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Feel like you might have missed something involving Sporting Kansas City recently? Here are some of the highlights of the news from the past couple days.
Sporting fall for the first time in preseason.
Sporting lost for the first time in preseason this year today falling to the New England Revolution 2-1. KC fell behind early after an own goal, when a shot by Diego Fagundez was saved off the line by Emiliano Amor but right into the back of goalkeeper Eric Dick and into the net. KC responded on a penalty kick that Diego Rubio converted after Gerso Fernandes was fouled in the box. New England found the winner through Kelyn Rowe after the Revolution worked the ball quickly across the top of KC’s box to Rowe who was unmarked on the far side.
KC have one more preseason game with Saturday, with the opponent still to be determined at this time, though Chad has some theories on that. Phoenix Rising indicate announcements will be out this morning.
Sporting KC Academy Qualify for Champions Division of GA Cup
Over the weekend, Sporting Kansas City’s U17 academy was out on the West Coast completing the group phase of the GA Cup at the Stub Hub Center. Sporting went 1-1-1 over the weekend, losing 3-0 to the LA Galaxy, defeating Portland 2-0, and drawing Seattle 1-1. KC finished the group phase 3-1-2, good enough to qualify them for the Champions Division of the GA Cup finals later this spring.
Sporting U19s Win Youth Futsal National Championship
While the U17s were in California, the U19s were in Kansas City playing in the Youth Futsal National Championships. The U19s Indigo team took the national championship with a 6-2 win over Ambassadors out of Pittsburgh, PA. Elsewhere at the championships, the U12 academy team finished as the runner-ups in their division.
Season Previews Coming Out
Outlets are starting to put out their season previews for the 2018 MLS season, today Goal put out their preview for Sporting KC’s 2018. While they provide plenty of good information, the author may be off on the starting 11 given the last few preseason games, where Khiry Shelton has been playing with the other presumed starters in the center forward position while Rubio has been with the second team. The author implies that Shelton would be fighting for time with Johnny Russell to play on the wing. Obviously they missed Robert Rusert’s look at Shelton as KC’s #9.