Blue Links: Sinovic, Nemeth, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Special Olympics, U-20 World Cup

Time for some Sporting Kansas City news and some news from around the world.

Kansas City

Seth Sinovic joined the Sporting KC Show as Nate Bukaty went it alone last night. He also preview the Portland Timbers game with the help of Ross Smith. In the show Bukaty also says Khiry Shelton’s injury recovery is ahead of schedule. (810 WHB)

Jimmy Medranda will unfortunately be out for the year as knee surgery looms. (The Blue Testament)

Nate Bukaty also sits down with Krisztian Nemeth for the Bud Light Spotlight. The MLS Goal of the Year from 2015 is in this highlight package and something I hadn’t noticed before is how Bernardo Anor just stands around and watches Nemeth’s magic (which came as a CF BTW). No wonder Anor was such a failure and is long gone. (SKC YouTube)

Our own Mike Kuhn does a history of Sporting KC winning the very first match in a league record number of stadiums. (The Blue Testament)

The Swope Park Rangers added two players last week: forward Ethan Vanacore-Decker from the New York Red Bulls Academy and midfielder Thierry Catherine from Martinique. Lots of TBT links. We couldn’t help ourselves. (The Blue Testament)

Check out a very cool behind the scenes look at the 2018 Special Olympic Exchange Games that were played in both KC and Houston. (SKC YouTube)

Allen Chapman will be the head ref on Saturday when SKC take on Portland. Kevin Stott will be the VAR. (MLS)

ICYMI: Yohan Croizet was (rightfully) fined for simulation during the Dynamo game. I’d like to see suspensions for diving, no matter who is doing the diving. (MLS)

Around the World

Former Sporting KC player Saad Abdul-Salaam went on loan from NYCFC to Phoenix Rising of the USL. (Phoenix Rising)

The U-20 USWNT was eliminated from the World Cup this week. They fought back valiantly but it’s got to be a poor sign for women’s soccer in America (and a good one around the world) when they are bounced in the group stage for the first time ever. (The Equalizer)

The United Soccer League officially filed their Division III paperwork this week. If the NASL returns, would they be the fourth division now? Crazy. (USL)

Minnesota United aren’t done trying to sign players. They have out of contract midfielder Fernando Bob trialing with the team currently. (Jeff Rueter)

Could the USL’s San Antonio FC be rebranding as the San Antonio Thunder? (reddit)

Geoff Cameron is apparently heading to the Bundesliga after a rumored return stateside has fallen through. (Ronan Murphy)