)
Cruz Gonzalez
Scoring Summary:
HOU - Thor Ulfarsson 1 (Unassisted) 12’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC – Roger Espinoza (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 10’
HOU – Chase Gasper (Red Card; DOGSO) 35’
HOU – Griffin Dorsey (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 87’
SKC – Daniel Salloi (Yellow Card; Dissent) 93+
14
July 12, 2023
Sporting KC Game Notes |
vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Weather: 62 degrees and cloudy 1 2 F Sporting
1 2 3
Athletic 0 0 0
KC
Tulsa
Stats Summary SKC TUL Shots (on goal) 39 (10) 4 (2) Saves 2 6 Fouls 19 16 Offside 0 2 Corner Kicks 6 1
1 2 F
0 0 0 Houston Dynamo FC 1 0 1
Sporting KC
Stats Summary SKC HOU Shots (on goal) 17 (4) 2 (1) Saves 0 4 Fouls 13 12 Offside 0 1 Corner Kicks 10 2
SPORTING KC STARTERS BY POSITION (2023 REGULAR SEASON)
Formation: 4-3-3 (23 games)
Left forward
Daniel Salloi 23
Center forward
Alan Pulido 17
Willy Agada 6
Left-center midfielder
Erik Thommy 9
Gadi Kinda 7
Remi Walter 6
Felipe Hernandez 1
Defensive midfielder
Nemanja Radoja 12
Remi Walter 11
Left back
Logan Ndenbe 8
Tim Leibold 8
Ben Sweat 4
Robert Voloder 3
Left center back
Andreu Fontas 17
Robert Castellanos 4
Robert Voloder 2
Right forward
Johnny Russell 12
Marinos Tzionis 5
Khiry Shelton 5
Erik Thommy 1
Right-center midfielder
Erik Thommy 11
Roger Espinoza 7
Remi Walter 4
Felipe Hernandez 1
Right center back
Dany Rosero 15
Robert Voloder 5
Robert Castellanos 3
Goalkeeper
Kendall McIntosh 11
Tim Melia 7
John Pulskamp 5
Right back
Jake Davis 13
Graham Zusi 9
Cam Duke 1
NOTE: Charts do not account for players interchanging and/ or switching positions over the course of a match. Substitute players are not listed.
Nationally recognized for delivering high-quality, compassionate pediatric care, Children’s Mercy Kansas City began a 10-year partnership with Sporting KC in 2016 to promote health and fitness among area children and provide specialized sports medicine to a youth athlete market that has experienced a substantial increase in sports-related injuries.
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 healthcare 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. 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.
2. 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.
• REX, an innovative remote experience robot operated on 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, REX allows users to enjoy two-way live audio and video captured from a 150-degree wide-angle lens while navigating the robot 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.
3. Protecting youth athletes and educating parents and coaches
• The partnership provides soccer-specific curriculum (nutrition, injury prevention, rehabilitation, advanced cardiovascular training, etc.) for the Sporting Club Network, which includes approximately 200,000 players, parents, coaches and administrators across the Midwest.
• The partnership provides sports 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.
15 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING KC AND CHILDREN’S MERCY KANSAS CITY CONTINUE TO IMPACT LOCAL COMMUNITY
7 at Real Salt Lake
October 21 vs. Minnesota United FC
2023 REGULAR-SEASON STATS
16
SPORTING KC 2023 REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS DATE OPPONENT RESULT SCORE ATT. RECORD PTS. PLACE GOALSCORERS February 27 at Portland Timbers L 0-1 22,925 0-1-0 0 T-6 March 4 at Colorado Rapids T 0-0 14,954 0-1-1 1 T-10 March 11 vs. LA Galaxy T 0-0 18,612 0-1-2 2 10 March 18 at FC Dallas L 1-2 17,467 0-2-2 2 T-11 Salloi March 25 vs. Seattle Sounders FC L 1-4 18,629 0-3-2 2 T-13 Agada April 1 at Philadelphia Union T 0-0 18,550 0-3-3 3 T-11 April 8 vs. Colorado Rapids L 0-1 18,467 0-4-3 3 T-13 April 15 at San Jose Earthquakes L 0-3 14,212 0-5-3 3 T-13 April 22 at New England Revolution L 1-2 19,281 0-6-3 3 14 Russell April 29 vs. CF Montreal L 0-2 18,226 0-7-3 3 14 May 7 at Seattle Sounders FC W 2-1 30,620 1-7-3 6 T-13 Thommy, Pulido May 13 vs. Minnesota United FC W 3-0 17,851 2-7-3 9 T-13 Rosero, Salloi, Kinda May 17 at Los Angeles FC T 1-1 22,222 2-7-4 10 13 Russell May 20 at st. louis city sc L 0-4 22,423 2-8-4 10 13 May 28 vs. Portland Timbers W 4-1 18,514 3-8-4 13 12 Thommy, Salloi, Own Goal, Hernandez May 31 vs. FC Dallas W 2-1 17,178 4-8-4 16 T-10 Kinda, Salloi June 3 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC T 1-1 13,739 4-8-5 17 T-11 Pulido June 10 vs. Austin FC W 4-1 18,885 5-8-5 20 T-8 Pulido (2), Castellanos, Shelton June 17 vs. Los Angeles FC L 1-2 19,410 5-9-5 20 T-10 Pulido June 21 at LA Galaxy T 2-2 20,960 5-9-6 21 T-10 Pulido (2) June 24 vs. Chicago Fire FC L 0-1 18,032 5-10-6 21 T-11 July 1 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC W 3-0 18,867 6-10-6 24 T-10 Walter, Pulido, Thommy July 8 at Houston Dynamo FC T 2-2 16,489 6-10-7 25 T-9 Pulido (2) July 12 vs. Real Salt Lake July 15 at Austin FC August 26 vs. San Jose Earthquakes September 2 st. louis city sc September 9 at Inter Miami CF September 16 at Minnesota United FC September 20 vs. Nashville SC September 23 vs. Houston Dynamo FC September 30 at st. louis city sc October
Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING
2023 SPORTING KANSAS CITY STATISTICS (6-10-7, 25 pts.) THROUGH GAMES OF JULY 8, 2023 UNF POS PLAYER GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E 9 F Alan Pulido 18 17 1401 10 3 39 20 5 18 7 0 1 0 20 F Daniel Salloi 23 23 1998 4 4 52 23 15 28 5 51 3 0 26 M Erik Thommy 23 21 1766 3 5 59 22 24 37 1 43 6 0 10 M Gadi Kinda 12 7 580 2 4 9 3 10 22 1 5 2 0 7 F Johnny Russell 15 12 1018 2 1 20 8 7 27 2 33 1 0 54 M Remi Walter 22 21 1904 1 3 19 5 16 9 0 1 2 0 23 F Willy Agada 8 6 577 1 0 16 5 11 6 5 0 1 0 19 D Robert Castellanos 10 7 651 1 0 3 1 8 3 0 0 1 1 21 M Felipe Hernandez 11 2 316 1 0 7 3 5 5 1 4 0 0 5 D Dany Rosero 15 15 1323 1 0 15 5 16 15 0 0 6 0 11 F Khiry Shelton 17 5 585 1 0 4 2 16 9 2 0 2 0 14 D Tim Leibold 13 8 737 0 3 6 2 12 2 0 0 1 0 15 M Roger Espinoza 17 7 672 0 1 11 5 13 11 1 0 2 0 3 D Andreu Fontas 18 17 1505 0 1 10 1 8 8 0 0 2 1 77 F Marinos Tzionis 16 5 590 0 1 11 3 9 18 2 3 0 0 4 D Robert Voloder 12 10 926 0 1 2 0 8 8 0 0 2 0 8 D Graham Zusi 14 9 866 0 1 9 2 5 12 0 0 0 0 30 F Stephen Afrifa 2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 M Jake Davis 15 13 1063 0 0 5 1 14 7 0 0 1 0 28 M Cam Duke 4 1 132 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 31 M Danny Flores 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 GK Kendall McIntosh 12 11 1011 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 29 GK Tim Melia 7 7 609 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 18 D Logan Ndenbe 11 8 657 0 0 4 0 8 6 1 0 2 0 24 D Kayden Pierre 1 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 GK John Pulskamp 5 5 450 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 M Nemanja Radoja 14 12 989 0 0 7 1 10 11 0 0 2 0 82 D Chris Rindov 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 D *Ben Sweat 5 4 316 0 0 1 0 4 1 1 0 1 1 25 F Ozzie Cisneros 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Own-goals received 1 Team totals 23 23 2070 28 28 309 112 225 286 29 140 39 3 Opponent totals 23 23 2070 32 36 262 93 286 225 54 88 46 0 GAME-WINNING GOALS: Daniel Salloi 2, Robert Castellanos 1, Alan Pulido 1, Dany Rosero 1, Remi Walter 1 GAME-WINNING ASSISTS: Gadi Kinda 2, Erik Thommy 2, Tim Leibold 1, Alan Pulido 1, Daniel Salloi 1, Graham Zusi 1 PENALTY KICK GOALS/ATTEMPTS: Alan Pulido 3-3, Erik Thommy 0-1 SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL GOALKEEPING UNF POS GOALKEEPER GP GS MIN SH SV GA GAA PG PA W L T SO 22 GK Kendall McIntosh 12 11 1011 43 27 16 1.42 2 2 4 3 4 1 29 GK Tim Melia 7 7 609 30 21 9 1.33 2 3 2 4 1 1 1 GK John Pulskamp 5 5 450 20 13 7 1.40 0 0 0 3 2 2 Team totals 23 23 2070 93 61 32 1.39 4 5 6 10 7 5 Opponent totals 23 23 2070 112 83 28 1.22 3 4 10 6 7 9
KC
RUSSELL INJ SUB-14SUB-25 RW-55 RW-90 RW-66
SHELTON
THOMMY
TZIONIS
17
2/25 3/4 3/11 3/18 3/25 4/1 4/8 4/15 4/22 4/29 5/7 5/13 5/17 5/20 5/28 5/31 6/3 PLAYER @POR @COL LA @DAL SEA @PHI COL @SJ @NE MTL @SEA MIN @LAFC @STL POR DAL @VAN AFRIFA UNAV DNP DNP SUB-1 DNP DNP DNP DNP AGADA CF-90 CF-90 CF-90 CF-90 CF-84 CF-63 SUB-25 SUB-45 INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ CASTELLANOS DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP CB-90 CB-90 CB-38 SUS SUB-45 DNP DNP UNAV SKCII DNP SUB-27 CB-90 CISNEROS UNAV UNAV UNAV UNAV SKCII SKCII SKCII SKCII UNAV SKCII SKCII SKCII UNAV SKCII UNAV UNAV SKCII DAVIS DNP DNP UNAV DNP SUB-7 DNP DNP SKCII DNP RB-90 RB-90 RB-90 RB-60 SUB-27 RB-45 RB-45 RB-90 DUKE DNP SUB-2 DNP DNP SUB-20 DNP DNP SUB-20 RB-90 DNP UNAV DNP UNAV SKCII UNAV UNAV DNP ESPINOZA CM-70 CM-72 CM-67 CM-67 CM-45 SUB-56 DNP DNP CM-67 CM-90 SUB-14 UNAV DNP SUB-13 SUB-28 DNP SUB-1 FLORES UNAV UNAV UNAV UNAV SUB-6 SKCII SKCII SKCII DNP SKCII SKCII SKCII UNAV SKCII UNAV UNAV SKCII FONTAS CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 DNP DNP CB-49 CB-61 SUS CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-45 FORD INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ HERNANDEZ SUB-20 SUB-18 DNP SUB-23 SUB-45 DNP CM-79 CM-45 SUB-23 DNP SUB-45 SUB-4 DNP DNP SUB-13 DNP DNP KINDA INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ DNP SUB-28 CM-45 SUB-28 SUB-29 CM-45 CM-62 CM-63 SUB-18 LEIBOLD SUB-17 SUB-8 LB-77 INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ DNP LB-45 SUB-28 SUB-26 SUB-48 MCINTOSH DNP DNP DNP DNP SKCII UNAV SKCII UNAV UNAV SKCII UNAV SUB-21 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 MELIA UNAV UNAV UNAV UNAV DNP GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-69 INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ NDENBE INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ DNP LB-64 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 SUB-45 LB-62 LB-64 LB-42 PIERRE DNP DNP DNP SUB-4 INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ PULIDO INJ INJ INJ INJ DNP SUB-27 CF-65 CF-41 CF-64 CF-90 CF-85 CF-90 CF-89 CF-90 CF-77 CF-90 CF-72 PULSKAMP GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP UNAV DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP RADOJA UNAV UNAV SUB-23 SUB-15 INJ DM-34 INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ DM-62 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 RINDOV DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP SKCII DNP SUB-4 DNP SKCII DNP DNP DNP DNP UNAV SKCII ROSERO UNAV UNAV UNAV UNAV CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-63 UNAV RUSSELL INJ INJ INJ INJ SUB-29 RW-62 RW-90 RW-70 RW-90 RW-90 RW-90 RW-86 RW-83 RW-77 INJ INJ INJ SALLOI LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-70 LW-86 LW-90 LW-79 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 SHELTON RW-90 SUB-18 RW-63 RW-85 RW-61 SUB-28 DNP SUB-20 SUB-26 DNP SUB-11 INJ INJ INJ SUB-13 SUB-19 SUB-19 SWEAT LB-73 LB-82 SUB-13 LB-86 LB-63 SUS THOMMY CM-71 CM-88 CM-90 CM-75 CM-70 CM-90 CM-90 CM-90 CM-86 CM-62 CM-76 CM-86 CM-61 SUB-45 CM-77 CM-90 CM-89 TZIONIS SUB-19 RW-72 SUB-27 SUB-5 INTL UNAV SUB-11 SUB-20 SUB-4 DNP DNP DNP SUB-7 SUB-13 RW-90 RW-90 RW-71 VOLODER CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 LB-90 LB-90 LB-90 SUB-26 CB-45 DNP UNAV UNAV SKCII UNAV UNAV SUB-45 WALTER DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 CM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 DM-90 CM-90 CM-90 CM-77 INJ SUB-27 CM-90 ZUSI RB-90 RB-90 RB-90 RB-90 RB-83 RB-90 RB-90 RB-70 INJ INJ SUB-5 SUB-4 SUB-30 RB-63 SUB-28 SUB-26 INJ 6/10 6/17 6/21 6/24 7/1 7/8 7/12 7/15 8/26 9/2 9/9 9/16 9/20 9/23 9/30 10/7 10/21 PLAYER ATX LAFC @LA CHI VAN @HOU RSL @ATX SJ STL @MIA @MIN NSH HOU @STL @RSL MIN AFRIFA DNP DNP DNP DNP SUB-4 DNP AGADA INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ CASTELLANOS CB-90 CB-90 DNP CB-90 DNP SUB-1 CISNEROS UNAV SKCII UNAV SKCII SKCII SKCII DAVIS RB-90 RB-76 RB-90 RB-84 RB-90 RB-90 DUKE DNP UNAV INJ INJ SKCII DNP ESPINOZA SUB-1 SUB-31SUB-14 DNP SUB-12 SUB-24 FLORES DNP DNP DNP SKCII SKCII DNP FONTAS INJ INJ CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 CB-90 FORD INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ GUTIERREZ UNAV HERNANDEZ SUB-1 DNP DNP DNP DNP SKCII KINDA DNP CM-58 UNAV SUB-35 CM-78 CM-90 LEIBOLD LB-89 LB-59 LB-90 LB-90 LB-86 LB-75 MCINTOSH GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 GK-90 MELIA INJ INJ INJ
Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes SPORTING KC 2023 PARTICIPATION CHART (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
INJ INJ INJ
CF-90 CF-90 CF-90 CF-86 CF-89
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
DM-90 DM-90 DM-90
INJ
UNAV DNP
NDENBE INJ INJ INJ INJ SUB-4 SUB-15 PIERRE INJ INJ INJ INJ SKCII SKCII PULIDO CF-77
PULSKAMP
RADOJA DM-90
DM-45
RINDOV DNP SKCII
SKCII SKCII ROSERO INJ CB-90 CB-90 SUS CB-90 CB-90
SALLOI LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-90 LW-78 LW-66
SUB-13 SUB-32 RW-65 SUB-6 DNP SUB-15
CM-89 RW-90 CM-76 CM-55 SUB-45 CM-75
RW-90 INTL INTL SUB-35 SUB-12 SUB-24 VOLODER CB-90 DNP DNP DNP SKCII SKCII WALTER CM-90 CM-90 CM-90 CM-90 CM-90 DM-90
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
ZUSI INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ INJ
-
MANAGER & SPORTING DIRECTOR | PETER VERMES
Peter Vermes is in his 15th season as Sporting Kansas City Manager in 2023 with a new five-year extension and is the longest-tenured active head coach in MLS. He is the team’s longest-serving manager and his 229 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 regular-season 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 189 regularseason wins top the club’s all-time chart and rank fourth 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 541 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 18 leagues with an average attendance of 10,000+, Vermes ranks second, only behind 2. 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, Vermes’ tenure at Sporting KC ranks as the sixth 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 KC
ASSISTANT COACH | KERRY ZAVAGNIN
In 2023, Kerry Zavagnin breaks the MLS record as he enters his 24th 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 eighth 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.
18 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Year MLS Playoffs MIB
Open Cup Intl. Total 2009 3-6-3 3-6-3 2010 11-13-6 0-1-0 11-14-6 2011 13-9-12 2-1-0 3-1-0 18-11-12 2012 18-7-9 1-1-0 4-0-1 23-8-10 2013 17-10-7 2-1-2 1-1-0 2-0-2 22-12-11 2014 14-13-7 0-1-0 1-1-0 3-2-1 18-17-8 2015 14-11-9 0-0-1 4-0-1 18-11-11 2016 13-13-8 0-1-0 1-1-0 1-2-1 15-17-9 2017 12-9-13 0-1-0 4-0-1 16-10-14 2018 18-8-8 1-1-2 2-1-0 21-10-10 2019 10-16-8 0-0-0 0-1-0 3-3-0 13-20-8 2020 12-6-3 0-1-1 0-1-1 12-8-5 2021 17-10-7 1-1-0 0-1-0 18-12-7 2022 11-16-7 3-0-1 14-16-8 2023 6-10-7 0-0-0 1-1-0 0-0-0 7-11-7 TOTAL 189-157-114 7-9-6 0-1-1 24-8-4 9-8-4 229-183-129
KO
Height: 5-10
Weight: 150 Birthday: 2/19/2001
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
College: Florida International University
Acquired: 2023 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. The Canadian forward enjoyed a standout four-year career at Florida International, where he amassed 23 goals and 11 assists in 63 appearances from 2019-2022.
Capable of playing as a striker or a winger, Afrifa begins his professional journey on the heels of a phenomenal campaign last fall 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 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 United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Team. Afrifa made an instant impact as a freshman, tallying three goals and three assists, and added two goals and an assist during his COVID-shortened sophomore year in the spring of 2021. As a junior, Afrifa helped FIU make its first of two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances by scoring a team-best eight goals and recording three assists. He was a member of the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region First Team and an All-Conference USA First Team honoree. Afrifa competed for USL League Two side One Knoxville SC in 2022, scoring 10 goals and leading the first-year club to a first-place finish in the South Central Division and a run to the national quarterfinals.
#23 | F | WILLY AGADA
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, 3 times, last: Sept. 17, 2022, KC vs. MIN Assists 1, 2 times, last: Sept. 4, 2022, KC at LA Shots on Goal 5, Oct. 2, 2022, KC vs. SEA Shots 7, Oct. 2, 2022, KC vs. SEA
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 April 15, 2023, KC at SJ
Goal March 25, 2023, KC vs. SEA
Assist Sept. 4, 2022, KC at LA 2023 Record when: he starts 0-3-3 he scores 0-1-0
Height: 5-9 Weight: 180 Birthday: 9/17/1999
Hometown: Bauchi, Nigeria
Last Club: Hapoel Jerusalem (Israel)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 6/23/2022
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.
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.
19 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 20 16 1495 9 2 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 1 0 59 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 21 16 1554 9 2
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 20 16 1495 9 2 57 27 33 21 9 0 3 0 2 0 MLS - TOTAL 20 16 1495 9 2 57 27 33 21 9 0 3 0 2 0
#30 | F | STEPHEN
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 0 Shots on Goal 0 Shots 0 Fouls Committed 0 Fouls Suffered 0 Last Regular Season... Appearance July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN Goal N/A Assist N/A 2023 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 2 0 5 0 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 1 1 45 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 3 1 50 0 0
AFRIFA
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
#19 | D | ROBERT CASTELLANOS | @rc4official
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 July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Goal June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
Assist N/A
2023 Record when: he starts 1-4-2 he scores 1-0-0
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190 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 has made 70 club appearances since turning professional in 2017, including stints in the USL Championship, MLS and Finland.
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
and scored two goals. Castellanos jumped to MLS by signing for Nashville in February 2021. In his lone appearance for the club, Castellanos scored an equalizing goal in a 1-1 draw at Toronto FC. 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.
Height: 5-5 Weight: 145 Birthday: 3/13/2004
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Last Club: Sporting KC Academy Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 1/20/2021
Midfielder 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.
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 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.
20 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
#25 | M | OZZIE CISNEROS | @OzzieCisner10 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 2023 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 0 0 0 0 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 1 1 18 0 0 International 1 1 90 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 2 2 108 0 0
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 10 7 651 1 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 2 2 168 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 12 9 819 1 0
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 10 7 651 1 0 3 1 8 3 0 0 1 1 1 0 MLS - Regular Season 11 8 741 2 0 5 2 8 3 0 0 1 1 1 0 MLS - TOTAL 11 8 741 2 0 5 2 8 3 0 0 1 1 1 0
Fouls
1, March 25, 2023, KC vs. SEA
1, 5 times, last: July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
3, May 13, 2023, KC vs. MIN
Fouls Suffered 2, May 20, 2023, KC at STL
Last Regular Season...
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 midfielder 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.
A hard-nosed midfielder who can also play at right back, Davis has spent significant time developing with Sporting KC II under former Sporting greats Paulo Nagamura and Benny Feilhaber from 2019-2022. Davis moved to Kansas City in 2017 at age 15 to join the
July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Sporting KC Academy and represented Sporting at the U-17 and U-19 levels. 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.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 2 times, last: Sept. 15, 2021, KC vs. MIN
Assists 1, 3 times, last: May 22, 2022, KC at SJ
Shots on Goal 1, 7 times, last: July 13, 2022, KC at MIN
Shots 2, 4 times, last: July 13, 2022, KC at MIN
Fouls Committed 5, June 19, 2022, KC at NSH
Fouls Suffered 8, July 21, 2021, KC vs. SJ
Last Regular Season... Appearance April 22, 2023, KC at NE
Goal Sept. 15, 2021, KC vs. MIN
Assist May 22, 2022, KC at SJ
2023 Record when: he starts 0-1-0 he scores 0-0-0
Height: 5-6 Weight: 130 Birthday: 2/13/2001
Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas
Last Club: Sporting KC Academy
Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 7/18/2019
Sporting Kansas City announced the signing of midfielder Cam Duke as a Homegrown Player midway through the 2019 season. The Overland Park, Kansas native was in the club’s Academy from 2012-2019, advancing from the Under-12 side to the Under-19s. He made his professional debut in the MLS is Back Quarterfinals against the Philadelphia Union on July 30, 2020 and scored his first goal in a 3-1 road win over Seattle on July 25, 2021 before scoring again in a Leagues Cup match vs. Club Leon on Aug. 10, 2021.
Duke capped an impressive Academy career by helping the SKC Academy U-19s reach the quarterfinals of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs in June 2019. After the U-19s secured the No. 4 overall seed with a 16-4-3 regular-season record, Duke
spearheaded a first-place finish in the group stage with a goal and an assist. Duke was the No. 1 prospect in the Heartland Region and the 20th-ranked player nationally at TopDrawerSoccer.com. Duke is the younger brother of former Sporting midfielder and SKC II captain Christian Duke, while his father, Chris Duke, played for the Kansas City Comets and Kansas City Attack in the early 1990s.
Duke represented the United States at the U-14 and U-15 level before guiding the U.S. U-16s to a third-place finish at the Val-de-Marne Tournament in France in 2016. Duke earned his first of several calls to the U.S. U-18s in November 2017 before returning to the team in 2018.
21 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
| M | CAM DUKE | @camduke20
#28
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 54 22 2226 2 3 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 MLS is Back KO Stage 1 0 6 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 3 2 282 0 0 International 1 0 45 1 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 59 24 2559 3 3
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 54 22 2226 2 3 21 7 39 66 0 0 6 1 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 54 22 2226 2 3 21 7 39 66 0 0 6 1 0 0
#17 | M | JAKE
Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 0 Shots
DAVIS | @jdavis_3211 Regular
on Goal
Shots
Committed
Goal N/A Assist N/A 2023 Record when: he starts 6-3-4 he scores 0-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 19 13 1080 0 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 3 2 163 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 22 15 1243 0 0
Appearance
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 19 13 1080 0 0 5 1 18 7 0 0 1 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 19 13 1080 0 0 5 1 18 7 0 0 1 0 0 0
#15 | M | ROGER ESPINOZA
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, 12 times, last: July 9, 2022, KC at MTL
Assists 2, 3 times, last: March 30, 2019, KC vs. MTL
Shots on Goal 2, 18 times, last: March 11, 2023, KC vs. LA
Shots 6, May 15, 2016, KC vs. ORL
Fouls Committed 5, 7 times, last: July 9, 2022, KC at MTL
Fouls Suffered 6, 3 times, last: Aug. 17, 2019, KC vs. SJ
Last Regular Season... Appearance July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Goal July 9, 2022, KC at MTL
Assist May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR
2023 Record when: he starts 0-5-2 he scores 0-0-0
Height: 5-10
Weight: 190 Birthday: 10/25/1986
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
College: Ohio State
Last Club: Wigan Athletic (England)
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 1/6/2015
Roger Espinoza has enjoyed two spells with Sporting Kansas City, first from 2008-12 and again from 2015-present. After a two-year stint in the English Premier League and English Championship with Wigan Athletic, Espinoza returned to Sporting KC in 2015. In his two years at Wigan Athletic, he logged 57 appearances and started in the club’s 2013 FA Cup Final victory over Manchester City.
Espinoza was an MLS All-Star in 2012 and helped lead the club to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title that season. While he missed Sporting’s MLS Cup in 2013 while with Wigan in England, Espinoza helped guide the club to further Open Cup triumphs in both
2015 and 2017. Espinoza has made 387 appearances for the club in all competitions across the last 13 seasons, tallying 14 goals and 48 assists. “Red Card Roger”, as he’s affectionately known, is both the club’s all-time leader and the all-time MLS leader with 13 red cards.
Espinoza earned 51 caps for the Honduras Men’s National Team after debuting in 2009. He has competed in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups as well as the 2012 Summer Olympics before retiring from international play in 2019.
Height: 5-9
Weight: 145 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 is set to begin his MLS career after a two-year college stint at Virginia Tech. Prior to his collegiate experience, Flores also boasts three seasons of play in the USL Championship, representing Philadelphia Union II from 2019-2020 and Oakland Roots SC in 2021.
Flores recorded two goals and two assists in 32 USL Championship matches across three seasons. He made his league 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 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. He ended his time at Virginia Tech with five goals, five assists and starts in 31 of 33 career appearances.
Flores represented the U.S. U-17 Men’s 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.
22 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
#31 | M | DANNY
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 0 Shots on Goal 0 Shots 0 Fouls Committed 0 Fouls Suffered 0 Last
Appearance
Goal
Assist
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 1 0 6 0 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 0 0 0 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 1 0 6 0 0
FLORES
Regular Season...
March 25, 2023, KC vs. SEA
N/A
N/A 2023 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 333 285 24667 12 44 MLS Postseason 17 14 1208 1 0 MLS is Back KO Stage 2 2 151 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 26 20 2259 0 3 International 9 8 727 1 1 ALL COMPETITIONS 387 330 29013 14 48
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 333 285 24667 12 44 364 102 514 403 20 16 77 13 2 11 KC - Postseason 17 14 1208 1 0 13 6 22 24 3 0 6 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 350 299 25875 13 44 367 108 536 427 23 16 83 13 2 11
#3 | D | ANDREU FONTAS | @AFontas3
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, 3 times, last: Aug. 21, 2022, KC vs. POR Assists 1, 2 times, last: July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Shots on Goal 1, 9 times, last: July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Shots 2, 8 times, last: June 21, 2023, KC at LA
Fouls Committed 3, 3 times, last: March 26, 2022, KC vs. RSL
Fouls Suffered 2, 9 times, last: June 21, 2023, KC at LA
Last Regular Season...
Appearance July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Goal Aug. 21, 2022, KC vs. POR
Assist July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
2023 Record when: he starts 5-5-6 he scores 0-0-0
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, a 10-year professional with more than 200 appearances in his native Spain, joined Sporting KC midway through the 2018 season. 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 109 appearances in all competitions for Sporting KC, tallying three goals and two 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
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.
Last Regular Season...
Height: 6-2 Weight: 180 Birthday: 1/26/1996
Hometown: Olathe, Kansas College: University of Denver
Last Club: Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 1/14/2022
Kortne Ford returned to his hometown and signed with Sporting KC as a free agent ahead of the 2022 season. Ford began his professional career in 2017 with the Colorado Rapids, where he started 33 of 35 MLS appearances as a Homegrown Player. Following a five-year stint in Colorado, Ford spent the last three months of 2021 on loan with San Antonio FC in the USL Championship. Having dealt with a host of injury issues in Colorado, Ford made his first MLS appearance since 2018 in Sporting’s match at the Colorado Rapids on March 12, 2022.
Ford enjoyed a strong rookie campaign with the Rapids in 2017, starting 19 of 20 MLS appearances. He earned his MLS debut in a road loss to Sporting KC on April 9 at
Children’s Mercy Park and opened his professional scoring account against SKC in a 1-0 home win on May 27. Born in Olathe, Kansas, Ford played youth soccer in the Kansas City area before moving with his family to Colorado at age 12. He joined the Colorado Rapids Academy in 2012 and represented the club at the U-16 and U-18 levels. In three standout seasons at the University of Denver, Ford was a two-time All-Summit League First Team selection and a Top Drawer Soccer Second Team All-America honoree in 2016. He started in all 62 college appearances, notching five goals and three assists, and led the Pioneers to their first NCAA Men’s College Cup appearance as a junior in 2016.
23 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
#12 | D | KORTNE
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, May 27, 2017, COL vs. SKC (w/ COL) Assists 0 Shots on Goal 2, May 27, 2017, COL vs. SKC (w/ COL) Shots 3, Sept. 9, 2017, COL at HOU (w/ COL) Fouls Committed 3, 10 times, last: May 28, 2022, KC vs. VAN Fouls Suffered 3, Aug. 11, 2018, COL vs. SJ (w/ COL)
FORD | @KortFord
Appearance Oct. 2, 2022, KC vs. SEA Goal May 27, 2017, COL vs. SKC (w/ COL) Assist N/A 2023 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 14 9 802 0 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 2 2 134 1 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 16 11 936 1 0
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 14 9 802 0 0 2 0 11 7 1 0 4 0 0 0 MLS - Regular Season 49 42 3670 1 0 17 4 52 24 1 0 15 0 1 0 MLS - TOTAL 49 42 3670 1 0 17 4 52 24 1 0 15 0 1 0
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 97 91 8241 3 2 MLS Postseason 2 2 180 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 6 6 564 0 0 International 4 4 326 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 109 103 9311 3 2
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 97 91 8241 3 2 41 9 56 38 0 0 12 2 1 1 KC - Postseason 2 2 180 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 99 93 8421 3 2 41 9 59 38 0 0 12 2 1 1
#13 | M | FELIPE GUTIERREZ
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 2, 5 times, last: Sept. 15, 2019, KC at LA
Assists 2, Sept. 15, 2018, KC at SJ
Shots on Goal 4, Aug. 4, 2019, KC at SEA
Shots 6, 2 times, last: April 27, 2019, KC vs. NE
Fouls Committed 4, 8 times, last: Aug. 4, 2019, KC at SEA
Fouls Suffered 5, 2 times, last: June 29, 2019, KC at RSL
Last Regular Season...
Appearance Oct. 9, 2022, COL at ATX (w/ COL)
Goal Sept. 15, 2019, KC at LA
Assist Sept. 10, 2022, COL vs. VAN (w/ COL)
2023 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0
Height: 5-9
Weight: 155 Birthday: 10/8/1990
Hometown: Quintero, Chile
Last Club: Al Wasl FC (United Arab Emirates)
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 7/6/2023
Felipe Gutierrez rejoined Sporting KC in July 2023 for a second spell with the club following his three-year stint as a Designated Player from 2018-2020. Gutierrez has enjoyed a heralded playing career across the globe, representing clubs in the Spanish La Liga, Dutch Eredivisie, Brazilian Serie A, Chilean Primera Division and MLS. He returns to Kansas City having tallied 19 goals and nine assists in 63 games during his first stint.
Gutierrez first joined Sporting in 2018 and scored five goals in his first five appearances. His hot start culminated in MLS Player of the Month honors for March. Gutierrez finished the 2018 regular season with seven goals and five assists. In 2019, Gutierrez landed Sporting KC Golden Boot honors by scoring 12 goals and also had four assists and led all Sporting field players in appearances (38), starts (37) and minutes (3,225) across all competitions.
At the end of 2020, he left Sporting and returned to boyhood club Catolica in Chile. He notched six goals and six assists across two seasons for the club before finishing 2022 with Colorado in MLS, where he had two assists in 12 games. Gutierrez spent the first six months of 2023 with Al Wasl in the United Arab Emirates, recording a goal and two assists in nine appearances.
Gutierrez first represented the Chilean National Team in May 2010, debuting in a 1-0 friendly win over Northern Ireland and went on to earn 35 caps for his country. He played all four matches for Chile at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and was a member of the squad that saw Chile win the country’s first Copa America title on home soil in 2015.
FELIPE HERNANDEZ | @Fe1ipe98
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 June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
Goal May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR
Assist May 14, 2022, KC at POR
2023 Record when: he starts 0-2-0 he scores 1-0-0
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 KC victory on June 19, 2022.
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 Sporting KC in January 2015, before signing an Academy contract with Sporting KC 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.
24 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
| M
#21
|
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 69 31 3370 4 6 MLS Postseason 2 0 42 0 0 MLS is Back KO Stage 1 0 26 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 6 5 505 2 1 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 78 36 3943 6 7
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 69 31 3370 4 6 64 13 49 57 3 52 3 0 0 1 KC - Postseason 2 0 42 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 71 31 3412 4 6 64 13 50 60 3 52 3 0 0 1
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 52 49 4244 19 5 MLS Postseason 4 4 360 0 3 U.S. Open Cup 2 1 109 0 1 International 5 5 413 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 63 59 5126 19 9
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 52 49 4244 19 5 105 46 96 82 1 58 14 0 5 4 KC - Postseason 4 4 360 0 3 9 4 9 11 1 11 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 56 53 4604 19 8 114 50 105 93 2 69 14 0 5 4
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, 13 times, last: May 31, 2023, KC vs. DAL Assists 2, Oct. 27, 2021, KC vs. LA
Shots on Goal 3, 2 times, last: Oct. 3, 2021, KC vs. HOU
Shots 5, July 31, 2021, KC vs. DAL
Fouls Committed 4, Feb. 29, 2020, KC at VAN
Fouls Suffered 5, 2 times, last: July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Last Regular Season... Appearance July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Goal May 31, 2023, KC vs. DAL Assist July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
2023 Record when: he starts 4-2-1 he scores 2-0-0
Height: 5-7
Weight: 155 Birthday: 3/23/1994
Hometown: Ashdod, Israel
Last Club: Beitar Jerusalem (Israel)
Acquired: Acquired in loan/transfer on 1/23/2020
Gadi Kinda joined Sporting KC ahead of the 2020 season from Israeli Premier League side Beitar Jerusalem. Kinda earned Sporting KC Newcomer of the Year honors in his first MLS season and has contributed 13 goals and 16 assists in 65 appearances across all competitions for Sporting. Kinda returned to the field in a U.S. Open Cup match on April 25, 2023 after missing the entire 2022 campaign following knee surgery.
Born in Ethiopia and raised in Israel, Kinda joined Beitar Jerusalem in February 2019 and started 30 of 31 appearances in all competitions. Kinda spent the first seven and a half years of his professional career at FC Ashdod. He developed as a youth in his hometown club’s academy prior to landing a top-flight debut in September 2011 as a 17-year-old.
Ashdod spent the 2015-16 season in Israel’s second division, but a strong bounce-back culminated with a Liga Leumit title as Kinda earned 27 appearances and helped his team finish atop the standings. Ashdod’s promotion saw Kinda tally seven goals and seven assists over the next two and a half seasons before his transfer to Beitar Jerusalem.
Kinda has five caps for the senior Israeli National Team, making his debut on June 5, 2021 when he scored the final goal in a 3-1 friendly win over Montenegro. He previously represented Israel at the U-18, U-19 and U-21 levels.
Height: 5-9 Weight: 165 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 becomes the third German newcomer at Sporting since the start of 2022, following center back Robert Voloder and midfielder Erik Thommy.
Leibold spent the last eight seasons across Germany’s top two divisions. He starred at Nurnberg from 2015-2019 and has competed since then for Hamburg, including a one-year stint 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 age 18 in 2012. Leibold enjoyed a breakthrough in 2015 by joining 2.
LEIBOLD
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.
25 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
#14 | D
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 1, 3 times, last: July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN Shots on Goal 1, 2 times, last: June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX Shots 1, 6 times, last: June 24, 2023, KC vs. CHI Fouls Committed 3, June 21, 2023, KC at LA Fouls Suffered 1, 2 times, last: July 8, 2023, KC at HOU Last Regular Season... Appearance July 8, 2023, KC at HOU Goal N/A Assist July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN 2023 Record when: he starts 2-3-3 he scores 0-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 13 8 738 0 3 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 0 0 0 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 13 8 738 0 3
| TIM
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 13 8 738 0 3 6 2 12 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 MLS - TOTAL 13 8 738 0 3 6 2 12 2 0 0 1 0 0 1
#10 | M | GADI KINDA
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 56 47 4008 13 16 MLS Postseason 4 2 214 0 0 MLS is Back KO Stage 2 1 135 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 2 2 76 0 0 International 1 0 45 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 65 52 4478 13 16
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 56 47 4008 13 16 95 39 80 104 9 46 12 1 4 7 KC - Postseason 4 2 214 0 0 2 0 5 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 60 49 4222 13 16 97 39 85 110 9 46 12 1 4 7
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals Allowed 4, May 20, 2023, KC at STL
Saves 6, Oct. 9, 2022, KC at DAL
Last Regular Season...
Appearance July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Shutout July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN 2023 Record when: he starts 4-3-4
Height: 5-11
Weight: 180 Birthday: 1/24/1994
Hometown: Santa Rosa, California
College: Santa Clara
Last Club: New York Red Bulls (MLS)
Acquired: Acquired in Re-Entry Draft on 12/17/2020
Sporting KC acquired goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh in Stage 1 of the MLS Re-Entry Process in late 2020. McIntosh spent the previous MLS campaign with the New York Red Bulls following a four-year stint in the Portland Timbers organization from 2016-2019. After seven years in MLS, McIntosh made his MLS debut in Sporting KC’s 3-0 home win over D.C. United on Sept. 13, 2022.
As a rookie in 2016, McIntosh competed for Timbers 2 of the USL Championship prior to signing his first MLS contract with Portland in January 2017. He played most of the next three years on loan with Timbers 2. In his lone appearance for Portland’s first team,
McIntosh secured a 2-0 shutout victory over San Jose in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 in 2018. Born in Oakland and raised in Santa Rosa, California, McIntosh was a member of the San Jose Earthquakes Academy as a youth before embarking on a four-year collegiate career at Santa Clara University. He was named the 2015 West Coast Conference Goalkeeper of the Year as a senior, leading Santa Clara to the WCC Championship.
On the international stage, McIntosh featured for the U.S. U-14, U-15, U-17 and U-20 National Teams, including a stint in residency with the U-17s in Bradenton, Florida.
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 13, 2023, KC vs. MIN
Shutout April 1, 2023, KC at PHI 2023 Record when: he starts 2-4-1
Height: 6-1 Weight: 210 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 (94), shutouts (64) and saves (645), and has also played the most games (223) 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 17 of the 30 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 and the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs Quarterfinal.
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.
26 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
#29 | GK | TIM MELIA | @TimMelia28
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 223 223 19965 0 0 MLS Postseason 10 10 924 0 0 MLS is Back KO Stage 2 2 180 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 11 11 1080 0 0 International 6 6 540 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 252 252 22689 0 0
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN SHT SVS SO GA GAA PG PA C E W L T KC - Regular Season 223 223 19965 931 645 64 279 1.26 19 33 16 1 94 77 49 MLS - Regular Season 229 228 20404 964 663 64 293 1.29 20 34 16 2 94 81 50 KC - Postseason 10 10 924 49 31 1 17 1.66 1 1 0 0 2 4 3 MLS - TOTAL 239 238 21328 1013 694 65 310 1.31 21 35 16 2 96 85 53
#22 | GK | KENDALL MCINTOSH
@McIntoshKendall
|
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 14 13 1191 0 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 0 0 0 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 14 13 1191 0 0
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN SHT SVS SO GA GAA PG PA C E W L T KC - Regular Season 14 13 1191 54 35 2 18 1.36 2 2 1 0 5 4 4 MLS - TOTAL 14 13 1191 54 35 2 18 1.36 2 2 1 0 5 4 4
April 30, 2022, KC vs. DAL
May 18, 2022, KC vs. COL
last: July 3, 2022, KC vs. NY
2023, KC at HOU
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 made 25 appearances in all competitions for Sporting KC in his first season with the club, tallying one assist in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
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.
Last Regular Season...
Height: 5-9 Weight: 150 Birthday: 2/16/2003
Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Last Club: Sporting KC Academy
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.
27 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
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
#24 | D | KAYDEN PIERRE | @KaydenPierre5
Regular
Appearance
Goal
Assist
2023 Record when: he starts
scores 0-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 20 9 953 0 1 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 3 2 190 0 0 International 1 0 75 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 24 11 1218 0 1
March 18, 2023, KC at DAL
N/A
July 13, 2022, KC at MIN
0-0-0 he
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 20 9 953 0 1 1 0 5 20 0 0 1 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 20 9 953 0 1 1 0 5 20 0 0 1 0 0 0
#18 | D | LOGAN NDENBE | @Ndenbe22 Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 0 Shots on Goal 1,
Shots 3,
Fouls Committed 3,
Fouls Suffered 4, 2 times,
Regular Season... Appearance
Goal N/A Assist N/A 2023 Record when: he starts 4-2-2 he scores 0-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 33 27 2409 0 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 3 1 84 0 1 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 36 28 2493 0 1
Aug. 27, 2022, KC vs. SJ
Last
July 8,
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 33 27 2409 0 0 11 1 32 34 2 0 4 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 33 27 2409 0 0 11 1 32 34 2 0 4 0 0 0
#9 | F | ALAN PULIDO | @alanpulido
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 2, 5 times, last: July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
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 July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Goal July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Assist June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
2023 Record when: he starts 6-7-4 he scores 3-1-3
Height: 5-10
Weight: 180 Birthday: 3/8/1991
Hometown: Ciudad Victoria, Mexico
Last Club: C.D. Guadalajara (Mexico)
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 appearances 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 and returned to the field on April 1, 2023. Pulido has tallied 26 goals and 11 assists in 55 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 and scored on his debut 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.
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 March 25, 2023, KC vs. SEA Shutout March 11, 2023, KC vs. LA 2023 Record when: he starts 0-3-2
Height: 6-4 Weight: 205 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.
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.
28 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
#1 | GK | JOHN PULSKAMP | @john_pulskamp
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 23 22 2017 0 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 6 6 600 0 0 International 1 1 90 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 30 29 2707 0 0
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN SHT SVS SO GA GAA PG PA C E W L T KC - Regular Season 23 22 2017 90 58 6 32 1.43 2 3 0 0 8 9 6 MLS - TOTAL 23 22 2017 90 58 6 32 1.43 2 3 0 0 8 9 6
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 51 43 3816 24 11 MLS Postseason 1 1 73 0 0 MLS is Back KO Stage 2 2 180 1 0 U.S. Open Cup 1 1 60 1 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 55 47 4129 26 11
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 51 43 3816 24 11 135 54 25 85 19 0 5 0 6 3 KC - Postseason 1 1 73 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 52 44 3889 24 11 137 55 25 87 19 0 5 0 6 3
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 has 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 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 spending each of the last three seasons with Levante. 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 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.
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 becomes Sporting’s first MLS SuperDraft selection to sign for the first team since 2018 and the second defender on Sporting’s active roster to join as a second-round draft pick out of Maryland, alongside Graham Zusi. Rindov made his MLS debut as a late sub 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.
29 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
#82 | D | CHRIS RINDOV
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 0 Shots on Goal 0 Shots 0 Fouls Committed 0 Fouls Suffered 0 Last Regular Season... Appearance April 22, 2023, KC at NE Goal N/A Assist N/A 2023 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 1 0 4 0 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 1 1 90 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 2 1 94 0 0
| @ChrisRindov
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
#6 | M | NEMANJA
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 0 Shots on Goal 1, May 31,
KC vs. DAL Shots 2, 3 times,
at
Fouls Committed 3,
Suffered 3,
KC at STL Last Regular Season... Appearance July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN Goal N/A Assist N/A 2023 Record when: he starts 5-3-4 he scores 0-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 14 12 989 0 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 1 1 90 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 15 13 1079 0 0
RADOJA
2023,
last: June 21, 2023, KC
LA
June 17, 2023, KC vs. LAFC Fouls
May 20, 2023,
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 14 12 989 0 0 7 1 10 11 0 0 2 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 14 12 989 0 0 7 1 10 11 0 0 2 0 0 0
#5 | D | DANY ROSERO
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, May 13, 2023, KC vs. MIN
Assists 0
Shots on Goal 1, 5 times, last: June 21, 2023, KC at LA
Shots 3, April 1, 2023,
Height: 6-2
Weight: 190 Birthday: 10/6/1993
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Last Club: Atletico Junior (Colombia)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 3/2/2023
Sporting Kansas City acquired center back Dany Rosero in a transfer from Colombian side Atletico Junior in March 2023. Rosero has 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 has spent the last seven seasons in the Colombian top-flight Categoria Primera A with Patriotas Boyacá, Deportivo Cali and Junior.
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 and made an immediate impact, scoring four goals and starting 35 of 37 league appearances with Patriotas
Boyacá. Strong performances with Patriotas 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
Regular
times, last: April 8, 2023, KC vs. COL
Height: 5-9 Weight: 170 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 55 goals and 40 assists in 180 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
Last Regular Season...
Appearance July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Goal May 17, 2023, KC at LAFC
Assist May 13, 2023, KC vs. MIN
2023 Record when: he starts 3-6-3 he scores 0-1-1
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.
30 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
3, 2
2, 3
4, 4
8,
5,
6,
Season Game Highs: Goals
times, last: May 26, 2019, KC vs. SEA Assists
times, last: Sept. 15, 2021, KC vs. MIN Shots on Goal
times, last: Aug. 28, 2021, KC vs. COL Shots
Sept. 2, 2020, KC vs. DAL Fouls Committed
April 30, 2022, KC vs. DAL Fouls Suffered
2
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 157 134 11772 50 33 MLS Postseason 8 8 735 1 2 MLS is Back KO Stage 2 2 157 0 1 U.S. Open Cup 7 5 508 4 2 International 6 5 422 0 2 ALL COMPETITIONS 180 154 13594 55 40
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 157 134 11772 50 33 331 131 95 236 19 369 13 0 10 6 KC - Postseason 8 8 735 1 2 16 6 10 19 1 25 1 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 165 142 12507 51 35 347 137 105 255 20 394 14 0 10 6
Committed 3,
Suffered 2, 2 times,
vs. LAFC
KC at PHI Fouls
June 17, 2023, KC vs. LAFC Fouls
last: June 17, 2023, KC
Appearance
8, 2023, KC at HOU Goal May 13, 2023, KC vs. MIN Assist N/A 2023 Record when: he starts 5-6-4 he scores 1-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 15 15 1323 1 0 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 0 0 0 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 15 15 1323 1 0
Last Regular Season...
July
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 15 15 1323 1 0 15 5 16 15 0 0 6 0 1 0 MLS - TOTAL 15 15 1323 1 0 15 5 16 15 0 0 6 0 1 0
#20 | F | DANIEL SALLOI
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 2, 4 times, last: May 18, 2022, KC vs. COL
Assists 2, 3 times, last: Aug. 6, 2022, KC vs. LA
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 July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Goal May 31, 2023, KC vs. DAL
Assist June 21, 2023, KC at LA
2023 Record when: he starts 6-10-7 he scores 3-1-0
Height: 6-1
Weight: 165 Birthday: 7/19/1996
Hometown: Budapest, Hungary
Last Club: Gyirmot SE (Hungary) - Loan
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 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. Salloi’s 13 game-winning goals is tied for most in club history. Salloi, who signed a new four-year contract in late 2022, has recorded 53 goals and 30 assists in 197 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.
Salloi reached even greater heights by scoring the winning goal in the 2017 U.S. Open Cup Final against the New York 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 U-18s for the 2014-15 season.
Salloi returned to his former Hungarian Academy side Ujpest FC in July 2015. He made his pro debut in the OTP Bank Liga on July 18, 2015 the day before his 19th birthday.
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.
#11
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 July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Goal June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
Assist July 9, 2022, KC at MTL
2023 Record when: he starts 0-3-2 he scores 1-0-0
Height: 6-3 Weight: 180 Birthday: 6/26/1993
Hometown: Austin, Texas
College: Oregon State
Last Club: SC Paderborn 07 (Germany)
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 16 assists across 126 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.
31 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
| F | KHIRY SHELTON | @KhiryShelton
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 112 77 7037 12 13 MLS Postseason 7 5 489 1 1 MLS is Back KO Stage 1 1 80 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 6 3 302 2 2 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 126 86 7908 15 16
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 112 77 7037 12 13 115 43 100 94 20 1 9 0 4 8 MLS - Regular Season 166 100 9523 18 23 151 55 125 125 23 1 9 0 4 11 KC - Postseason 7 5 489 1 1 6 2 8 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 MLS - Postseason 9 5 546 1 1 6 2 8 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 175 105 10072 19 24 157 57 133 130 25 1 9 0 4 11
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 168 132 12154 42 27 MLS Postseason 7 6 577 3 2 MLS is Back KO Stage 2 1 74 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 14 8 943 8 1 International 6 3 197 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 197 150 13945 53 30
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 168 132 12154 42 27 385 158 91 167 32 71 14 3 15 11 KC - Postseason 7 6 577 3 2 18 6 5 10 2 0 1 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 175 138 13452 45 29 403 164 96 177 34 71 15 3 15 11
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, 6 times, last: July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN
Assists 1, 7 times, last: June 21, 2023, KC at LA
Shots on Goal 4, 2 times, last: March 11, 2023, KC vs. LA
Shots 8, March 11, 2023, KC vs. LA
Fouls Committed 3, April 8, 2023, KC vs. COL
Fouls Suffered 4, 3 times, last: June 3, 2023, KC at VAN
Last Regular Season...
Appearance July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Goal July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN
Assist June 21, 2023, KC at LA
2023 Record when: he starts 5-9-7 he scores 3-0-0
Height: 5-8
Weight: 160 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 Bundesliga, one of the top leagues in the world. He scored his first goal for Sporting in the 4-2 victory over the LA Galaxy on Aug. 6, 2022 and finished the season with an impressive three goals and two assists in 13 appearances.
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
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, 2 times, last: May 31, 2023, KC vs. DAL
Fouls Committed 2, 4 times, last: June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
Fouls Suffered 5, April 17, 2022, KC at LAFC
Last Regular Season...
Appearance July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Goal May 14, 2022, KC at POR
Assist May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR
2023 Record when: he starts 3-0-2 he scores 0-0-0
Height: 5-7 Weight: 150 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. In his debut season with Sporting KC, Tzionis tallied two goals in 29 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.
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 24 caps for the Cyprus National Team, scoring his first goal in a 2-0 win over Estonia on March 29, 2022.
32 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 43 11 1355 1 1 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 4 3 328 2 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 47 14 1683 3 1
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 43 11 1355 1 1 33 11 18 48 3 16 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 43 11 1355 1 1 33 11 18 48 3 16 0 0 0 0
#26 | M | ERIK
@erikthommy
THOMMY |
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 35 31 2653 6 7 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 2 1 113 0 1 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 37 32 2766 6 8
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 35 31 2653 6 7 97 40 34 58 2 88 7 0 1 2 MLS - TOTAL 35 31 2653 6 7 97 40 34 58 2 88 7 0 1 2
#4 | D | ROBERT VOLODER
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, Sept. 13, 2022, KC vs. DC
Assists 1, June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
Shots on Goal 1, Sept. 13, 2022, KC vs. DC
Shots 1, 4 times, last: June 3, 2023, KC at VAN
Fouls Committed 2, 2 times, last: June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
Fouls Suffered 2, 2 times, last: June 3, 2023, KC at VAN
Last Regular Season...
Appearance June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
Goal Sept. 13, 2022, KC vs. DC
Assist June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
2023 Record when: he starts 1-6-3 he scores 0-0-0
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175 Birthday: 5/9/2001
Hometown: Frankfurt, Germany
Last Club: NK Maribor (Slovenia)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 1/19/2022
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 14 appearances for Sporting KC during the 2022 campaign and tallying 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.
Regular
Last Regular Season... Appearance
Height: 5-8 Weight: 160 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 five goals and eight assists in 93 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
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.
33 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
#54 | M | REMI WALTER | @remi_walter
Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 5 times, last: July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN Assists 1, 7 times, last: July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN 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
July 8, 2023, KC
Goal July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN Assist July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN 2023 Record when: he starts 4-10-7 he scores 1-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 84 78 6775 5 7 MLS Postseason 2 2 180 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 6 4 421 0 1 International 1 1 45 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 93 85 7421 5 8
at HOU
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 84 78 6775 5 7 57 18 53 54 0 39 7 1 3 2 KC - Postseason 2 2 180 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 86 80 6955 5 7 59 18 55 54 0 40 7 1 3 2
SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 24 17 1642 1 1 MLS Postseason 0 0 0 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 4 1 135 0 0 International 0 0 0 0 0 ALL COMPETITIONS 28 18 1777 1 1
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 24 17 1642 1 1 4 1 13 13 0 0 3 1 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 24 17 1642 1 1 4 1 13 13 0 0 3 1 0 0
Last Regular Season...
Height: 5-10 Weight: 160 Birthday: 8/18/1986
Hometown: Orlando, Florida College: Maryland
Acquired: 2009 MLS SuperDraft 2nd Round (#23)
Sporting’s all-time appearance and minutes leader, Graham Zusi has garnered MLS All-Star (2012-15, 2017-19), MLS Best XI (2012-13) & MLS Breakout Player of the Year (2011) accolades in addition to receiving a 2012 MLS MVP nomination. He earned Sporting KC MVP honors from 2012-14 and is the only player to appear in every All-Star Game from 2011-2014.
Zusi has recorded 35 goals and 90 assists in 410 appearances for Sporting KC across all competitions since being drafted in 2009 out of Maryland, where he won two national championships. He is second in club history with 87 total assists, while his 410 chances created from 2011-2015 (including postseason) ranked third in MLS. With his assist
May 31, 2023, KC vs. DAL
Oct. 9, 2022, KC at DAL
against RSL on April 29, 2017, Zusi reached 50 regular-season assists and later moved into first in club history with 24 game-winning assists on Aug. 19, 2017 versus FC Dallas.
Zusi earned 55 caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team after debuting in January 2012, recording five goals and seven assists. He played four matches at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, tallying two assists as the U.S. advanced out of the group stage. He played in his first CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2015, starting two matches, and scored in a World Cup qualifier against Guatemala on March 29, 2016. He played five games for the U.S. at the 2016 Copa America Centenario, scoring on June 7 in a 4-0 win over Costa Rica. He made four appearances as the U.S. won the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
34 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Season Game Highs: Goals 2, 3 times,
Assists 2, 9 times,
Shots on Goal 3, 5 times, last: Aug.
KC vs. POR Shots 6, May 15,
KC vs. ORL Fouls Committed 4, 2 times, last:
KC vs.
Fouls Suffered 6,
#8 | D | GRAHAM ZUSI Regular
last: Sept. 28, 2012, KC vs. CHI
last: Aug. 21, 2022, KC vs. POR
18, 2018,
2016,
March 30, 2013,
MTL
Oct. 26, 2013, KC at PHI
Goal
Assist
2023 Record when: he starts 0-6-3
0-0-0 SPORTING KC STATS GP GS MIN G A MLS Regular Season 355 305 27731 31 74 MLS Postseason 20 20 1919 1 7 MLS is Back KO Stage 2 2 180 0 0 U.S. Open Cup 20 18 1747 3 6 International 13 13 1140 0 3 ALL COMPETITIONS 410 358 32717 35 90
Appearance
May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR
he scores
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 355 305 27732 31 74 483 144 283 388 34 800 32 1 10 29 KC - Postseason 20 20 1919 1 7 32 4 26 30 1 69 2 0 0 3 MLS - TOTAL 375 325 29651 32 81 515 148 309 418 35 869 34 1 10 32
SINGLE SEASON RECORDS (FIELD PLAYERS)
(2011), Ilie Sanchez (2018), Graham Zusi (2018), Luis Martins (2021), Felipe
(2022), Remi Walter (2022)
ALL-TIME RECORDS (FIELD PLAYERS)
SINGLE SEASON RECORDS (GOALKEEPERS)
ALL-TIME RECORDS (GOALKEEPERS)
SINGLE GAME RECORDS (FIELD PLAYERS)
Takawira (1998), Preki (1998), Davy Arnaud (2004), Eddie Johnson (twice in 2007), Birahim Diop (2010), Gerso Fernandes (2017), Johnny Russell (2018), Krisztian Nemeth (2019), Johnny
SINGLE GAME RECORDS (GOALKEEPERS)
35 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SINGLE SEASON TEAM RECORDS
Stat Player # Games C.J. Sapong
Hernandez
34 Minutes Ilie Sanchez (2018),
Zusi (2018) 3060 Goals Dom Dwyer (2014) 22 Assists Preki (1997 & 2003) 17 Shots Preki (1996) 140 Shots on goal Preki (1996) 61 Fouls Committed Chris Henderson (2000) 79 Fouls Suffered Davy Arnaud (2004) 111 Offsides Eddie Johnson (2007) 50 Corner Kicks Graham Zusi (2012) 150 Cautions Aurelien Collin (2013) 13 Ejections Davy Arnaud (2010), Roger Espinoza (2019) 3 Stat Player # Games Jimmy Nielsen (2012 & 2013), Tim Melia (2018) 34 Minutes Jimmy Nielsen (2012 & 2013), Tim Melia (2018) 3060 Wins Mike Ammann (1997) 21 Losses Mike Amman (1998) 16 Draws Bo Oshoniyi (2005) 12 Shutouts Tony Meola (2000) 16 Goals Against Average Tim Melia (2017) 0.78 Goals Allowed Tim Melia (2019) 56 Saves Tony Meola (2000) 129 Stat Player # Goals
Russell (2019) 3 Assists Chris Henderson (1999) 4 Shots Preki (1997) 12 Shots on goal Preki (1996), Eddie Johnson
6 Fouls Committed Davy Arnaud (2010), Oriol Rosell (2013) 8 Fouls Suffered Davy Arnaud (2006) 10 Offsides Alex Bunbury (1999) 7 Corner Kicks Alex Zotinca (2006) 12 Stat Year # Points Per Game 2020 1.857 Goals 2018 65 Assists 2018 69 Shots 2018 583 Shots on goal 1996 250 Fouls Committed 2013 511 Fouls Suffered 2000 541 Offsides 1997 117 Corner Kicks 2021 207 Cautions 2019 74 Ejections 2011 8 Points 2012 63 Wins 1997 21 Losses 1999 24 Ties 2017 13 Shutouts 2000 17 Goals Allowed 2019 67 Stat Player # Goals Allowed Bo Oshoniyi (2001), Tim Melia (2019), Tim Melia (2022) 7 Saves Tim Melia (2018) 10 Stat Player # Games Tim Melia* 223 Minutes Tim Melia* 19,965 Wins Tim Melia* 94 Losses Tim Melia* 77 Draws Tim Melia* 49 Shutouts Tim Melia* 64 Goals Allowed Tim Melia* 279 Saves Tim Melia* 645 Goals Against Avg. Jimmy Nielsen 0.99 Stat Player # Games Graham Zusi* 355 Minutes Graham Zusi* 27,731 Goals Preki 71 Assists Preki 98 Shots Preki 693 Shots on goal Preki 283 Fouls Committed Roger Espinoza* 514 Fouls Suffered Davy Arnaud 528 Offsides Vitalis Takawira 126 Corner Kicks Graham Zusi* 800 Cautions Roger Espinoza* 77 Ejections Roger Espinoza* 13
Graham
Digital
(2007)
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL ALL-TIME CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
ASSISTS
GOALKEEPER
36 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
BOLD * - denotes player on current roster GAMES PLAYED Player GP 1. Graham Zusi* 355 2. Roger Espinoza* 333 3. Matt Besler 294 4. Davy Arnaud 240 5. Kerry Zavagnin 237 6. Nick Garcia 224 7. Tim Melia* 223 8. Preki 218 9. Seth Sinovic 210 10. Jimmy Conrad 204 GOALS Player GP G 1. Preki 218 71 2. Dom Dwyer 128 57 3. Johnny Russell* 157 50 4. Davy Arnaud 240 43 4. Josh Wolff 144 43 6. Daniel Salloi* 168 42 7. Chris Klein 200 39 8. Kei Kamara 113 38 9. Graham Zusi* 355 31 9. Benny Feilhaber 167 31 9. Mo Johnston 149 31 GAME-WINNING GOALS Player GP GWG 1. Daniel Salloi* 168 15 2. Dom Dwyer 128 13 2. Preki 218 13 4. Chris Klein 200 12 5. Kei Kamara 113 11 5. Josh Wolff 144 11 7. Johnny Russell* 157 10 7. Graham Zusi* 355 10 7. Davy Arnaud 240 10 10. Vitalis Takawira 103 8 GAME-WINNING ASSISTS Player GP GWA 1. Graham Zusi* 355 29 2. Preki 218 23 3. Chris Klein 200 16 4. Benny Feilhaber 167 13 5. Roger Espinoza* 333 11 5. Daniel Salloi* 168 11 7. Davy Arnaud 240 10 7. Josh Wolff 144 10 9. Khiry Shelton* 112 8 9. Jack Jewsbury 195 8 9. Mo Johnston 149 8 9. Kei Kamara 113 8 9. Chance Myers 147 8 9. Kerry Zavagnin 237 8 MULTI-GOAL GAMES Player GP MGG 1. Dom Dwyer 128 10 2. Vitalis Takawira 103 8 3. Preki 218 7 4. Johnny Russell* 157 6 5. Felipe Gutierrez* 52 5 5. Alan Pulido* 51 5 5. Kei Kamara 113 5 5. Scott Sealy 88 5 5. Josh Wolff 144 5 10. Daniel Salloi* 168 4 10. Mo Johnston 149 4 10. Chris Klein 200 4 PENALTY KICK GOALS Player GP PKG 1. Preki 218 21 2. Benny Feilhaber 167 12 3. Johnny Russell* 157 7 3. Dom Dwyer 128 7 5. Alan Pulido* 51 6 6. Ilie Sanchez 144 5 6. Felipe Gutierrez* 52 5 6. Kei Kamara 113 5 9. Claudio Lopez 57 4 10. Claudio Bieler 41 3 10. Jose Burciaga Jr. 115 3 10. Jack Jewsbury 195 3 10. Josh Wolff 144 3 GOALS PER GAME Player GP GLS AVG 1. Alan Pulido* 51 24 0.47 2. Dom Dwyer 128 57 0.45 3. Kei Kamara 113 38 0.34 4. Preki 218 71 0.33 5. Johnny Russell* 157 50 0.32 5. Scott Sealy 88 28 0.32 7. Josh Wolff 144 43 0.30 8. Vitalis Takawira 103 28 0.27 9. Daniel Salloi* 168 42 0.25 10. Mark Chung 94 20 0.21 *Minimum 20 goals
Player GP A 1. Preki 218 98 2. Graham Zusi* 355 74 3. Chris Klein 200 45 4. Roger Espinoza* 333 44 5. Benny Feilhaber 167 43 6. Davy Arnaud 240 35 7. Johnny Russell* 157 33 8. Mo Johnston 149 28 9. Daniel Salloi* 168 27 10.Josh Wolff 144 26 SHOTS Player GP SH 1. Preki 218 693 2. Graham Zusi* 355 483 3. Davy Arnaud 240 452 4. Dom Dwyer 128 401 5. Daniel Salloi* 168 385 6. Kei Kamara 113 370 7. Roger Espinoza* 333 364 8. Johnny Russell* 157 330 9. Chris Klein 200 312 10. Mo Johnston 149 274 SHOTS ON GOAL Player GP SOG 1. Preki 218 283 2. Davy Arnaud 240 176 3. Dom Dwyer 128 161 4. Daniel Salloi* 168 158 5. Graham Zusi* 355 144 6. Mo Johnston 149 138 6. Chris Klein 200 138 6. Josh Wolff 144 138 9. Johnny Russell* 157 131 10. Kei Kamara 113 126 FOULS COMMITTED Player GP FC 1. Roger Espinoza* 333 514 2. Davy Arnaud 240 329 3. Kerry Zavagnin 237 326 4. Matt McKeon 144 309 5. Graham Zusi* 355 283 6. Matt Besler 294 241 7. Dom Dwyer 128 239 8. Nick Garcia 224 234 9. Mo Johnston 149 226 10. Seth Sinovic 210 217 FOULS SUFFERED Player GP FS 1. Davy Arnaud 240 528 2. Roger Espinoza* 333 403 3. Graham Zusi* 355 389 4. Preki 218 362 5. Kerry Zavagnin 237 354 6. Benny Feilhaber 167 299 7. Dom Dwyer 128 273 8. Nick Garcia 224 250 9. Johnny Russell* 157 236 10. Mark Chung 94 204
(YELLOW CARDS) Player GP YC 1. Roger Espinoza* 333 77 2. Kerry Zavagnin 237 44 3. Davy Arnaud 240 43 4. Nick Garcia 224 37 5. Matt Besler 294 35 5. Seth Sinovic 210 35 7. Graham Zusi* 355 32 8. Aurelien Collin 107 31 9. Diego Gutierrez 119 30 9. Matt McKeon 144 30
KICKS Player GP CK 1. Graham Zusi* 355 800 2. Preki 218 452 3. Johnny Russell* 157 369 4. Benny Feilhaber 167 287 5. Claudio Lopez 57 188 6. Jose Burciaga Jr. 115 175 7. Francisco Gomez 114 157 8. Chris Henderson 61 154 9. Chris Klein 200 152 10. Davy Arnaud 240 144
STARTED Player GS 1. Graham Zusi* 305 2. Roger Espinoza* 285 2. Matt Besler 285 4. Kerry Zavagnin 228 5. Nick Garcia 224 6. Tim Melia* 223 7. Davy Arnaud 213 8. Jimmy Conrad 203 9. Seth Sinovic 200 10. Preki 199 MINUTES PLAYED Player MP 1. Graham Zusi* 27,731 2. Matt Besler 25,501 3. Roger Espinoza* 24,667 4. Kerry Zavagnin 20,515 5. Nick Garcia 20,157 6. Tim Melia* 19,965 7. Davy Arnaud 19,399 8. Jimmy Conrad 18,194 9. Preki 17,817 10. Seth Sinovic 17,738 GAMES PLAYED IN GOAL Player GP 1. Tim Melia* 223 2. Jimmy Nielsen 128 3. Tony Meola 125 4. Bo Oshoniyi 96 5. Kevin Hartman 90 6. Mike Ammann 60 7. Chris Snitko 26 8. Eric Kronberg 25 9. John Pulskamp* 23 9. Garth Lagerwey 23 SAVES Player GP SV 1. Tim Melia* 223 645 2. Tony Meola 125 507 3. Bo Oshoniyi 96 354 4. Kevin Hartman 90 332 5. Jimmy Nielsen 128 304 6. Mike Amman 60 206 7. Chris Snitko 26 95 8. Garth Lagerwey 23 83 9. John Pulskamp* 23 58 9. Eric Kronberg 25 58
CAUTIONS
CORNER
GAMES
WINS Player GP GW 1. Tim Melia* 223 94 2. Jimmy Nielsen 128 57 3. Tony Meola 125 49 4. Mike Ammann 60 33 4. Bo Oshoniyi 96 33 6. Kevin Hartman 90 30 7. Garth Lagerwey 23 12 8. Eric Kronberg 25 9 9. John Pulskamp* 23 8 10. Andy Gruenebaum 11 6 SHUTOUTS Player GP SO 1. Tim Melia* 223 64 2. Jimmy Nielsen 128 45 3. Tony Meola 125 37 4. Kevin Hartman 90 22 4. Bo Oshoniyi 96 22 6. Mike Ammann 60 10 7. Eric Kronberg 25 8 8. John Pulskamp* 23 6 9. Luis Marin 8 3 9. Andy Gruenebaum 11 3 9. Garth Lagerwey 23 3 9. Chris Snitko 26 3
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL SINGLE-SEASON CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
37 Sporting KC Game Notes | July 12, 2023 vs. Real Salt Lake | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
GAMES PLAYED Year Player GP 2011 C.J. Sapong 34 2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 2018 Tim Melia 34 2018 Ilie Sanchez 34 2018 Graham Zusi 34 2021 Luis Martins 34 2022 Felipe Hernandez 34 2022 Remi Walter 34 GAMES STARTED Year Player GS 2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 2018 Tim Melia 34 2018 Ilie Sanchez 34 2018 Graham Zusi 34 2022 Remi Walter 34 MINUTES PLAYED Year Player MIN 2012 Jimmy Nielsen 3060 2013 Jimmy Nielsen 3060 2018 Tim Melia 3060 2018 Ilie Sanchez 3060 2018 Graham Zusi 3060 2017 Ilie Sanchez 2970 2000 Nick Garcia 2915 2000 Peter Vermes 2915 GAMES PLAYED IN GOAL Year Player GP 2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 2018 Tim Melia 34 2005 Bo Oshoniyi 32 2019 Tim Melia 32 GOALS Year Player GP GOALS 2014 Dom Dwyer 33 22 1996 Preki 32 18 2021 Daniel Salloi 30 16 2016 Dom Dwyer 33 16 2021 Johnny Russell 30 15 2007 Eddie Johnson 24 15 ASSISTS Year Player GP ASSISTS 1997 Preki 27 17 2003 Preki 30 17 2000 Preki 31 15 2012 Graham Zusi 32 15 2015 Benny Feilhaber 32 15 SHOTS Year Player GP SHOTS 1996 Preki 32 140 2012 Kei Kamara 33 134 2016 Dom Dwyer 33 119 2014 Dom Dwyer 33 113 1999 Preki 30 97 SHOTS ON GOAL Year Player GP SOG 1996 Preki 32 61 2012 Kei Kamara 33 49 1996 Vitalis Takawira 28 48 2014 Dom Dwyer 33 48 1997 Preki 27 44 2002 Preki 25 44 2016 Dom Dwyer 33 44 FOULS COMMITTED Year Player GP FC 2000 Chris Henderson 31 79 2001 Matt McKeon 26 76 1997 Matt McKeon 31 75 2000 Matt McKeon 30 75 2013 Oriol Rosell 31 66 2016 Dom Dwyer 33 66 2018 Roger Espinoza 32 66 FOULS SUFFERED Year Player GP FS 2004 Davy Arnaud 30 111 2005 Davy Arnaud 31 85 2015 Dom Dwyer 30 81 1999 Preki 30 77 2006 Davy Arnaud 32 76 CAUTIONS (YELLOW CARDS) Year Player GP YC 2013 Aurelien Collin 29 13 2019 Felipe Gutierrez 32 11 2022 Roger Espinoza 30 11 2011 Aurelien Collin 23 10 2013 Oriol Rosell 31 10 2016 Roger Espinoza 30 10 1997 Mo Johnston 29 9 2005 Jose Burciaga Jr. 31 9 2017 Roger Espinoza 30 9 2018 Roger Espinoza 32 9 EJECTIONS (RED CARDS) Year Player GP RC 2010 Davy Arnaud 27 3 2019 Roger Espinoza 16 3 nine players tied with 2 CORNER KICKS Year Player GP CK 2012 Graham Zusi 32 150 2013 Graham Zusi 27 128 2014 Graham Zusi 25 125 2009 Claudio Lopez 29 123 2019 Johnny Russell 28 109 OFFSIDES Year Player GP OFF 2007 Eddie Johnson 24 50 1996 Vitalis Takawira 28 44 1997 Vitalis Takawira 28 43 2014 Dom Dwyer 33 38 2000 Chris Henderson 31 36 GAME-WINNING GOALS Year Player GP GWG 2000 Miklos Molnar 17 6 2007 Eddie Johnson 24 6 2014 Dom Dwyer 33 6 2018 Daniel Salloi 29 6 1997 Preki 27 5 2012 C.J. Sapong 31 5 2015 Krisztian Nemeth 27 5 2021 Daniel Salloi 30 5 GAME-WINNING ASSISTS Year Player GP GWA 2000 Chris Henderson 31 5 2000 Matt McKeon 30 5 2003 Preki 30 5 2004 Davy Arnaud 30 5 2004 Josh Wolff 26 5 2012 Graham Zusi 32 5 2013 Graham Zusi 27 5 2015 Benny Feilhaber 30 5 PENALTY KICK GOALS Year Player GP PKG 1996 Preki 32 7 2014 Dom Dwyer 33 7 2003 Preki 30 5 2015 Benny Feilhaber 32 5 2016 Benny Feilhaber 29 5 2019 Felipe Gutierrez 32 5 GOALS PER GAME Year Player GP GLS AVG 2000 Miklos Molnar 17 12 0.71 2014 Dom Dwyer 33 22 0.67 2022 Willy Agada 12 8 0.67 2007 Eddie Johnson 24 15 0.63 1996 Preki 32 18 0.56 2021 Daniel Salloi 30 16 0.53 *Minimum 5 goals SAVES 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 1997 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
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
GOALS