Sporting KC II add four pieces ahead of preseason competition

Sporting Kansas City II’s roster is now up to nine players after signing four players over the last two days.

On Wednesday, Feb. 16, the club announced the signing of left-back Joseph Addo Tetteh on a season-long loan from Ghanaian side Accra Lions FC. On Thursday, Feb. 17, the club announced the signing of three forwards: Julian Vazquez; Josh Coan; and Bakary Bagayoko.

Tetteh teams up with fellow Accra Lions FC loanee Rauf Sauf Salifu, a prolific Ghanaian goal scorer who signed with SKC II last week. The deal includes an option to buy at the end of 2022.

Tetteh is described as a versatile defender who helped Accra see promotion into the Ghanaian top flight. The 19-year-old recorded two assists in his first two matches of the season. He played a total of nine matches this season for Accra, most recently playing all 90 minutes on Jan. 8.

Even with Vazquez, 20, being the youngest of the new attacking trio, the Mexican youth international brings the most professional experience. Developing in the Real Salt Lake academy, Vazquez was part of the Real Monarchs side that won the 2019 USL Championship. The winger has bagged three goals and three assists in 44 USL appearances.

Coan joins SKC II after spending the last two seasons in the USL League One with FC Tuscon and North Carolina FC. Before turning pro, Coan played two seasons at the University of Pittsburgh before transferring to Marquette University, where he earned All-Big East Third Team honors his senior year. He tallied nine goals and 11 assists throughout his four-year collegiate career.

Another product of collegiate soccer, Bagayoko joins SKC II after four years in the NAIA and one in the NCAA. Bagayoko tallied 38 goals and 17 assists in four seasons at Cumberland College. The 23-year-old contributed five goals and five assists for Lipscomb last fall as they made their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017.

Still awaiting the announcement of a regular-season schedule, SKC II will open their preseason schedule this Saturday when they visit USL Championship side Indy Eleven before a match against Chicago Fire FC’s MLS NEXT Pro squad in Indy next Wednesday.

SKC II will continue their preseason schedule next month when they visit FC Tulsa on March 5 before Swope Soccer Village hosts matches with USL League One side Union Omaha on March 12 and a collegiate challenge against the Kansas City Roos on March 19.

Entering the inaugural season in the MLS NEXT Pro, it will be a unique season for Sporting II. The club is under first-year head coach Benny Feilhaber, joined by assistant coach Ike Opara. Of the nine players signed, the only returning players are Aljaz Dzankic and Jahon Rad, not counting any SKC Academy players that may eventually sign academy deals again.