Across State Lines: Besler Makes MLS Debut

One day after his older brother Matt set Sporting Kansas City’s record for league minutes play, Nick Besler made his MLS debut. The 24 year old Besler was the fifth overall pick in the 2015 MLS Superdraft by the Portland Timbers. Besler though never played a game for the first team in Portland, instead playing two seasons with the Timbers’ USL team. Last season he joined Real Salt Lake’s USL team, the Real Monarchs, where he impressed enough to earn himself a first team contract. Besler though still didn’t make his MLS debut in 2017, it took until this past weekend against the Colorado Rapids for him to step on the field in an MLS game. And it wasn’t just a bit part for him as he started Salt Lake’s 3-0 win over the Rapids and earned RSL Soapbox’s Man of the Match award for his performance in his debut.

Elsewhere, former KC center back, Shavar Thomas is now coaching in his native Jamaica, where he led Portmore United to the Red Stripe Premier League championship this season.

Here’s the rest of this week’s update.

Key

SKC - former Sporting KC players

ACA - former Sporting KC academy players

KC - Kansas City area players

MLS

Saad Abdul-Salaam (SKC)- NYCFC - Dressed but did not play in NYCFC’s 3-0 loss to Portland.

Jalil Anibaba (SKC) - New England - Started and played 90 minutes in New England’s 2-2 draw with Columbus.

Nick Besler (KC) - Salt Lake - Started and played 90 minutes in RSL’s 3-0 win over Colorado.

Latif Blessing (SKC) - LAFC - Came off the bench and played 45 minutes, scoring a goal in LAFC’s 5-3 win over Montreal.

Teal Bunbury (SKC) - New England - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring a goal in New England’s 2-2 draw with Columbus.

Servando Carrasco (SKC) - LA - Came off the bench and played 30 minutes in LA’s 2-0 loss to Atlanta.

Aurelien Collin (SKC) - New York - Dressed but did not play in New York’s 2-1 loss to Chicago.

Marcel de Jong (SKC) - Vancouver - Started and played 90 minutes in Vancouver’s 6-0 loss to KC.

Dom Dwyer (SKC) - Orlando - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring a goal in Orlando’s 3-2 win over San Jose.

Andrew Dykstra (SKC) - Colorado - Loaned to Charlotte.

Kevin Ellis (SKC) - Chicago - Started and played 90 minutes in Chicago’s 2-1 win over New York.

Benny Feilhaber (SKC) - LAFC - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring a goal in LAFC’s 5-3 win over Montreal.

Kortne Ford (KC) - Colorado - Out with a knee injury.

Luis Gil (SKC) - Houston (loan) - Just joined club.

Kei Kamara (SKC) - Vancouver - Did not dress in Vancouver’s 6-0 loss to KC.

Alec Kann (SKC) - Atlanta - Dressed but did not play in Atlanta’s 2-0 win over LA.

Jon Kempin (SKC)- Columbus - Dressed but did not play in Columbus’ 2-2 draw with New England.

Krisztian Nemeth (SKC) - New England - Came off the bench and played 12 minutes in New England’s 2-2 draw with Columbus.

Lawrence Olum (SKC) - Portland - Dressed but did not play in Portland’s 3-0 win over NYCFC.

Tony Rocha (SKC) - Orlando - Did not dress in Orlando’s 3-2 win over San Jose.

Oriol Rosell (SKC) - Orlando - Came off the bench and played 6 minutes in Orlando’s 3-2 win over San Jose.

CJ Sapong (SKC) - Philadelphia - Started and played 90 minutes in Philadelphia’s 2-0 loss to Dallas.

Sal Zizzo (SKC) - Atlanta - Came off the bench and played 1 minute in Atlanta’s 2-0 win over LA.

USL

Joe Amico (ACA) - Orange County - No game this week.

Coady Andrews (KC) - Oklahoma City - Came off the bench and played 54 minutes in OKC’s 1-0 loss to Saint Louis.

Emmanuel Appiah (SKC) - LA - Did not dress in LA’s 1-1 draw with New York.

Camilo Benitez (ACA) - Swope Park - Came off the bench and played 1 minute in Swope’s 2-2 draw with Phoenix.

Amadou Dia (SKC) - Phoenix - Started and played 90 minutes in Phoenix’s 2-2 draw wtih Swope.

Christian Duke (SKC) - Orange County - No game this week.

Andrew Dykstra (SKC) - Charlotte (loan) - No game this week.

Kyle Greig (KC) - Saint Louis - Came off the bench and played 14 minutes in Saint Louis’ 1-0 win over OKC.

Michael Harrington (SKC) - North Carolina - Started and played 90 minutes in North Carolina’s 0-0 draw with Toronto. Started and played 90 minutes in North Carolina’s 1-1 draw with Ottawa.

Felipe Hernandez (SKC) - Swope Park - Started and played 72 minutes, recording an assist in Swope’s 2-2 draw with Phoenix.

Cyprian Hedrick (SKC) - San Antonio - Did not dress in San Antonio’s 0-0 draw with Fresno.

Cameron Iwasa (SKC) - Sacramento - Had a goal and an assist in Sacramento’s 2-1 win over Colorado Springs.

Ryan James (SKC) - Nashville - Dressed but did not play in Nashville’s 0-0 draw with Penn.

Ray Lee (ACA) - Pittsburgh - Started and played 90 minutes in Pittsburgh’s 2-2 draw with Cincinnati.

Will Little (ACA) - Swope Park - Did not dress in Swope’s 2-2 draw with Phoenix.

Mikey Lopez (SKC) - San Antonio - Came off the bench and played 1 minute in San Antonio’s 0-0 draw with Fresno.

Parker Maher (SKC) - Swope Park - Started and played 90 minutes in Swope’s 2-2 draw with Phoenix.

Alex Martinez (SKC) - Charlotte - No game this week.

James Musa (SKC) - Phoenix - Started and played 86 minutes in Phoenix’s 2-2 draw with Swope.

Kevin Oliveira (SKC) - Ottawa - Started and played 90 minutes in Ottawa’s 1-1 draw with North Carolina.

Tyler Pasher (SKC) - Indy - No game this week.

Ray Saari (KC) - Seattle - Started and played 59 minutes before being red carded in Seattle’s 0-0 draw with Colorado Springs.

Soony Saad (SKC) - Indy - No game this week.

Nansel Selbol (SKC) - Orange County - No game this week.

Alex Tambakis (SKC) - North Carolina - Started and played 90 minutes in North Carolina’s 0-0 draw with Toronto. Started and played 90 minutes in North Carolina’s 1-1 draw with Ottawa.

Kris Tyrpak (SKC) - San Antonio - Came off the bench and played 13 minutes before being red carded in San Antonio’s 0-0 draw with Fresno.

Christian Volesky (SKC) - Saint Louis - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring a goal in Saint Louis’ 1-0 win over OKC.

Yomby William (SKC) - Richmond - No game this week.

Zach Wright (SKC) - Rio Grande - Started and played 90 minutes in Rio Grande’s 3-2 loss to Portland.

International

Ever Alvarado (SKC) - Olimpia - Honduras - Started and played 90 minutes in Olimpia’s 0-0 draw with Platense. Started and played 90 minutes in Olimpia’s 2-1 win over Platense.

Scott Angevine (SKC) - VPS - Finland - Did not dress in VPS’s 2-2 draw with Mariehamn.

Bernardo Anor (SKC) - Caracas - Venezuela - Did not dress in Caracas’ 2-1 win over Deportivo la Guaira.

Stefan Antonijevic (SKC) - Lillestrom - Norway - Started and played 90 minutes in Lillestrom’s 3-0 win over Klofta. Started and played 34 minutes in Lillestrom’s 1-0 loss to Ranheim.

Claudio Bieler (SKC) - San Martin Tucuman - Argentina - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring a goal in San Martin’s 3-0 win over Guillermo Brown.

Sunil Chhetri (SKC) - Bengaluru - India - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring 2 goals in Bengaluru’s 4-1 win over East Bengal.

Jorge Claros (SKC) - Real Espana - Honduras - Started and played 90 minutes in Real’s 1-1 draw with Honduras Progreso. Started and played 90 minutes in Real’s 0-0 draw with Honduras Progreso.

Nuno Coelho (SKC) - GD Chaves - Portugal - Dressed but did not play in Chaves’ 2-1 win over Portimonense.

Daneil Cyrus (SKC) - Juticalpa F.C. - Honduras - Season over.

Toni Dovale (SKC) - Bengaluru - India - Came off the bench and played 27 minutes in Bengaluru’s 4-1 win over East Bengal.

Pablo Escobar (SKC) - Deportes Quindio - Colombia - Started and played 90 minutes in Quindio’s 1-1 draw with Tigres. Started and played 90 minutes in Quindio’s 3-3 draw with Atletico.

Faik Hajderovic (SKC) - Vinograder - Croatia - Tied Opatija 0-0. Defeated Rudar Labin 3-0.

Peterson Joseph (SKC) - Sudeva Moonlight - India - Offseason.

Benji Joya (SKC) - Irapuato - Mexico - Defeated Cruz Azul Hidalgo 1-0.

Igor Juliao (SKC) - Samorin - Slovakia - Started and played 90 minutes in Samorin’s 1-0 loss to Liptovsky Mikulas.

Chris Konopka (SKC) - Cardiff City - Wales - Did not dress in either of Cardiff’s games.

Igor Kostrov (SKC) - Slavia-Mozyr - Belarus - No game this week.

Yura Movsisyan (SKC) - Djurgarden IF - Sweden (loan) - Suspended for Djurgarden’s 3-0 win over Malmo. Did not dress in Djurgarden’s 2-2 draw with Elfsborg.

Michal Mravec (SKC) - Frydek-Mistek - Czech Republic - Did not play in Frydek-Misek’s 4-1 win over Olympia Praha.

Soni Mustivar (SKC) - Neftchi Baku - Azerbaijan - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring a goal in Neftchi’s 3-1 loss to Qebele. Did not dress in Neftchi’s 1-0 win over Qebele.

Erik Palmer-Brown (SKC) - KV Kortrijk (Manchester City) - Came off the bench and played 73 minutes in Kortrijk’s 3-0 loss to Zulte-Waregem.

Akeem Priestley (SKC) - Harbour View - Jamaica - Season over.

Pablo Punyed (SKC) - KR - Iceland - No game until 4/27.

Peter Schmetz (SKC) - Wuppertaler SV - Germany - Did not dress in Wuppertaler’s 2-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund II.

Yann Songo’o (SKC) - Plymouth Argyle - England - Dressed but did not play in either of Plymouth’s games.

Martin Steuble (SKC) - Ceres-La Salle - Philippines - No game this week.

Milos Stojcev (SKC) - Platanias - Greece - Did not dress in Platanias’ 4-1 loss to Atromitos.

Ualefi (SKC) - Barretos - Brazil - Started and played 90 minutes in Barretos’ 1-1 draw with Portuguesa Santista.

NWSL

Shea Groom (KC) - Sky Blue - Started and played 90 minutes in Sky Blue’s 1-1 draw with Chicago.

Haley Hanson (KC) - Houston - Started and played 90 minutes in Houston’s 1-0 loss to Orlando.

Maegan Kelly (KC) - Utah - Did not dress in Utah’s 2-2 draw with North Carolina.

Mandy Laddish (KC) - Utah - Did not dress in Utah’s 2-2 draw with North Carolina.

Sydney Miramontez (KC) - Utah - Started and played 90 minutes in Utah’s 2-2 draw with North Carolina.

NPSL

Tomas Granitto (SKC) - Miami United - Started and played 83 minutes in Miami’s 1-1 draw with Miami FC 2.

Indoor

Pat Healey (SKC) - Baltimore - Offseason.

Cody Hoffman (KC)- Kansas City - Offseason.

Tanner Hunjak (KC) - Kansas City - Offseason.

Adam James (KC) - Kansas City - Offseason.

Patrick Kelly (KC) - Kansas City - Offseason.

Boris Pardo (SKC) - San Diego - Offseason.

Mark Saxby (KC) - Kansas City - Offseason.

Active without a club or unknown

Korede Aiyegbusi (SKC)

Federico Bessone (SKC)

Omar Bravo (SKC)

David Greczek (SKC)

Mechack Jerome (SKC)

Michael Kafari (SKC)

Eric Kronberg (SKC)

James Marcelin (SKC)

Luis Marin (SKC)

Alex Molano (SKC)

Chance Myers (SKC)

Amobi Okugo (SKC)

Jacob Peterson (SKC)

Jordi Quintilla (SKC)

Alberto Sanchez (ACA)