Saturday, September 16, 2023
MN)
Apple TV: MLS Season Pass English Radio: ESPN 94.5 FM
Spanish Radio: La Grande 1340 AM
Referee: Tori Penso
Assistant ref: Cory Richardson
Assistant ref: Adam Garner
4th official: Adam Kilpatrick
VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
2023 REGULAR SEASON TEAM STATS
COACHES - REGULAR SEASON PETER
2023 MLS REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
QUESTIONABLE
PLAYER AVAILABILITY REPORT
As of Wednesday, Sept. 13
• DEF - Graham Zusi (Hamstring Injury)
• MID - Gadi Kinda (Ankle Injury)
• FWD - Stephen Afrifa (Hamstring Injury)
• FWD - Johnny Russell (Ankle Injury)
OUT
• DEF - Kortne Ford (Achilles Surgery)
• DEF - Kayden Pierre (Hamstring Injury)
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2023 NUMERICAL ROSTER
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2023 ALPHABETICAL ROSTER
#MINvSKC: HEAD-TO-HEAD
Sporting Kansas City (8-12-8, 32 pts.) will look to bounce back from last weekend’s 3-2 defeat to Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium when the team travels north to take on Minnesota United FC (9-8-10, 37 pts.) at Allianz Field on Saturday night.
Sporting cruised to a 3-0 victory in the first meeting between the two sides earlier this year at Children’s Mercy Park. Dany Rosero headed home his first goal for the club before Daniel Salloi finished off a flowing move to double the lead. Gadi Kinda added a third late on to cap the win.
Sporting claimed the season series over Minnesota 1-0-1 in 2022, even with Sporting missing the postseason and the Loons finishing sixth. The first meeting came at Allianz Field on July 13, 2022, with the two sides earning a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw. An unfortunate own goal by goalkeeper John Pulskamp gave the hosts a halftime lead but Sporting responded well in the second half and substitute Johnny Russell fired home the equalizer in the 63rd minute.
In the return fixture at Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting earned a 4-1 victory following an own goal from Michael Boxall to go along with a strike from Erik Thommy and a Willy Agada brace.
Sporting holds a 9-4-4 record against the Loons in MLS regular-season play, but have struggled on the road, going 1-3-4 in Minnesota.
#MINvSKC: Recent Meetings (SKC leads 9-4-4 in regular season)
Date Score Result Details
05/13/2023 KC 3 vs MIN 0 W Rosero, Salloi and Kinda get on scoresheet in easy win
09/17/2022 KC 4 vs MIN 1 W Own goal, Thommy strike and Agada brace lead to victory
07/13/2022 KC 1 at MIN 1 T Pulskamp own goal cancelled out by Russell equalizer
10/31/2021 KC 1 at MIN 2 L Shelton opens scoring before Fragapane and Reynoso win it
09/15/2021 KC 4 vs MIN 0 W Shelton, Salloi, Russell and Duke score in big victory
#MINvSKC: PLAYER HISTORY
• Forward Khiry Shelton has scored four times and added an assist against the Loons, tallying his first goal for Sporting KC in a 1-1 road draw on May 20, 2018. He added another in SKC’s MLS is Back opener - a 2-1 loss on July 12, 2020, before scoring the game-winner and tallying an assist in the 4-0 home win on Sept. 15, 2021. He also scored in the 2-1 road loss on Oct. 31, 2021.
• Forward Johnny Russell has three goals and 10 assists against Minnesota. His first goal came in the 1-0 home win on Sept. 13, 2020. Russell got an assist in the 1-1 draw on May 20, 2018 before assisting both goals in the 2-0 home win on Aug. 25, 2018. Russell tallied the game-winning assist in the 1-0 home win on Aug. 22, 2019 before setting up the opener in the 2-1 road loss on Sept. 25, 2019. Russell had a goal and two assist performance in the 4-0 home win on Sept. 15, 2021 before tallying another assist in the 2-1 road loss on Oct. 31, 2021. Russell scored in the 1-1 road draw on July 13, 2022 and notched assists in the 4-1 home win on Sept. 17, 2022 and the 3-0 home win on May 13, 2023.
• Forward Daniel Salloi has three goals and two assists against Minnesota, netting the opening goal in a 4-1 home win on June 3, 2018 before tallying another in the 4-0 home win on Sept. 15, 2021 and an assist in the 4-1 home win on Sept. 17, 2022. Salloi tallied a goal and an assist in the 3-0 home win on May 13, 2023.
• Forward Willy Agada has scored twice against the Loons, bagging a brace in the 4-1 home win on Sept. 17, 2022.
• Midfielder Gadi Kinda has scored twice and added one assist against Minnesota. He scored in the 2-1 road win on Aug. 21, 2020 and added an assist in the 2-1 road loss on Oct. 31, 2021, before scoring in the 3-0 home win on May 13, 2023.
• Midfielder Erik Thommy has a goal and two assists against Minnesota, with one goal and one assist coming in the 4-1 home win on Sept. 17, 2022 and the other assist coming in the 3-0 home win on May 13, 2023.
• Midfielder Cam Duke has one goal against MNUFC, tallying the final goal in the 4-0 home win on Sept. 15, 2021.
• Defender Dany Rosero has scored once against Minnesota United, heading home the opener in the 3-0 home win on May 13, 2023.
• Midfielder Roger Espinoza has recorded three assists against Minnesota, helping set up Cristian Lobato’s strike in the 4-1 home win on June 3, 2018, Daniel Salloi’s goal in the 4-0 home win on Sept. 15, 2021 and Willy Agada’s goal in the 4-1 home win on Sept. 17, 2022.
• Forward Alan Pulido has two assists against the Loons, setting up Khiry Shelton’s opener in the 2-1 loss at MLS is Back on July 12, 2020 and Daniel Salloi’s goal in the 3-0 home win on May 13, 2023.
• Defender Kayden Pierre has one assist against Minnesota, tallying his first MLS assist in the 1-1 road draw on July 13, 2021.
• Midfielder Remi Walter has tallied one assist against Minnesota, coming in the 3-0 home win on May 13, 2023.
• Goalkeeper Tim Melia is 8-3-2 all-time against Minnesota United FC, with six shutouts and a 0.63 goals against average.
• Goalkeeper John Pulskamp is 1-0-1 all-time against the Loons, with his win coming in the 4-1 home victory on Sept. 17, 2022.
#MINvSKC: PLAYER/COACH CONNECTIONS
• Minnesota goalkeeper Eric Dick began his professional career with Sporting KC after being drafted out of Butler in 2018. He made one appearance for Sporting, playing the final game in 2019 - a 6-0 loss at FC Dallas.
• Goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh was teammates with Minnesota’s Zarek Valentin on the Portland Timbers from 2016-2019.
• Goalkeeper John Pulskamp was in the LA Galaxy Academy alongside Minnesota’s Cameron Dunbar from 2017-2019.
• Manager Peter Vermes played with Minnesota Sporting Director Manny Lagos at the New York Metrostars in 1996.
#MINvSKC: BY THE NUMBERS
Sporting KC Team Notes
• Last weekend’s 3-2 defeat at Inter Miami FC marked the first time this season that Sporting has lost when scoring two or more goals. Sporting has a 9-1-4 record in all competitions when scoring multiple goals this season and a 1-13-5 record when scoring one goal or fewer.
• Since the start of May, Sporting are tied for the MLS lead with 35 goals scored (1.94 goals per match). The team scored just three goals in its first 10 league matches through the end of April.
• Sporting rank second in the West in goals scored in the first 15 minutes (seven), goals scored in the first 30 minutes (14) and first-half goals (24). Three of their five goals in Leagues Cup also came in the opening 30 minutes.
• Sporting have scored 63% of their regular season goals in the first half, the highest clip in the league (24 of 38).
• Sporting have dropped 20 points from winning positions during the 2023 regular season, second most in MLS behind only Charlotte FC (21).
• Sporting are 6-4-4 when scoring the first goal this season, the second worst mark in MLS ahead of only Colorado (2-3-1).
• Sporting have scored first in 12 of their last 16 matches across all competitions, posting a 5-2-5 record in those 12 games.
• Sporting have committed 9.5 fouls per match, second fewest in MLS during the 2023 regular season. Conversely, Sporting rank third in MLS with 2.9 fouls suffered in the attacking third per game.
• A total of 30 different players have earned regular season minutes for Sporting in 2023, more than Sporting have used in any of the previous three seasons.
Sporting KC Player Notes
• Goalkeeper Tim Melia has won four of his last five starts since May 13 after opening the season with a 0-4-1 record.
• Forward Alan Pulido is tied for second in MLS with 13 league goals and has a team-best 14 goals this season in all competitions after missing all of 2022 through injury. Pulido leads MLS with 12 goals since the start of June and has 12 goals in Sporting’s last 12 regular season matches, becoming the second player in club history to accomplish that feat after Johnny Russell in 2021.
• Midfielder Erik Thommy has one goal and four assists in his last three matches.
• Forward Daniel Salloi has eclipsed 14 goal contributions in three straight seasons for Sporting. He is also one of four players in MLS with seven or more regular season goals in each of the last three seasons along with Hany Mukhtar, Luciano Acosta and Jesus Ferreira.
Minnesota United Team Notes
• Since falling 4-1 at home to Austin FC on July 8, Minnesota has gone unbeaten in seven MLS matches with three shutout wins and four 1-1 draws.
• With a 3-2-8 record, Minnesota has the most home draws in MLS this season.
• Minnesota’s three home wins are second fewest in MLS this season, ahead of only Colorado (one).
• Minnesota has twice as many road wins (six) as home wins (three) this season. Their 6-6-2 MLS road record is fourth best in MLS.
• Minnesota is 8-1-4 when scoring the first goal and 1-7-5 when conceding the first goal this season. Similarly, the team is 4-0-3 when leading at halftime and 0-4-2 when trailing at halftime.
Minnesota United Player Notes
• Forward Bongokuhle Hlongwane leads Minnesota with 15 goals in all competitions this season, including seven goals in five Leagues Cup appearances.
• After missing the first three months of the season, midfielder Emanuel Reynoso has scored six goals in 12 MLS appearances and eight goals in all competitions. Minnesota has lost just once in the 10 MLS matches Reynoso has started this season, a 4-1 setback to Austin FC on July 8.
NOTEWORTHY MILESTONES
• Manager Peter Vermes has won a combined 297 MLS matches as a player or a coach, tied with Bruce Arena for the most in league history (regular season and playoffs).
SPORTING KC SOCIAL PROPERTIES
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CompassMineralsNPC.com @SoySporting YouTube.com/SportingKansasCity
SPORTING KANSAS CITY NEWS AND NOTES BOUNCING BACK IN MINNESOTA
Sporting Kansas City will look to bounce back from the sobering 3-2 loss to Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium last Saturday night when the team heads up north to take on Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field this weekend. Prior to last weekend’s loss, Sporting had begun their final stretch with back-to-back home wins over San Jose and st. louis.
Sporting began the match in Miami on the front foot and took the lead through Daniel Salloi. However, a first-half brace from Leo Campana and a third from Facundo Farias saw Miami take a two-goal lead and condemn Sporting to defeat despite Alan Pulido’s late goal.
Pulido’s goal saw him move up to second in the Golden Boot race, just one behind leader Hany Mukhtar, while he also leads Sporting with 17 goal contributions this season in all competitions (14 goals, three assists). Erik Thommy, who recorded the assist on Pulido’s goal, now as four goals and a team-leading 12 assists across all competitions this season - with his 16 goal contributions good for second on the team - while Salloi’s 15 goal contributions (8 goals, 7 assists) placing him third.
Since the start of May, Sporting have gone 8-6-5 in MLS play and rank second in MLS with 35 goals scored (1.94 goals per match). The team went 0-7-3 and scored just three goals in its first 10 league matches through the end of April.
THE LOONS BECKON
Sporting Kansas City will remain on the road this weekend as the team travels north to take on Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field in St. Paul. Sporting are set to face Minnesota twice in their final six matches of the 2023 campaign, with those two games having an outsized impact on the club’s postseason hopes, as Minnesota sits in seventh place and just five points ahead of SKC.
Sporting made light work of the Loons earlier this season, cruising to a 3-0 victory at Children’s Mercy Park on May 13. Dany Rosero headed home Daniel Salloi’s corner kick early on before Salloi capped a flowing move with an excellent finish into the side-netting to make it 2-0. Tim Melia first conceded and then saved a penalty kick shortly before halftime before Gadi Kinda’s scooped strike made the points safe late on.
Sporting and Minnesota have gone hammer and tongs since the Loons joined MLS in 2017 - facing one another on 20 occasions (17 regular season, 2 U.S. Open Cup, 1 Playoffs). Sporting has only played one other team (FC Dallas) 17 times since the start of the 2017 season.
PULIDO CONTINUES CHASE FOR GOLDEN BOOT
Sporting Kansas City star forward Alan Pulido found the back of the net once again this past weekend, firing home a well-taken finish to pull a goal back for Sporting in what turned out to be a futile effort in the 3-2 loss to Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium.
With his side trailing 3-1, Pulido cut between a pair of Miami defenders before curling home a brilliant finish into the side-netting, leaving USMNT goalkeeper Drake Callender with no chance. Pulido, who was named to the bench of the MLS Team of the Matchday earlier this week, has been in red-hot form this summer with an MLS-best 12 goals since the start of June and the Mexican international is now tied for second in the MLS Golden Boot race with 13 MLS goals in 2023.
In his fourth season with the club, Pulido now has 29 goals and 11 assists in 61 appearances across all competitions for the club. With 27 goals in 56 MLS regularseason matches, Pulido is now first in club history in goals per game. Player
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SALLOI RIDING HOT STREAK
Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi continued his fine run of recent form by firing home the opener in the club’s eventual 3-2 loss to Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium last Saturday night.
Salloi latched onto a huge rebound spilled by Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender following Felipe Gutierrez’s strike from distance and slotted home his seventh goal of the year in MLS play and eighth in all competitions. Salloi has now scored or assisted in each of his last five regular season appearances since July 12.
Salloi is one of four players in MLS with seven or more regular season goals in each of the last three seasons along with stars Hany Mukhtar, Luciano Acosta and Jesus Ferreira. The Hungarian international is currently fourth in Sporting’s all-time scoring charts with 45 goals, while he’s tallied 56 goals in 204 appearances across all competitions.
INTERNATIONAL RECAP
Sporting Kansas City duo Gadi Kinda and Marinos Tzionis will both return to the club this week after the pair jetted off to represent Israel and Cyprus, respectively, at the international level over the past week.
Venturing overseas for his first national team involvement since October 2021, Kinda was part of an Israel side that will drew 1-1 with Romania last Saturday before earning a 1-0 victory over Belarus on Tuesday. Kinda - who was an unused substitute while still dealing with an ankle injury for both games - has earned five career caps for Israel and punctuated his international debut with a sensational long-range goal in a 3-1 friendly win at Montenegro on June 5, 2021, before making his first start for the team four days later in a friendly defeat at European powerhouse Portugal.
Tzionis and Cyprus resumed their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a pair of matches during the FIFA window, falling 3-0 to Scotland last Friday before visiting suffering a 6-0 defeat to powerhouse Spain on Monday. Tzionis, who earned his 25th cap in the loss to Spain, has blossomed as a key contributor for the Cyprus national team, scoring two goals for his home country while competing in the UEFA Nations League and FIFA World Cup qualifying.
KIDS CHANT FREE FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR
Sporting Kansas City announced earlier this week the return of Kids Chant Free presented by Price Chopper for the club’s 2024 season at Children’s Mercy Park.
The Season Ticket Membership is designed to make matches more accessible for all families by allowing adults who purchase full-season Price Chopper South Stand memberships to add their children’s memberships for free.
Kids Chant Free provides the opportunity for children to attend Sporting Kansas City matches at Children’s Mercy Park free of charge all season long and offers families with more financial flexibility as Sporting continues to grow the game for the next generation.
Sporting KC Season Ticket Memberships include all 17 MLS regular season home matches as well as Leagues Cup group stage home matches and U.S. Open Cup home matches through the quarterfinal round. Season Ticket Members also receive complimentary tickets for Sporting KC away matches and Sporting KC II home matches.
SKC II SUFFERS TOUGH LOSS
Sporting Kansas City II, having already clinched a spot in the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs following, suffered a tough 3-2 loss to Chicago Fire FC II at Swope Soccer Village on Sunday afternoon to drop their record to 13-8-5 record (47 pts.) and fourth place in the Western Conference. SKC II has gone 9-4-2 in their last 15 matches, claiming an extra point by winning the shootout following both draws.
Sporting II raced into an early lead on Sunday, with Sebastian Cruz converting at the far post before Lucas Rosa curled home a stunning free kick to make the score 2-0. However, a cheap penalty awarded following a challenge by Jahon Rad allowed Chicago back into the game on the stroke of halftime, and another penalty - this time following a foul by Nati Clarke - saw the visitors draw level early in the second half. Dylan Borso fired home the winner in the 58th minute to complete the comeback for Chicago II.
The team has just two matches left in the 2023 regular season, including one final home game that will be played at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Mo.
POSTGAME: #MIAvSKC
Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
On Sporting’s late rally…
“I think in a game like this where once they go up 3-1 and the game is back and forth, end to end, you’re going to get chances. You’re going to get (looks) in front of your goal. And I thought our team actually did some really good things. On their third goal could we be smarter? Sure, we could be smarter. We could keep the ball and get a yellow card. We could do that and not let them play fast. There’s a lot of different things that we could do (differently).
I think once all of Miami’s goals were scored, especially when it was 3-1, I think the game was more open than before. But then when we got the second goal, all of a sudden they didn’t have the energy to go forward anymore and they were just trying to do whatever they could to try to go on a counter with one, two, maybe at the most three guys. And we were doing a very good job playing from behind to defend and we put some good balls in and around the box. We had a couple of chances. I actually think we did okay. I just don’t like the penalty and I don’t like the third goal.”
ALL-TIME REGULAR SEASON RESULTS
ALL-TIME REGULAR SEASON SERIES LEADERS
ALL-TIME REGULAR SEASON SERIES STATS
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
Nov. 15: OUT
Dec. 2: IN
Jan. 12: IN
Jan. 13: IN
Jan. 20: OUT
Sporting KC signs free agent midfielder Nemanja Radoja, most recently with Levante (Spain).
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.
Sporting KC re-signs defenders Andreu Fontas and Graham Zusi along with midfielder Roger Espinoza
Sporting KC signs free agent defender Tim Leibold, most recently with Hamburger SV (Germany).
Sporting KC signs midfielder Danny Flores off MLS waivers, having recently departed Virginia Tech.
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) 2015
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)
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2023 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
2023 REFEREE LOG (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
2023 VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE LOG (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
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 - No Goal
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.
SPORTING KC MISCELLANEOUS STATS
2023 Regular-Season Record When...
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
Carlos Gruezo (8/26 vs. SJ) - Saved by Tim Melia
Leo Campana (9/9 at MIA) - Scored on Tim Melia
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 (8/26 vs. SJ) - 33 years and 140 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 (9/9 at MIA) - 37 years and 117 days
Oldest to play in a
REGULAR SEASON TEAM STATS
(9/9 at MIA) - 37 years and 117 days
SPORTING KC ALL-TIME WIN/LOSS RECORDS IN COMPETITIVE MATCHES
SPORTING KC 2023
Feb. 27, 2023: Portland Timbers 1-0 Sporting KC
MLS Regular Season | Providence Park | Portland, OR Attendance: 22,925
Sporting KC Portland Timbers
GK Pulskamp GK Bingham
D Zusi D Mosquera
D Voloder D Zuparic
D Fontas D McGraw
D Sweat (Leibold 73’) D Rasmussen
M Walter M D. Chara (C)
M Espinoza (Hernandez 70’) M Williamson (Paredes 80’)
M Thommy (C) (Tzionis 71’) M Evander
F Shelton F Y. Chara (Moreno 33’)
F Agada F Niezgoda (Fogaca 62’)
F Salloi F Loria (Gutierrez 80’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: McIntosh (GK) Ivacic (GK)
Castellanos Bonilla
Pierre Bravo
Rindov Mabiala
Davis Miller
Duke
Scoring Summary:
POR - Juan Mosquera 1 (Yimmi Chara 1) 6’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Erik Thommy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 16’
POR - Dario Zuparic (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 26’
POR - Eryk Williamson (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 73’
POR - Evander (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 89’
MLS REGULAR SEASON BOX SCORES
March 4, 2023: Colorado Rapids 0-0 Sporting KC
MLS Regular Season | Dick’s Sporting Goods Park | Commerce City, CO Attendance: 14,954 Weather: 37 degrees and clear
Sporting KC (0-1-1, 1 point)
Colorado Rapids (0-1-1, 1 point)
Sporting KC Colorado Rapids
GK Pulskamp GK Yarbrough (C)
D Zusi D Rosenberry
D Voloder D Abubakar
D Fontas D Maxso
D Sweat (Leibold 82’) D Beitashour
M Walter M Priso (Max 46’)
M Espinoza (Hernandez 72’) M Bassett
M Thommy (C) (Duke 88’) M Ronan
F Tzionis (Shelton 72’) F Barrios (Galvan 77’)
F Agada F Yapi
F Salloi F Nicholson (Cabral 63’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: McIntosh (GK) Rodriguez (GK)
Castellanos Anderson Pierre Gersbach Rindov Wilson Davis Acosta Harris
Scoring Summary: None
Misconduct Summary:
COL - Lalas Abubakar (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 3’
SKC - Roger Espinoza (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 58’
COL - Kevin Cabral (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 69’
Sporting KC LA Galaxy GK Pulskamp GK Bond
D Zusi D Leerdam (Mavinga 67’) D Voloder D Caceres
D Fontas D Neal
D Leibold (Sweat 77’) D Edwards (Uri 92+)
M Walter M Puig
M Espinoza (Radoja 67’) M Brugman (C)
M Thommy (C) M Delgado
F Shelton (Tzionis 63’) F Rodriguez (Aguirre 81’)
F Agada F Joveljic (Judd 67’)
F Salloi F Alvarez (Boyd 67’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: McIntosh (GK) Klinsmann (GK)
Castellanos Zavaleta
Pierre Perez
Rindov Saldana
Duke
March 18, 2023: FC Dallas 2-1 Sporting KC
MLS Regular Season | Toyota Stadium | Frisco, TX
17,467
March 25, 2023: Sporting KC 1-4 Seattle Sounders FC MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS
18,629
April 1, 2023: Philadelphia Union 0-0 Sporting KC
MLS Regular Season | Subaru Park | Chester, PA
18,550
56 degrees and windy 1 2 F
Sporting KC (0-3-3, 3 points)
Philadelphia Union (2-3-1, 7 points)
Sporting KC FC Dallas
GK Pulskamp GK Paes
D Zusi D Twumasi (Jesus 82’)
D Voloder D Tafari
D Fontas D Martinez
D Sweat (Pierre 86’) D Farfan
M Walter M Cerrillo
M Espinoza (Hernandez 67’) M Lletget (Jimenez 82’)
M Thommy (C) (Radoja 75’) M Pomykal (Ntsabeleng 59’)
F Shelton (Tzionis 85’) F Arriola (C) (Ibeagha 93+)
F Agada F Ferreira
F Salloi F Velasco (Quignon 92+)
Subs not used: Subs not used:
McIntosh (GK) Maurer (GK)
Castellanos Junqua
Rindov Mulato
Davis Obrian
Duke
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Daniel Salloi 1 (Unassisted) 11’
DAL - Alan Velasco 2 (Sebastian Lletget 1) 55’
DAL - Jesus Ferreira 3 (Unassisted) 84’
Misconduct Summary:
DAL - Maarten Paes (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 61’
DAL - Ema Twumasi (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 76’
SKC - Robert Voloder (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 78’
Stats Summary SKC DAL
Sporting KC Seattle Sounders FC
GK Pulskamp GK Frei
D Zusi (Davis 83’) D C. Roldan (Kitahara 87’)
D Voloder D Yeimar
D Fontas D Ragen
D Sweat D Rowe (Dobbelaere 84’)
M Walter M Paulo (Leyva 84’)
M Espinoza (Hernandez 46’) M Atencio
M Thommy (C) (Duke 70’) M Rusnak
F Shelton (Russell 61’) M Lodeiro (C)
F Agada (Flores 84’) M Chu (Montero 78’)
F Salloi F Morris (Teves 84’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Melia (GK) Castro (GK)
Castellanos Cleveland (GK)
Rindov Cissoko Pulido
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Willy Agada 1 (Unassisted) 5’
SEA - Jordan Morris 4 (Leo Chu 1) 23’
SEA - Jordan Morris 5 (Leo Chu 2, Joao Paulo 1) 54’
SEA - Jordan Morris 6 (Nicolas Lodeiro 1) 69’
SEA - Jordan Morris 7 (Leo Chu 3, Albert Rusnak 1) 77’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Ben Sweat (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 53’
SKC - Ben Sweat (Yellow Card/Red Card; Unsporting Behavior) 63’
Stats Summary SKC SEA
(on goal) 7 (3) 13 (7) Saves 3 2
Sporting KC Philadelphia Union
GK Melia GK Blake
D Zusi D Harriel (Mbaizo 85’)
D Rosero D Glesnes
D Castellanos D Elliott
D Voloder D Real
M Radoja (Espinoza 34’) M Martinez (Torres 86’)
M Walter M Bedoya (C)
M Thommy M Flach (McGlynn 62’)
F Russell (C) (Shelton 62’) M Gazdag
F Agada (Pulido 63’) F Carranza
F Salloi F Uhre (Sullivan 72’)
Subs not used: Subs not used:
Pulskamp (GK) Bendik (GK)
Fontas Lowe
Rindov Bueno
Davis Perea
Duke Donovan
Hernandez
Scoring Summary: None
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Willy Agada (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 16’
PHI - Nathan Harriel (Yellow Card; Handball) 18’
PHI - Daniel Gazdag (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 40’
PHI - Jose Martinez (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 72’
SKC - Remi Walter (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 95+
Stats Summary SKC PHI
SPORTING KC 2023
April 8, 2023: Sporting KC 0-1 Colorado Rapids
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 18,467
Sporting KC Colorado Rapids
GK Melia GK Yarbrough (C)
D Zusi D Abubakar
D Rosero D Maxso (Beitashour 45’)
D Castellanos D Wilson
D Voloder M Rosenberry
M Walter M Acosta
M Hernandez (Tzionis 79’) M Ronan
M Thommy M Nicholson (Markanich 80’)
F Russell (C) F Max (Barrios 60’)
F Pulido (Agada 65’) F Rubio (Cabral 85’)
F Salloi F Lewis (Yapi 60’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Ilic (GK)
Fontas Edwards
Rindov Priso
Davis Harris
Duke
Espinoza
Shelton
Scoring Summary:
COL - Diego Rubio 1 (Darren Yapi 1) 68’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Dany Rosero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 35’
COL - Max (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 37’
COL - Danny Wilson (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 58’
COL - Sam Nicholson (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 71’
COL - Bryan Acosta (Yellow Card; Persistent Infringement) 74’
SKC - Erik Thommy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 77’
Summary SKC COL
(on goal) 18 (2) 8 (2)
MLS REGULAR SEASON BOX SCORES
April 15, 2023: San Jose Earthquakes 3-0 Sporting KC MLS Regular Season | PayPal Park | San Jose, CA Attendance: 14,212 Weather: 56 degrees and clear
Sporting KC San Jose Earthquakes
GK Melia GK Marcinkowski
D Zusi (Duke 70’) D Akapo
D Rosero D Mensah (Beason 89’)
D Castellanos D Rodrigues
D Voloder D Marie
M Walter M Gruezo (Judson 82’)
M Thommy M Yueill (C)
M Hernandez (Agada 46’) M Monteiro (Thompson 73’)
F Russell (C) (Tzionis 70’) F Espinoza
F Pulido (Fontas 41’) F Ebobisse (Bouda 89’)
F Salloi (Shelton 70’) F Cowell (Kikanovic 82’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Ochoa (GK)
Ndenbe Trauco
Rindov Baldisimo
Espinoza Skahan
Scoring Summary:
SJ - Cristian Espinoza 5 (Cade Cowell 1, Jamiro Monteiro 2) 9’
SJ - Jeremy Ebobisse 3 (Penalty Kick) 40’
SJ - Jeremy Ebobisse 4 (Paul Marie 1, Cade Cowell 2) 51’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Erik Thommy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 31’
SKC - Robert Castellanos (Red Card; DOGSO) 38’
SJ - Cristian Espinoza (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 60’
SJ - Carlos Gruezo (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 77’
April 22, 2023: New England Revolution 2-1 Sporting KC
MLS Regular Season | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MA
19,281
20
Sporting KC New England Revolution
GK Melia GK Petrovic
D Duke D Bye
D Rosero D Farrell
D Fontas D Romney
D Ndenbe (Shelton 64’) D Makoun (Sweat 74’)
M Walter M Polser
M Espinoza (Hernandez 67’) M Buck
M Thommy (Rindov 86’) M Gil (C)
F Russell (C) F Bajraktarevic (Rennicks 64’)
F Pulido (Voloder 64’) F Vrioni (Panayotou 96+)
F Salloi (Tzionis 86’) F Boateng (Rivera 74’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Edwards Jr. (GK)
Davis Gonzalez
Flores Bolma
Kinda
Scoring Summary:
NE - Giacomo Vrioni 2 (Emmanuel Boateng 1, Carles Gil 4) 31’
NE - Giacomo Vrioni 3 (Unassisted) 35’
SKC - Johnny Russell 1 (Daniel Salloi 1) 50’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Andreu Fontas (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 20’
SKC - Andreu Fontas (Red Card; DOGSO) 61’
SKC - Robert Voloder (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 89’
April 29, 2023: Sporting KC 0-2 CF Montreal
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS
18,226
D Davis D Corbo
D Rosero D Camacho
D Voloder (Castellanos 46’) D Waterman
D Ndenbe M Herrera
M Walter M Wanyama (C)
M Espinoza M Choiniere
M Thommy (Kinda 62’) M Lassiter (Campbell 83’)
F Russell (C) F Duke (Ibrahim 75’)
F Pulido F Offor (Thorkelsson 95+)
F Salloi F Rea (Saliba 74’)
Subs not used: Subs not used:
Pulskamp (GK) Ketterer (GK)
Rindov Brault-Guillard
Duke Hamdi Hernandez Jabang
Shelton Tzionis
Scoring Summary:
MTL - Bryce Duke 1 (Mathieu Choiniere 2, Sean Rea 1) 35’
MTL - Mathieu Choiniere 2 (Aaron Herrera 1, Sean Rea 2) 46+
Misconduct Summary:
MTL - Victor Wanyama (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 27’
SKC - Dany Rosero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 30’
SKC - Alan Pulido (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 52’
SKC - Roger Espinoza (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 57’
MTL - Joel Waterman (Yellow Card; Time Wasting) 65’
MTL - Mathieu Choiniere (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 96+
Stats Summary SKC MTL
Shots (on goal) 13 (6) 10 (4)
May 7, 2023: Seattle Sounders FC 1-2 Sporting KC MLS Regular Season | Lumen Field | Seattle, WA
61
31,620
Sporting KC Seattle Sounders FC
GK Melia GK Frei
D Davis D Baker-Whiting (Baker 57’)
D Rosero D Yeimar
D Fontas D Ragen
D Ndenbe D A. Roldan
M Walter M Vargas (Teves 84’)
M Thommy (Espinoza 76’) M Rusnak
M Kinda (Hernandez 46’) M Lodeiro (C)
F Russell (C) M Heber
F Pulido (Zusi 85’) M Chu (Montero 57’)
F Salloi (Shelton 78’) F Morris
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Cleveland (GK)
Castellanos Thomas
Voloder Arreaga
Afrifa Dobbelaere
Tzionis Kitahara
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Erik Thommy 1 (Gadi Kinda1, Daniel Salloi 2) 4’
SKC - Alan Pulido 1 (Erik Thommy 1) 31’
SEA - Nicolas Lodeiro (Penalty Kick) 66’
Misconduct Summary:
SEA - Alex Roldan (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 10’
SKC - Remi Walter (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 12’
SKC - Logan Ndenbe (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 65’
SEA - Albert Rusnak (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 81’
SKC - Johnny Russell (Yellow Card; Time Wasting) 95+
Stats Summary SKC SEA
(on goal) 11 (5) 11 (3)
May 13, 2023: Sporting KC 3-0 Minnesota United FC
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS
17,851
Sporting KC Minnesota United FC
GK Melia (McIntosh 69’) GK St. Clair
D Davis D Boxall (C)
D Rosero D Kallman (Fragapane 46’)
D Fontas D Tapias
D Ndenbe M Taylor
M Radoja (Kinda 62’) M Lod
M Thommy (Hernandez 86’) M Dotson (Garcia 65’)
M Walter M Arriaga
F Russell (C) (Zusi 86’) M Lawrence (Valentin 82’)
F Pulido F Hlongwane
F Salloi F Jeong
Subs not used: Subs not used: Castellanos Dick (GK)
Rindov Irwin (GK)
Duke Rosales
Afrifa Trapp
Tzionis Dunbar
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Dany Rosero 1 (Daniel Salloi 3) 9’
SKC - Daniel Salloi 2 (Remi Walter 1, Alan Pulido 1) 22’
SKC - Gadi Kinda 1 (Johnny Russell 1, Erik Thommy 2) 84’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Dany Rosero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 21’
MIN - Miguel Tapias (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 36’
MIN - Michael Boxall (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 66’
Stats Summary SKC MIN
Shots (on goal) 9 (4) 6 (3)
Saves 3 1
Fouls 11 15 Offside
SPORTING KC 2023
May 17, 2023: Los Angeles FC 1-1 Sporting KC
MLS Regular Season | BMO Stadium | Los Angeles, CA Attendance: 22,222
Sporting KC (2-7-4,
Sporting KC Los Angeles FC
GK McIntosh GK Jakupovic
D Davis (Zusi 60’) D Palencia
D Rosero D Maldonado
D Fontas D Long (Hollingshead 58’)
D Ndenbe D Palacios
M Radoja M Ilie (Duenas 67’)
M Thommy (Kinda 61’) M Tillman
M Walter M Cifuentes
F Russell (C) (Tzionis 83’) F Opoku (Bogusz 67’)
F Pulido (Afrifa 93+) F Vela (C) (Biuk 67’)
F Salloi F Bouanga (Ordaz 77’)
Subs not used: Subs not used:
Pulskamp (GK) Romero (GK)
Leibold Rosales
Rindov Crisostomo
Espinoza Hernandez
Scoring Summary:
LAFC - Denis Bouanga 10 (Kwadwo Opoku 1, Sergi Palencia 2) 13’
SKC - Johnny Russell 2 (Remi Walter 2, Alan Pulido 2) 20’
Misconduct Summary:
LAFC - Ilie Sanchez (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 29’
LAFC - Diego Palacios (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 40’
LAFC - Timothy Tillman (Yellow Card; Delaying a Restart) 70’
SKC - Daniel Salloi (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 94+
MLS REGULAR SEASON BOX SCORES
May 20, 2023: st. louis city sc 4-0 Sporting KC MLS Regular Season | citypark | st. louis, MO Attendance: 22,423
Sporting KC st. louis city sc
GK McIntosh GK Burki (C)
D Zusi (Davis 63’) D Nerwinski
D Rosero D Bartlett
D Fontas D Parker
D Leibold (Ndenbe 46’) D Hiebert
M Radoja M Blom (Perez 78’)
M Walter (Espinoza 77’) M Lowen (Klein 78’)
M Kinda (Thommy 46’) M Stroud (Ostrak 69’)
F Russell (C) (Tzionis 77’) F Vassilev
F Pulido F Gioacchini (Jackson 88’)
F Salloi F Pompeu
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Lundt (GK)
Rindov Bell
Hernandez Pidro
Afrifa Yaro Jensen
Scoring Summary: stl - Eduard Lowen 3 (Penalty Kick) 19’
stl - Indiana Vassilev 1 (Jared Stroud 3) 25’ stl - Niko Gioacchini 4 (Jared Stroud 4) 55’ stl - Indiana Vassilev 2 (Tomas Ostrak 2) 74’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Gadi Kinda (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 28’
stl - Jake Nerwinski (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 30’
SKC - Daniel Salloi (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 42’
May 28, 2023: Sporting KC 4-1 Portland Timbers
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 18,514
Sporting KC Portland Timbers
GK McIntosh GK Ivacic
D Davis (Zusi 46’) D Mosquera
D Rosero D Mabiala
D Fontas D McGraw
D Ndenbe (Leibold 62’) D Bravo (Blanco 81’)
M Radoja M Paredes
M Thommy (Hernandez 77’) M D. Chara (C)
M Kinda (Espinoza 62’) M Moreno (Y. Chara 46’ (Loria 53’))
F Tzionis M Evander
F Pulido (C) (Shelton 77’) M Asprilla (Niezgoda 81’)
F Salloi F Boli (Fogaca 81’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Bingham (GK)
Castellanos Miller
Rindov Rasmussen
Afrifa Caliskan
Scoring Summary:
POR - Franck Boli 3 (Unassisted) 8’
SKC - Erik Thommy 2 (Marinos Tzionis 1) 33’
SKC - Daniel Salloi 3 (Graham Zusi 1, Tim Leibold 1) 66’
SKC - Own Goal (Larrys Mabiala) 68’
SKC - Felipe Hernandez 1 (Roger Espinoza 1) 93+
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Andreu Fontas (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 47’
SKC - Nemanja Radoja (Yellow Card; Handball) 72’
SKC - Khiry Shelton (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 85’
POR - Marvin Loria (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 89’
May 31, 2023: Sporting KC 2-1 FC Dallas
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 17,178
Weather: 76 degrees and mostly cloudy 1
Sporting KC (4-8-4, 16 points)
FC Dallas (6-4-5, 23 points)
Sporting KC FC Dallas
GK McIntosh GK Maurer
D Davis (Zusi 46’ (Shelton 71’)) D Smith (Jesus 55’)
D Rosero (Castellanos 63’) D Tafari
D Fontas D Ibeagha
D Ndenbe (Leibold 64’) D Farfan
M Radoja M Obrian (Endeley 83’)
M Thommy M Norris (Quignon 55’)
M Kinda (Walter 63’) M Cerrillo
F Tzionis M Velasco (Kamungo 83’)
F Pulido (C) F Ferreira (C)
F Salloi F Jimenez (Mulato 71’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Paes (GK)
Espinoza Junqua
Hernandez Korca
Afrifa Martinez
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Gadi Kinda 2 (Unassisted) 41’
SKC - Daniel Salloi 4 (Gadi Kinda 2) 60’
DAL - Jesus Ferreira 9 (Facundo Quignon 1) 91+
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Logan Ndenbe (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 37’
DAL - Edwin Cerrillo (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 93+
Stats Summary SKC DAL
(on
Saves
Fouls
Offside
15 (5) 11 (4)
June 3, 2023: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1-1 Sporting KC MLS Regular Season | BC Place | Vancouver, BC Attendance: 13,739 Weather: 67 degrees and sunny
Sporting KC (4-8-5, 17 points)
Vancouver Whitecaps (5-5-6, 21 points)
Sporting KC Vancouver Whitecaps
GK McIntosh GK Takaoka
D Davis D Laborda (Schopf 66’)
D Castellanos D Veselinovic
D Fontas (Voloder 46’) D Blackmon
D Ndenbe (Leibold 42’) D Martins
M Radoja M Gressel
M Thommy (Espinoza 91+) M Cubas (Caicedo 76’)
M Walter M Vite (Berhalter 91+)
F Tzionis (Shelton 71’) F Gauld
F Pulido (C) (Kinda 72’) F White
F Salloi F Cordova (Becher 76’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Boehmer (GK)
Duke Brown
Hernandez Campagna
Afrifa Raposo Teibert
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Alan Pulido 2 (Erik Thommy 3) 20’
VAN - Ryan Gauld 2 (Penalty Kick) 88’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Robert Castellanos (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 7’
VAN - Brian White (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 39’
VAN - Tristan Blackmon (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 63’
VAN - Andres Cubas (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 70’
VAN - Ryan Gauld (Yellow Card; Dissent) 78’
SKC - Gadi Kinda (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 79’
SKC - Kendall McIntosh (Yellow Card; Time Wasting) 95+
Stats Summary SKC VAN
(on goal)
(5)
June 10, 2023: Sporting KC 4-1 Austin FC
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 18,885
Sporting KC (5-8-5, 20 points)
Austin FC (5-8-4, 19 points)
Sporting KC Austin FC
GK McIntosh GK Stuver
D Davis D Lima
D Castellanos D Cascante
D Voloder D Radovanovic (Bruin 87’)
D Leibold (Espinoza 93+) M Rigoni (Finlay 58’)
M Radoja M Pereira
M Thommy (Hernandez 92+) M Valencia (Wolff 59’)
M Walter M Gallagher
F Tzionis F Driussi (C)
F Pulido (Shelton 77’) F Zardes (Urruti 68’)
F Salloi (C) F Fagundez (Lundkvist 68’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Bersano (GK)
Rindov Jimenez
Duke Redes
Flores
Kinda
Afrifa
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Alan Pulido 3 (Unassisted) 19’
SKC - Robert Castellanos 1 (Alan Pulido 3, Erik Thommy 4) 47’
SKC - Alan Pulido 4 (Tim Leibold 2, Robert Voloder 1) 57’
ATX - Sebastian Driussi 4 (Gyasi Zardes 1) 61’
SKC - Khiry Shelton 1 (Unassisted) 89’
Misconduct Summary:
ATX - Julio Cascante (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 52’
ATX - Gyasi Zardes (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 60’
SKC - Nemanja Radoja (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 61’
SKC - Erik Thommy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 87’
Stats Summary SKC ATX Shots (on goal) 15 (6) 14 (2)
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
1 2 F
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
July 12, 2023: Sporting KC 2-2 Real Salt Lake
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS
17,924
Sporting KC (6-10-6, 24 points)
Vancouver Whitecaps (6-6-7, 25 points)
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
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+
Sporting KC (6-10-8, 26 points)
Real Salt Lake (9-7-7, 33 points)
Sporting KC Real Salt Lake
GK McIntosh GK Beavers D Davis D Eneli
D Rosero D Glad D Fontas D Silva
D Leibold D Brody
M Radoja M Gomez (Luna 46’)
M Thommy (Kinda 57’) M Palacio (Ojeda 79’)
M Walter M Loffelsend (Ruiz 46’)
F Russell (C) (Tzionis 57’) M Oviedo
F Pulido F Kreilach (C) (Arango 46’)
F Salloi F Musovski (Julio 69’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) MacMath (GK)
Ndenbe Hidalgo
Voloder Jacquesson
Espinoza Vera
Gutierrez
Afrifa
Shelton
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Daniel Salloi 5 (Johnny Russell 2, Nemanja Radoja 1) 30’
SKC - Johnny Russell 3 (Erik Thommy 6, Jake Davis 1) 36’
RSL - Danny Musovski 5 (Cristian Arango 1, Pablo Ruiz 6) 46’
RSL - Anderson Julio 4 (Unassisted) 72’
Misconduct Summary:
RSL - Cristian Arango (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 67’
RSL - Pablo Ruiz (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 87’
Stats Summary SKC RSL
Shots (on goal) 11 (4) 12 (9)
Saves 7
SPORTING KC 2023
July 15, 2023: Austin FC 2-1 Sporting KC
MLS Regular Season | Q2 Stadium | Austin, TX Attendance: 20,738
94
Sporting KC (6-11-8, 26 points)
Austin FC (9-9-5, 32 points)
Sporting KC Austin FC
GK McIntosh GK Stuver
D Davis D Lima
D Rosero D Cascante
D Fontas (C) D Keller
D Ndenbe D Gallagher
M Radoja (Gutierrez 66’) M Pereira (Valencia 13’)
M Thommy (Kinda 57’) M Wolff
M Walter M Driussi (C) (Redes 43’)
F Tzionis (Russell 46’) F Finlay
F Afrifa (Pulido 46’) F Zardes (Urruti 46’)
F Salloi (Leibold 81’) F Fagundez (Bruin 84’)
Subs not used: Subs not used:
Pulskamp (GK) Bersano (GK)
Voloder Jimenez
Espinoza Lundkvist
Shelton Craig Djeffal
Scoring Summary:
ATX - Gyasi Zardes 6 (Unassisted) 17’
ATX - Ethan Finlay 4 (Unassisted) 19’
SKC - Dany Rosero 2 (Daniel Salloi 5) 33’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Andreu Fontas (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 8’
SKC - Jake Davis (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 53’
ATX - Julio Cascante (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 59’
SKC - Peter Vermes (Yellow Card; Dissent) 96+
MLS REGULAR SEASON BOX SCORES
August 26, 2023: Sporting KC 3-0 San Jose Earthquakes
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 18,892
Sporting KC San Jose Earthquakes
GK Melia GK Daniel
D Davis D Akapo (Marie 67’)
D Rosero D Beason
D Fontas D Rodrigues
D Ndenbe D Trauco
M Radoja (Espinoza 84’) M Gruezo
M Walter M Yeuill (C)
M Thommy M Monteiro (Skahan 66’)
F Russell (C) (Shelton 54’) F Espinoza (Tsakiris 75’)
F Pulido (Agada 77’) F Ebobisse (Akinola 67’)
F Salloi (Tzionis 77’) F Cowell (Hoppe 46’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Pulskamp (GK) Marcinkowski (GK)
Leibold Mensah
Voloder Thompson
Flores Baldisimo
Gutierrez
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Daniel Salloi 6 (Johnny Russell 3, Remi Walter 4) 3’
SKC - Johnny Russell 4 (Nemanja Radoja 2, Erik Thommy 7) 42’
SKC - Erik Thommy 4 (Nemanja Radoja 3) 69’
Misconduct
September 9, 2023: Inter Miami CF 3-2 Sporting KC
MLS Regular Season | DRV PNK Stadium | Ft. Lauderdale, FL Attendance: 19,355 Weather: 82
Sporting KC Inter Miami CF
GK Melia GK Callender
D Davis (Leibold 75’) D Yedlin (C)
D Rosero D Aviles
D Fontas D Miller
D Ndenbe (Shelton 90’) D Alba
M Walter (Espinoza 90’) M Arroyo
M Gutierrez (Radoja 46’) M Busquets
M Thommy M Farias (Ulloa 88’)
F Russell (C) F Stefanelli (Sunderland 75’)
F Pulido F Campana
F Salloi (Agada 71’) F Robinson (Allen 83’)
Subs not used: Subs not used:
McIntosh (GK) Dos Santos (GK)
Voloder McVey
Flores Sailor Hernandez Meek Johnson
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Daniel Salloi 7 (Unassisted) 9’
MIA - Leo Campana 6 (Penalty Kick) 25’
MIA - Leo Campana 7 (DeAndre Yedlin 4, Facundo Farias 1) 45’
MIA - Facundo Farias 2 (Sergio Busquets 2) 60’
SKC - Alan Pulido 13 (Erik Thommy 10) 78’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Felipe Gutierrez (Yellow Card; Delaying a Restart) 33’
MIA - Tomas Aviles (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 66’
SKC - Tim Leibold (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 79’
MIA - Jordi Alba (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 93+
Stats Summary SKC MIA
(on goal) 15 (5) 10 (5)
September 2, 2023: Sporting KC 2-1 st. louis city sc
MLS Regular Season | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS
21,650
GK Melia GK Burki (C)
D Davis D Hiebert
D Rosero D Parker (Yaro 46’)
D Fontas D Nilsson
D Ndenbe D Markanich (Alm 62’)
M Walter M Blom
M Gutierrez (Radoja 46’) M Vassilev (Klauss 46’)
M Thommy M Ostrak (Lowen 46’)
F Russell (C) (Espinoza 86’) F Stroud
F Pulido F Adeniran (Jackson 75’)
F Salloi (Shelton 79’) F Thorisson
Subs not used: Subs not used: McIntosh (GK) Lundt (GK)
Leibold Bartlett
Voloder Watts
Hernandez Gioacchini
Agada
Tzionis
Scoring Summary: stl - Sam Adeniron 6 (Indiana Vassilev 5) 22’
SKC - Alan Pulido 11 (Daniel Salloi 6, Erik Thommy 8) 31’
SKC - Alan Pulido 12 (Jake Davis 2, Erik Thommy 9) 44’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Alan Pulido (Yellow Card; Delaying a Restart) 71’
stl - Rasmus Alm (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 81’
SKC - Tim Melia (Yellow Card; Delaying a Restart) 86’
stl - Joao Klauss (Yellow Card; Dissent) 89’
SKC - Roger Espinoza (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 97+
July 23, 2023: FC Cincinnati 3-3 (4-2 PK) Sporting KC
Leagues Cup Group Stage | TQL Stadium | Cincinnati, OH Attendance: 24,524 Weather: 82 degrees and partly cloudy
Sporting KC (0-0-1, 1 point)
FC Cincinnati (0-0-1,
Sporting KC FC Cincinnati
GK Pulskamp GK Kann
D Davis D Hagglund (Miazga 46’)
D Rosero D Mosquera (Angulo 85’)
D Fontas D Murphy (Kubo 63’)
D Leibold M Powell
M Walter M Pinto (Nwobodo 46’)
M Gutierrez (Espinoza 59’) M Moreno
M Kinda (Ndenbe 75’) M Acosta (C)
F Shelton M Barreal
F Pulido F Vazquez
F Russell (C) (Thommy 59’) F Boupendza (Santos 63’)
Subs not used: Subs not used:
McIntosh (GK) Celentano (GK)
Castellanos Louro (GK)
Pierre Aghedo
Voloder Gaddis
Flores Jimenez
Afrifa Ordonez
Tzionis
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Own Goal (Nick Hagglund) 9’
SKC - Dany Rosero 1 (Gadi Kinda 1) 12’
CIN - Own Goal (John Pulskamp) 34’
CIN - Brandon Vazquez 1 (Lucho Acosta 1) 56’
SKC - Gadi Kinda 1 (Penalty Kick) 69’
CIN - Lucho Acosta 1 (Penalty Kick) 98+
Misconduct Summary:
CIN - Ian Murphy (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 10’
CIN - Yerson Mosquera (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 11’
SKC - Alan Pulido (Red Card; Violent Conduct) 30’
CIN - Junior Moreno (Yellow Card; Dissent) 48’
CIN - Aaron Boupendza (Yellow Card; Dissent) 50’
SKC - Gadi Kinda (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 51’
CIN - Alvas Powell (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 68’
SKC - John Pulskamp (Yellow Card; Time Wasting) 83’
SKC - Erik Thommy (Yellow Card; Time Wasting) 92+
SKC - Dany Rosero (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 96+
SKC - Roger Espinoza (Yellow Card; Dissent) 98+
SPORTING KC 2023 LEAGUES CUP BOX SCORES
July 31, 2023: Sporting KC 1-0 Chivas Guadalajara Leagues Cup Group Stage | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 20,373 Weather: 81 degrees and cloudy
Sporting KC (1-0-1, 4 points)
Chivas Guadalajara (0-2-0, 0 points)
Sporting KC Chivas Guadalajara
GK Pulskamp GK Rangel
D Davis D Mozo (Brizuela 79’)
D Rosero D Briseno
D Fontas D Orozco
D Leibold D Calderon
M Walter M Guzman (C) (Padilla 67’)
M Gutierrez (Espinoza 62’) M Beltran
M Kinda M Gutierrez (Perez 66’)
F Shelton (Salloi 74’) F Alvarado
F Thommy F Marin (Cisneros 79’)
F Russell (C) F Vega (Brigido 57’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: McIntosh (GK) Jimenez (GK)
Melia (GK) Whalley (GK)
Castellanos Mayorga
Pierre Martinez
Ndenbe Sanchez
Voloder Gonzalez
Duke Torres
Agada
Tzionis
Scoring Summary:
SKC - Johnny Russell 1 (Erik Thommy 1) 27’
Misconduct Summary:
CHV - Erick Gutierrez (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 56’
CHV - Antonio Briseno (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 67’
CHV - Cristian Calderon (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 85’
Aug. 4, 2023: Sporting KC 1-4 Toluca FC
Leagues Cup Round of 32 | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 15,121
Sporting KC Toluca FC
GK Pulskamp GK Volpi
D Davis (Pierre 57’) D Garcia
D Rosero D Mosquera
D Fontas D Huerta (C)
D Leibold M Dominguez
M Walter M Baeza (Venegas 81’)
M Gutierrez (Espinoza 57’) M Ruiz (Belmonte 69’)
M Kinda (Agada 71’) M Meneses (Angulo 69’)
F Shelton (Salloi 46’) M Araujo (Isais 40’)
F Thommy F Raul
F Russell (C) (Tzionis 71’) F Morales (Lopez 69’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: McIntosh (GK) Beltran (GK)
Melia (GK) Garcia (GK)
Castellanos Orrantia Ndenbe Pinuelas
Voloder Villegas
Duke Navarro
Hernandez Violante
Scoring Summary:
TOL - Own Goal (Dany Rosero) 29’
TOL - Pedro Raul 2 (Robert Morales 2) 32’
TOL - Robert Morales 2 (Pedro Raul 1) 54’
TOL - Juan Dominguez (Valber Huerta 1) 63’
SKC - Willy Agada 1 (Unassisted) 88’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Felipe Gutierrez (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 19’
TOL - Pedro Raul (Yellow Card; Time Wasting) 61’
TOL - Robert Morales (Yellow Card; Time Wasting) 61’
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
KC
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+
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
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+
SPORTING KC STARTERS BY POSITION (2023 REGULAR SEASON)
Formation: 4-3-3 (28 games)
Left forward
Daniel Salloi 28
Center forward
Alan Pulido 21
Willy Agada 6
Stephen Afrifa 1
Left-center midfielder
Erik Thommy 12
Remi Walter 8
Gadi Kinda 7
Felipe Hernandez 1
Defensive midfielder
Nemanja Radoja 15
Remi Walter 13
Right forward
Johnny Russell 16
Marinos Tzionis 6
Khiry Shelton 5
Erik Thommy 1
Right-center midfielder
Erik Thommy 13
Roger Espinoza 7
Remi Walter 5
Felipe Gutierrez 2
Felipe Hernandez 1
NOTE: Charts do not account for players interchanging and/ or switching positions over the course of a match. Substitute players are not listed.
Left back Logan Ndenbe 12
Tim Leibold 9
Ben Sweat 4 Robert Voloder 3
Left center back
Andreu Fontas 22
Robert Castellanos 4
Robert Voloder 2
Right center back
Dany Rosero 20
Robert Voloder 5
Robert Castellanos 3
Goalkeeper
Kendall McIntosh 13
Tim Melia 10
John Pulskamp 5
Right back
Jake Davis 18 Graham Zusi 9
Cam Duke 1
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.
STATS
Sporting KC Game Notes | September 16, 2023 at Minnesota United FC | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING KC 2023 PARTICIPATION CHART (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
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 232 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 191 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 549 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.
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 Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
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 | 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.
#17 | M | JAKE DAVIS | @jdavis_3211
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 0
Assists 1, 2 times, last: Sept. 2, 2023, KC vs. stl
Shots on Goal 1, March 25, 2023, KC vs. SEA
Shots 1, 5 times, last: July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
Fouls Committed 3, 2 times, last: July 15, 2023, KC at ATX
Fouls Suffered 2, May 20, 2023, KC at STL
Last Regular Season... Appearance Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
Goal N/A
Assist Sept. 2, 2023, KC vs. stl
2023 Record when: he starts 8-5-5 he scores 0-0-0
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
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.
#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 Sept. 2, 2023, KC vs. stl
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 393 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.
|
| 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 Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
Goal Aug. 21, 2022, KC vs. POR
Assist July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
2023 Record when: he starts 7-7-7 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 117 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.
SPORTING
#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 Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
Goal Sept. 15, 2019, KC at LA
Assist Sept. 10, 2022, COL vs. VAN (w/ COL)
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.
MLS CAREER STATS GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA KC - Regular Season 55 51 4358 19 5 107 47 98 83 1 58 15 0 5 4 KC - Postseason 4 4 360 0 3 9 4 9 11 1 11 0 0 0 0 MLS - TOTAL 59 55 4718 19 8 116 51 107 94 2 69 15 0 5 4
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.
#10
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 15, 2023, KC at ATX
Goal May 31, 2023, KC vs. DAL
Assist July 8, 2023, KC at HOU
2023 Record when: he starts 4-2-2 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 14 goals and 17 assists in 70 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.
#14 | D | TIM LEIBOLD
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.
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.
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals Allowed 4, May 20, 2023, KC at STL
Saves 7, July 12, 2023, KC vs. RSL
Last Regular Season...
Appearance July 15, 2023, KC at ATX
Shutout July 1, 2023, KC vs. VAN 2023 Record when: he starts 4-4-5
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 Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
Shutout Aug. 26, 2023, KC vs. SJ 2023 Record when: he starts 4-5-1
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 (96), shutouts (65) and saves (650), and has also played the most games (226) of any goalkeeper in club history. Melia claimed the 2017 Goalkeeper of the Year crown with career-highs in wins (12), shutouts (10), saves (91), starts (31) and minutes (2,759) before surpassing each of those stats in 2018.
Melia has an unbelievable knack for saving penalty kicks, having only conceded 19 of the 34 he has faced for Sporting while also guiding the team to penalty shootout victories in the 2015 U.S. Open Cup Final, the 2017 U.S. Open Cup Semifinal, the 2020 MLS is Back Round of 16 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.
April 30, 2022, KC vs. DAL
May 18, 2022, KC vs. COL
last: July 3, 2022, KC vs. NY Last
2023, KC at MIA
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.
#9 |
| ALAN PULIDO | @alanpulido
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 2, 6 times, last: Sept. 2, 2023, KC vs. stl
Assists 2, July 22, 2020, KC at RSL
Shots on Goal 6, Oct. 24, 2020, KC vs. COL
Shots 8, May 22, 2021, KC at SJ
Fouls Committed 3, June 19, 2021, KC at POR
Fouls Suffered 5, 2 times, last: Aug. 4, 2021, KC at LAFC
Last Regular Season...
Appearance Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
Goal Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
Assist June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
2023 Record when: he starts 8-8-5 he scores 4-2-3
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 29 goals and 11 assists in 61 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.
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
RADOJA
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 0
Assists 2, Aug. 26, 2023, KC vs. SJ
Shots on Goal 1, May 31, 2023, KC vs. DAL
Shots 2, 3 times, last: June 21, 2023, KC at LA
Fouls Committed 3, June 17, 2023, KC vs. LAFC
Fouls
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.
#5 | D | DANY ROSERO
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, 2 times, last: July 15, 2023, KC at ATX
Assists 0
Shots on Goal 1, 6 times, last: July 15, 2023, KC at ATX
Shots 3, April 1, 2023, KC at PHI
Last Regular Season...
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
Last Regular Season...
Appearance Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
Goal Aug. 26, 2023, KC vs. SJ Assist Aug. 26, 2023, KC vs. SJ
2023 Record when: he starts 5-7-4 he scores 1-1-2
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 58 goals and 42 assists in 188 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
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.
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 Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
Goal Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
Assist Sept. 2, 2023, KC vs. stl
2023 Record when: he starts 8-12-8 he scores 4-2-1
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 16 game-winning goals are the most in club history. Salloi, who signed a new four-year contract in late 2022, has recorded 56 goals and 32 assists in 204 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.
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 Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
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 132 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.
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, 7 times, last: Aug. 26, 2023, KC vs. SJ
Assists 2, Sept. 2, 2023, KC vs. stl
Shots on Goal 4, 2 times, last: March 11, 2023, KC vs. LA
Shots 8, March 11, 2023, KC vs. LA
Fouls Committed 3, April 8, 2023, KC vs. COL
Fouls Suffered 4, 3 times, last: June 3, 2023, KC at VAN
Last Regular Season...
Appearance Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
Goal Aug. 26, 2023, KC vs. SJ
Assist Sept. 9, 2023, KC at MIA
2023 Record when: he starts 7-11-8 he scores 4-0-0
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, 3 times, last: Aug. 26, 2023, KC vs. SJ
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 Aug. 26, 2023, KC vs. SJ
Goal May 14, 2022, KC at POR
Assist May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR
2023 Record when: he starts 3-1-2 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 25 caps for the Cyprus National Team, scoring his first goal in a 2-0 win over Estonia on March 29, 2022.
#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...
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 nine assists in 101 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.
ZUSI
Last Regular Season... Appearance May 31, 2023, KC vs. DAL
Oct. 9, 2022, KC at DAL
May 28, 2023, KC vs. POR
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
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.
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
SINGLE
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)
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL ALL-TIME CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
ASSISTS
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL SINGLE-SEASON CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)