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Big month ahead for Sporting KC and US Soccer

With Sporting needing to gain ground, four players will leave for Euro Qualifying as the Women’s Wold Cup and Gold Cup starts.

Thad Bell

June is a busy month for soccer. Let’s break it down.

Sporting KC

With already a limited team due to injuries, Sporting Kansas City will be without four players for two matches as they answer the call of their national team in an effort to help their respective nations qualify for UEFA Euro 2020. They will miss an MLS match in Toronto on June 7 and the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match away to Minnesota United on June 12. All four players will depart the United States following their game in Houston on Saturday.

Botond Barath and Krisztian Nemeth will be away with the Hungarian national team. Their first of two matches will come on Saturday June 8, when they visit Azerbaijan before returning to Budapest on Tuesday June 11 for a meeting with Gareth Bale and Wales.

It is unlikely that Nemeth will play a single minute over the course of two games, but Barath will likely play 90 minutes in both games based on recent history with Hungary. Marco Rossi’s Hungarian side currently sit third in Group E with three points after a shocking win over Croatia last time out in March.

Johnny Russell has also been called up to the Scottish National Team. First up is a home match against Cyprus on Saturday, June 8 before travelling to Belgium to play the 2018 World Cup Semi-Finalists, Belgium, on Tuesday, June 11.

Scotland will be under new manager, former Chelsea defender and Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke, who has taken over for Alex McCleish after his disappointing first two matches for Euro 2020 Qualifying. Russell scored his first national team goal in their 2-0 win over San Marino in March. Scotland currently sit in fifth place from Group I. Russell will likely be in a battle with Celtic winger James Forrest for a place in the starting XI.

The last man to be called up to his national team is Nicolas Hasler, who will be with Liechtenstein, who sit at bottom of Group J with losses against Greece and Italy. Hasler will likely start both matches away to Armenia on Saturday, June 8 and a return home against Finland on Tuesday, June 11.

All of these matches can be livestreamed on WatchESPN, a separate app from ESPN+.

Saturday, June 8

Hungary at Azerbaijan 11:00 AM CT

Lichtenstein at Armenia 11:00 AM CT

Scotland vs Cyprus 1:45 PM CT

Tuesday, June 11

Hungary vs Wales 1:45 PM CT

Scotland at Belgium 1:45 PM CT

Lichtenstein vs Finland 1:45 PM CT

Sporting have five matches, all away from home in the month of June.

Sporting KC Games in June

Saturday, June 1: at Houston Dynamo- 7:30 PM CT

Friday, June 7: at Toronto FC- 7:00 PM CT

Wednesday, June 11: at Minnesota United- 7:00 PM CT

Sunday, June 23: at Columbus Crew- 6:30 PM CT

Saturday, June 29: at Real Salt Lake at 9:00 PM CT

United States

Both the US Men’s and Women’s National Teams have big competitions upcoming for them this summer. The USMNT have the Gold Cup and the USWNT have the World Cup. From SKC’s June opponents, Columbus has a total of five players on a Gold Cup preliminary roster, while Minnesota has one, Real Salt Lake has one, Toronto has five, and Sporting didn’t have anyone in any preliminary roster. The final 23-man squad for the Gold Cup is due June 6.

USWNT World Cup Schedule

Group Stage on June 11: vs Thailand at 2:00 PM CT

Group Stage on June 16: vs Chile at 11:00 AM CT

Group Stage on June 20: vs Sweden at 2:00 PM CT

Round of 16 to Final will be played between June 22 and July 7. FOX will broadcast the World Cup in English and Telemundo will broadcast in Spanish.

USMNT Gold Cup Schedule

Friendly on June 5: vs Jamaica at 6:00 PM CT

Friendly on June 9: vs Venezuela at 1:00 PM CT

Group Stage on June 18: vs Guyana at 9:00 PM CT

Group Stage on June 22: vs Trinidad and Tobago at 7:00 PM CT

Group Stage on June 26: vs Panama at 8:00 PM CT at Children’s Mercy Park

Quarter-Finals to Final will be played between June 29 and July 7. The tournament will be broadcasted on FOX Sports in English and Univision in Spanish throughout the United States.

USMNT U-20’s Schedule

Round of 16 on June 4: vs. France at 10:30 AM CT

If the United States advance they will face the winners of Uruguay and Ecuador on June 8. The semi-finals are on June 11 with the third place game on June 14 and the finals on June 15 in Poland.