Across State Lines: Blessing Has His Option Picked Up By LAFC

Former Sporting Kansas City forward, Latif Blessing will be sticking around MLS through the 2020 season after Los Angeles FC picked up the 2020 option on his contract this past week. There have been reports out of Blessing’s native Ghana that Blessing was wanting out of LA and wanted to go to Europe, while on social media he’s made hints at wanting to return to Kansas City (specifically making comments after Benny Feilhaber was traded back to Kansas City). Blessing though looks like he’ll be staying in LA, where he’s established himself in Bob Bradley’s midfield as they sit on top of the Supporters’ Shield standings near the half way point of the season.

Here is the rest of this week’s update.

Key

SKC - former Sporting KC players

ACA - former Sporting KC academy players

KC - Kansas City area players

Note: Players under contract to Sporting Kansas City at this time are not included on this list.

MLS

Saad Abdul-Salaam (SKC) - Seattle - No game this week.

Jalil Anibaba (SKC) - New England - Started and played 120 minutes in New England’s 2-1 loss to Orlando.

Nick Besler (KC) - Salt Lake - Came off the bench and played 7 minutes in RSL’s 1-1 draw with Chicago.

Latif Blessing (SKC) - LAFC - Started and played 90 minutes in LAFC’s 3-1 win over San Jose.

Teal Bunbury (SKC) - New England - Started and played 120 minutes in New England’s 2-1 loss to Orlando.

Servando Carrasco (SKC) - LA - Started and played 90 minutes in LA’s 4-0 loss to Portland. Came off the bench and played 21 minutes in LA’s 2-0 win over Cincinnati.

Aurelien Collin (SKC) - Philadelphia - No game this week.

Dom Dwyer (SKC) - Orlando - Did not dress in Orlando’s 2-1 win over New England.

Kortne Ford (KC) - Colorado - Out injured.

Kei Kamara (SKC) - Colorado - Started and played 90 minutes in Colorado’s 2-2 draw with Vancouver.

Alec Kann (SKC) - Atlanta - No game this week.

Jon Kempin (SKC) - Columbus - Started and played 90 minutes in Columbus’ 1-0 loss to KC.

Lawrence Olum (SKC) - Minnesota - No game this week.

Ike Opara (SKC) - Minnesota - No game this week.

Tony Rocha (SKC) - New York City - Did not dress in NYCFC’s 2-1 win over DC.

Oriol Rosell (SKC) - Orlando - Did not dress in Orlando’s 2-1 win over New England.

Diego Rubio (SKC) - Colorado - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring a goal in Colorado’s 2-2 draw with Vancouver.

Abdul Rwatubyaye (SKC) - Colorado - On loan to Colorado Springs.

CJ Sapong (SKC) - Chicago - Came off the bench and played 27 minutes in Chicago’s 1-1 draw with RSL.

USL Championship

Joe Amico (ACA) - Orange County - Started and played 79 minutes in Orange County’s 2-0 loss to Portland.

Kharlton Belmar (SKC) - Nashville - Came off the bench and played 7 minutes in Nashville’s 3-3 draw with Ottawa.

Camilo Benitez (ACA) - Swope Park - Out injured.

Amadou Dia (SKC) - Phoenix - Started and played 90 minutes in Phoenix’s 3-0 win over Reno. Started and played 90 minutes, recording an assist in Phoenix’s 4-1 win over OKC.

Christian Duke (SKC) - Orange County - Did not dress in Orange County’s 2-0 loss to Portland.

Kyle Greig (KC) - Saint Louis - Started and played 78 minutes in Saint Louis’ 2-2 draw with North Carolina.

Wilson Harris (ACA) - Swope Park - Started and played 65 minutes in Swope’s 1-1 draw with Charleston.

Felipe Hernandez (SKC) - Swope Park - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring a goal in Swope’s 1-1 draw with Charleston.

Cyprian Hedrick (SKC) - Tulsa - Started and played 90 minutes in Tulsa’s 6-0 loss to Sacramento.

Cameron Iwasa (SKC) - Sacramento - Started and played 90 minutes recording 2 goals and an assist in Sacramento’s 6-0 win over Tulsa.

Ryan James (SKC) - Pittsburgh - Started and played 90 minutes in Pittsburgh’s 3-0 win over New York.

Mechack Jerome (SKC) - El Paso - Dressed but did not play in either of Haiti’s games.

Chris Konopka (SKC) - Tampa Bay - Dressed but did not play in Tampa’s 2-1 win over Bethlehem.

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

Will Little (ACA) - Swope Park - Started and played 77 minutes in Swope’s 1-1 draw with Charleston.

Mikey Lopez (SKC) - Birmingham - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring a goal in Birmingham’s 2-2 draw with Hartford.

Alex Martinez (SKC) - Charlotte - Started and played 90 minutes in Charlotte’s 1-1 draw with Louisville.

Alex Molano (SKC) - Colorado Springs - Dressed but did not play in Colorado Springs’ 2-1 loss to SLC.

James Musa (SKC) - Phoenix - Started and played 90 minutes in Phoenix’s 3-0 win over Reno. Started and played 90 minutes in Phoenix’s 4-1 win over OKC.

Amobi Okugo (SKC) - Austin - Came off the bench and played 8 minutes in Austin’s 1-0 win over Rio Grande Valley.

Kevin Oliveira (SKC) - Ottawa - Started and played 86 minutes in Ottawa’s 3-3 draw with Nashville.

Tyler Pasher (SKC) - Indy - Started and played 90 minutes, recording an assist in Indy’s 1-0 win over Atlanta.

Camden Riley (SKC) - Swope Park - Started and played 90 minutes in Swope’s 1-1 draw with Charleston.

Abdul Rwatubyaye (SKC) - Colorado Springs (Colorado) - Started and played 90 minutes in Colorado Springs’ 2-1 loss to SLC.

Ray Saari (KC) - Sacramento - Started and played 90 minutes in Sacramento’s 6-0 win over Tulsa.

Alex Tambakis (SKC) - North Carolina - Started and played 90 minutes in North Carolina’s 2-2 draw with St. Louis.

Brooks Thompson (ACA) - Swope Park - Out injured.

Kris Tyrpak (SKC) - Austin - Came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Austin’s 1-0 win over Rio Grande Valley.

Christian Volesky (SKC) - Pittsburgh - Came off the bench and played 15 minutes in Pittsburgh’s 3-0 win over New York.

USL1

Will Bagrou (SKC) - Orlando - Started and played 90 minutes in Orlando’s 2-0 loss to Lansing.

Brandon Fricke (ACA) - Lansing - Started and played 90 minutes in Lansing’s 1-0 win over Toronto. Started and played 90 minutes in Lansing’s 2-0 win over Orlando.

Ualefi (SKC) - Chattanooga - Started and played 90 minutes in Chattanooga’s 3-2 win over Greenville.

Wilfred Williams (SKC) - Orlando - Came off the bench and played 23 minutes in Orlando’s 2-0 loss to Lansing.

Zach Wright (SKC) - Tucson - No game this week.

International

Korede Aiyegbusi (SKC) - Amical Saint-Prex - Switzerland - Offseason.

Ever Alvarado (SKC) - Olimpia - Honduras - Dressed but did not play in Honduras’ 1-0 loss to Curacao. Started and played 90 minutes in Honduras’ 4-0 win over El Salvador.

Emiliano Amor (SKC) - Aldosivi - Argentina - Offseason.

Scott Angevine (SKC) - Vasa - Finland - Started and played 90 minutes in Vasa’s 3-0 loss to SJK Akatemia. Started and played 90 minutes in Vasa’s 2-2 draw with GBK.

Bernardo Anor (SKC) - Caracas - Venezuela - No game until 7/10.

Stefan Antonijevic (SKC) - Sogndal - Norway - Started and played 90 minutes in Sogndal’s 2-1 loss to Brann. Started and played 90 minutes in Sogndal’s 4-2 win over Skeid.

Federico Bessone (SKC) - Prat - Spain - Offseason.

Claudio Bieler (SKC) - Independiente del Valle - Ecuador - No game until 7/6.

Sunil Chhetri (SKC) - Bengaluru - India - Offseason.

Jorge Claros (SKC) - Real Espana - Honduras - Offseason.

Nuno Coelho (SKC) - GD Chaves - Portugal - Offseason.

Sebastian Cruz (ACA) - Pachuca - Mexico - Offseason.

Daneil Cyrus (SKC) - Al Orubah - Saudi Arabia - Started and played 90 minutes in Trinidad’s 6-0 loss to the US.

Marcel de Jong (SKC) - Pacific FC - Canada - Out injured.

Amer Didic (SKC) - FC Edmonton - Canada - Started and played 90 minutes in Edmonton’s 0-0 draw with York. Started and played 90 minutes in Edmonton’s 3-1 win over Pacific.

Toni Dovale (SKC) - East Bengal - India - Offseason.

Elvir Ibisevic (ACA) - NK Celje - Slovenia - Offseason.

Peterson Joseph (SKC) - Hang Yuen - Taiwan - Did not dress in Hang Yuen’s 5-0 loss to April 25. Tied Taichung Futuro 2-2.

Igor Juliao (SKC) - Fluminense - Brazil - No game until 7/17.

Michael Kafari (SKC) - Motala AIF FK - Sweden - Tied Assyriska IF 2-2.

Seo-In Kim (ACA) - Zapy - Czech Republic - Offseason.

Igor Kostrov (SKC) - Slavia-Mozyr - Belarus - Started and played 90 minutes, scoring a goal in Slavia’s 2-2 draw with Gomel.

Cristian Lobato (SKC) - UE Cornella - Spain - Offseason.

James Marcelin (SKC) - FC Edmonton - Canada - Started and played 90 minutes in Edmonton’s 0-0 draw with York. Started and played 90 minutes in Edmonton’s 3-1 win over Pacific.

Kyle McLagan (KC) - FC Roskilde - Denmark - Offseason.

Soni Mustivar (SKC) - Neftchi Baku - Azerbaijan - Offseason.

Erik Palmer-Brown (SKC) - Manchester City - England - Offseason.

Pablo Punyed (SKC) - KR - Iceland - Came off the bench and played 33 minutes, scoring a goal in KR’s 3-2 win over Valur. Dressed but did not play in KR’s 2-1 win over FH.

Jordi Quintilla (SKC) - FC St. Gallen - Switzerland - Offseason.

Soony Saad (SKC) - Al Ansar - Lebanon - Offseason.

Peter Schmetz (SKC) - Wuppertaler SV - Germany - Offseason.

Khiry Shelton (SKC) - SC Paderborn 07 - Germany - Offseason.

Yann Songo’o (SKC) - Plymouth Argyle - England - Offseason.

Martin Steuble (SKC) - Ceres-La Salle - Philippines - Started and played 15 minutes in Ceres’ 2-1 loss to Ha Noi.

Milos Stojcev (SKC) - Tuzla City - Bosnia - Offseason.

NWSL

Dorian Bailey (KC) - Washington - Started and played 90 minutes in Washington’s 0-0 draw with Houston.

Shea Groom (KC) - Reign - Did not dress in Reign FC’s 1-0 win over Chicago.

Haley Hanson (KC) - Houston - Started and played 90 minutes in Houston’s 0-0 draw with Washington.

Jaycie Johnson (KC) - Reign - Did not dress in Reign FC’s 1-0 win over Chicago.

Maegan Kelly (KC) - Reign - Started and played 68 minutes in Reign FC’s 1-0 win over Chicago.

CeCe Kizer (KC) - Houston - Came off the bench and played 8 minutes in Houston’s 0-0 draw with Washington.

Mandy Laddish (KC) - Utah - Started and played 71 minutes in Utah’s 0-0 draw with Portland.

Sydney Miramontez (KC) - Utah - Started and played 90 minutes in Utah’s 0-0 draw with Portland.

Scout Watson (KC) - Reign - Did not dress in Reign FC’s 1-0 win over Chicago.

NPSL

Tomas Granitto (SKC) - Miami FC - Started and played 59 minutes in Miami’s 2-0 win over Naples.

David Greczek (SKC) - Motown FC - Started and played 90 minutes in Motown’s 3-2 win over FC Monmouth.

Adam James (KC) - FC Wichita - Did not dress in either of Wichita’s games.

Benji Joya (SKC) - Oakland - No games until the Founders’ Cup.

Matt Lewis (SKC) - New York - Started and played 90 minutes in New York’s 5-0 win over Greater Lowell.

Indoor

Mitchell Cardenas (SKC) - Rio Grande Valley - Offseason.

Kevin Ellis (SKC) - Kansas City - Offseason.

Mike Jones (SKC) - Dallas - Offseason.

Patrick Kelly (KC) - Kansas City - Offseason.

Robert Kelly (KC) - Kansas City - Offseason.

Boris Pardo (SKC) - San Diego - Offseason.

Lucas Rodriguez (KC) - Kansas City - Offseason.

Mark Saxby (KC) - Kansas City - Offseason.

Active without a club or unknown

Emmanuel Appiah (SKC)

Ezra Armstrong (ACA)

Hakim Diaw (ACA)

Pablo Escobar (SKC)

Luis Gil (SKC)

Cody Hoffman (KC)

Tanner Hunjak (KC)

Will John (SKC)

Blake Levine (ACA)

Kamar Marriott (SKC)

Franky Martinez (SKC)

Yura Movsisyan (SKC)

Michal Mravec (SKC)

Jacob Peterson (SKC)

Max Rugova (ACA)

Alberto Sanchez (ACA)

Nansel Selbol (SKC)

Colton Storm (SKC)