Sporting Kansas City will debut the club's new third kit on Sunday, May 3 at Sporting Park against the Chicago Fire live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
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SPORTING KANSAS CITY CHICAGO FIRE Date Score (Gms since) Date Score (Gms since)Home win 4/05/2015 KC 3, PHI 2 (1) 4/24/2015 CHI 1, NYC 0 (0)Road win 3/28/2015 KC 1, NYC 0 (2) 7/12/2014 CHI 1, NE 0 (10)Home loss 10/26/2014 KC 0, NY 2 (4) 3/14/2015 CHI 0, VAN 1 (3)Road loss 4/18/2015 KC 1, LA 2 (1) 3/22/2015 CHI 1, SJ 2 (0)Tie game 4/25/2015 KC 4, HOU 4 (0) 10/05/2014 CHI 0, MTL 0 (9)Shutout for 4/11/2015 KC 0, RSL 0 (2) 4/24/2015 CHI 1, NYC 0 (0)Shutout vs. 4/11/2015 KC 0, RSL 0 (2) 3/14/2015 CHI 0, VAN 1 (4)
Sporting KC TLTWWTLTFire LLLWWW
GOALS SCORED IN GAME GP 0 1 2 3 4+ TOT AVGKC 8 2 4 0 1 1 11 1.38CHI 6 2 3 0 1 0 6 1.00
GOALS ALLOWED IN GAME GP 0 1 2 3 4+ TOT AVGKC 8 3 1 2 1 1 12 1.50CHI 6 2 1 3 0 0 7 1.17
GP W-L-T PTS GF GA Sporting 8 2-2-4 10 11 12at home 4 1-0-3 6 4 3
Fire 6 3-3-0 9 6 7on road 2 0-2-0 0 1 4
2015 SEASON RECORDS
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEADALL-TIME (49 meetings): Sporting 13 wins (0 shootout), 58 goals … Fire 25 wins (1 shootout), 85 goals … Ties 11
AT KC (26 meetings): Sporting 9 wins (0 shootout), 36 goals … Fire 8 wins (1 shootout), 38 goals … Ties 9
LAST YEAR (MLS):5/18: CHI 2, KC 1 (Magee 7, 15 – Dwyer 68)7/6: KC 1, CHI 1 (Dwyer 33 – Magee 40)10/10: KC 2, CHI 0 (Zusi 80; Dwyer 92+)
SPORTING KC1 Luis Marin (GK)2 Erik Palmer-Brown (DF)3 Ike Opara (DF)4 Kevin Ellis (DF)5 Matt Besler (DF)6 Paulo Nagamura (MF)7 Chance Myers (DF)8 Graham Zusi (MF)9 Krisztian Nemeth (FW)10 Benny Feilhaber (MF)11 Bernardo Anor (MF)12 Mikey Lopez (MF)13 Amadou Dia (DF)14 Dom Dwyer (FW)15 Seth Sinovic (DF)16 Servando Carrasco (MF)17 Saad Abdul-Salaam (DF)18 James Rogers (FW)21 Jon Kempin (GK)22 Connor Hallisey (MF) 23 Jalil Anibaba (DF)27 Roger Espinoza (MF)29 Tim Melia (GK)37 Jacob Peterson (FW)71 Marcel de Jong (DF)93 Soni Mustivar (MF)94 Jimmy Medranda (MF)
CHICAGO FIRE1 Alec Kann (GK)2 Matt Polster (DF)3 Joevin Jones (DF)4 Adailton (DF)5 Lovel Palmer (DF)6 Eric Gehrig (DF)7 Jason Johnson (FW)8 Matt Watson (MF)9 Mike Magee (FW)10 Shaun Maloney (MF)11 David Accam (FW)14 Patrick Nyarko (FW) 15 Víctor Pérez Alonso (MF)16 Greg Cochrane (DF)17 Collin Fernandez (MF)18 Jon Busch (GK)19 Harry Shipp (MF)20 Jeff Larentowicz (MF)21 Chris Ritter (MF)22 Patrick Doody (DF)23 Guly do Prado (FW)24 Quincy Amarikwa (FW) 25 Sean Johnson (GK)26 Michael Stephens (MF)27 Kingsley Bryce (MF)30 Razvan Cocis (MF)77 Kennedy Igboananike (FW)
ROSTERSPROBABLE LINEUPS
REFEREE: Jose Carlos Rivero.AR1 (bench): Jeff Hosking; AR2 (opposite): Eric Weisbrod;
4th: Nima Saghafi
SPORTINGSat. May 9 at D.C. United
Sat. May 16 ColoradoWed. May 20 New England
Sat. May 23 at Seattle
UPCOMING MATCHES
SPORTING KANSAS CITY v CHICAGO FIRE(May 3, Sporting Park, 4 p.m. CT)
FIRESat. May 9 Real Salt Lake
Fri. May 15 at New York CityFri. May 22 at Columbus
Sat. May 30 Montreal
GOALS SCOREDMINUTES PER GOAL
RIGHT FOOTLEFT FOOTHEADERS
OTHER
OPEN PLAYCROSS
CORNERREBOUND PENALTIES
DIRECT FROM FREE KICKFREE KICK (INDIRECT)
OWN GOALS
INSIDE GOAL AREAINSIDE PENALTY AREA
OUTSIDE PENALTY AREA
F A 6 7 90 77
4 5 1 1 1 1 0 0
3 4 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0
1 2 4 5 1 0
F A 11 12 57 60
5 8 2 0 4 3 0 1
6 5 2 0 2 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 1
3 3 5 7 3 2
WHERE THE GOALS COME FROM
HOW SCORED
TYPE OF PLAY
DISTANCE
SPORTING FIRE
DISCIPLINARY SITUATION
DISABLED LIST / INJURED RESERVE
INTERNATIONAL DUTY
none
none
SUSPENDED: KC: Servando Carrasco (through May 3) … CHI: Matt Watson (through May 3)
1Marin
9Nemeth
27Anibaba
10Espinoza
8Zusi
71de Jong
14Dwyer
10Feilhaber
94Mustivar
4Ellis
5Besler
11Accam
23do Prado
19Shipp
4Adailton
24Amarikwa
6Gehrig 20
Larentowicz
25Johnson
3Jones
2Polster
10Maloney
SPORTING KANSAS CITY v CHICAGO FIRE(May 3, Sporting Park, 4 p.m. CT -- MLS Game 85)
2015 CAREERNo. Player Pos Ht Wt Birthdate Birthplace GP GS G A GP GS G A1 Alec Kann GK 6-4 190 08/08/1990 Decatur, GA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 02 Matt Polster DF 6-0 170 06/08/1993 Milwaukee, WI 6 5 0 0 6 5 0 03 Joevin Jones DF 5-11 160 08/03/1991 Carenage, Trinidad and Tobago 6 6 1 1 6 6 1 14 Adailton DF 6-3 187 04/16/1983 Salvador, Brazil 5 5 1 0 5 5 1 05 Lovel Palmer DF 5-10 160 08/30/1984 Mandeville, Jamaica 4 4 0 0 130 117 4 46 Eric Gehrig DF 6-1 175 12/25/1987 Harvey, IL 6 6 0 0 52 38 0 17 Jason Johnson FW 6-0 180 10/09/1990 Happy News, Jamaica 0 0 0 0 21 4 1 08 Matt Watson MF 6-0 170 01/01/1985 Redditch, England 3 2 0 0 66 49 1 29 Mike Magee FW 5-10 160 09/02/1984 Chicago, IL 0 0 0 0 274 206 64 3210 Shaun Maloney MF 5-7 155 01/24/1983 Malaysia 5 5 1 1 5 5 1 111 David Accam FW 5-9 174 09/28/1990 Ghana 3 2 1 0 3 2 1 014 Patrick Nyarko FW 6-0 160 01/15/1986 Kumasi, Ghana 0 0 0 0 177 134 16 3515 Victor Perez Alonso MF 5-9 157 01/12/1988 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 016 Greg Cochrane DF 5-8 140 11/01/1990 Holland, PA 0 0 0 0 24 21 0 217 Collin Fernandez MF 5-8 140 02/13/1997 Downers Grove, IL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 018 Jon Busch GK 5-10 170 08/18/1976 Queens, NY 2 2 0 0 299 298 0 119 Harry Shipp MF 5-9 145 11/07/1991 Lake Forest, IL 6 6 1 3 39 32 8 920 Jeff Larentowicz MF 6-1 175 08/05/1983 Pasadena, CA 6 6 1 0 278 268 32 1821 Chris Ritter MF 6-2 190 10/29/1990 Winnetka, IL 2 1 0 0 12 9 0 022 Patrick Doody DF 6-0 180 04/22/1992 Naperville, IL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 023 Guly do Prado FW 6-3 180 12/31/1981 Campinas, Brazil 5 1 0 0 5 1 0 024 Quincy Amarikwa FW 5-9 180 10/29/1987 Bakersfield, CA 6 5 0 0 119 48 15 925 Sean Johnson GK 6-3 217 05/31/1989 Atlanta, GA 4 4 0 0 137 137 0 126 Michael Stephens MF 5-9 155 04/03/1989 Hinsdale, IL 5 4 0 0 99 51 2 1227 Kingsley Bryce FW 6-0 184 04/16/1993 Plano, TX 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 030 Razvan Cocis MF 5-11 161 02/19/1983 Slatina, Romania 0 0 0 0 10 8 0 077 Kennedy Igboananike FW 5-9 154 02/26/1989 Nir-Igbo, Nigeria 5 2 0 0 5 2 0 0
HEAD COACH : Frank Yallop 04/04/1964 W126 L120 T102
CHICAGO FIRE
2015 CAREERNo. Player Pos Ht Wt Birthdate Birthplace GP GS G A GP GS G A1 Luis Marin GK 6-2 196 05/18/1983 Santiago, Chile 8 8 0 0 8 8 0 02 Erik Palmer-Brown DF 6-1 175 04/24/1997 Napoleon, OH 1 0 0 0 4 2 0 03 Ike Opara DF 6-2 180 02/21/1989 Durham, NC 6 6 2 0 62 45 8 04 Kevin Ellis DF 5-9 160 06/30/1991 Kansas City, MO 4 3 0 0 26 20 0 35 Matt Besler DF 6-0 170 02/11/1987 Kansas City, MO 7 7 0 2 157 152 2 96 Paulo Nagamura MF 5-8 155 03/02/1983 Sao Paulo, Brazil 4 3 0 0 226 204 12 197 Chance Myers DF 6-0 165 12/07/1987 Thousand Oaks, CA 0 0 0 0 123 98 2 138 Graham Zusi MF 5-10 160 08/18/1986 Orlando, FL 6 6 0 1 154 121 22 409 Krisztian Nemeth FW 5-11 165 01/05/1989 Gyor, Hungary 6 5 3 0 6 5 3 010 Benny Feilhaber MF 5-9 160 01/19/1985 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 8 8 2 5 118 106 14 2411 Bernardo Anor MF 6-1 178 05/24/1988 Caracas, Venezuela 6 1 0 0 77 49 12 312 Mikey Lopez MF 5-8 160 02/20/1993 Dallas, TX 0 0 0 0 8 5 0 013 Amadou Dia DF 5-10 150 06/08/1993 Nantes, France 4 2 0 0 4 2 0 014 Dom Dwyer FW 5-9 180 07/30/1990 Cuckfield, England 8 8 2 1 58 46 26 415 Seth Sinovic DF 5-10 170 01/28/1987 Kansas City, MO 3 2 0 0 136 132 0 716 Servando Carrasco MF 5-10 175 08/13/1988 Coronado, CA 6 5 0 0 65 36 1 117 Saad Abdul-Salaam DF 6-4 185 09/08/1991 Charlotte, NC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 018 James Rogers FW 5-8 150 06/27/1993 Yoyah, Sierra Leone 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 021 Jon Kempin GK 6-1 170 04/08/1993 Overland Park, KS 0 0 0 0 4 3 0 022 Connor Hallisey MF 5-9 158 02/09/1993 Granite Bay, CA 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 023 Jalil Anibaba DF 6-0 185 10/19/1988 Fullerton, CA 6 6 1 0 118 113 5 627 Roger Espinoza MF 5-11 170 10/25/1986 Puerto Cortes, Honduras 7 7 1 1 120 100 3 1229 Tim Melia GK 6-1 190 05/15/1986 Great River, NY 0 0 0 0 6 5 0 037 Jacob Peterson FW 5-10 165 01/27/1986 Portage, MI 6 2 0 0 205 116 15 1471 Marcel de Jong DF 5-9 170 10/15/1986 Newmarket, Ontario, Canada 6 6 0 1 6 6 0 193 Soni Mustivar MF 5-10 170 02/12/1990 Ivry Sur Seine, France 4 0 0 0 4 0 0 094 Jimmy Medranda MF 5-5 150 02/07/1994 Mosquera, Colombia 3 3 0 0 9 4 0 0
HEAD COACH : Peter Vermes 11/21/1966 W78 L60 T48
SPORTING KANSAS CITY
MLS GAME INFORMATION
SPORTING KANSAS CITY vs CHICAGO FIRE SPORTING PARK, Kansas City, Kan.
May 3, 2015 (WEEK 9, MLS Game #85) 4 p.m. CT (ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes; TSN1)
Sporting Kansas City will look to get back to their winning ways when they face a suddenly ascendant Chicago Fire as the clubs face off Sunday afternoon at Sporting Park before an ESPN2 audience. Sporting have gone three games without a victory, coming back for a wild 4-4 draw last weekend at the Houston Dynamo. The Fire returned from a long layoff and won their third game on the trot last time out, netting the game’s only goal in a win against New York City FC. REFEREE: Jose Carlos Rivero. AR1 (bench): Jeff Hosking; AR2 (opposite): Eric Weisbrod; 4th: Nima Saghafi MLS Career: 41 games; FC/gm: 26.9; Y/gm: 3.8; R: 11; pens: 20 SUSPENDED: KC: Servando Carrasco (through May 3) … CHI: Matt Watson (through May 3) WARNINGS: SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: none DISABLED LIST: none INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none HEAD-TO-HEAD ALL-TIME (49 meetings): Sporting 13 wins (0 shootout), 58 goals … Fire 25 wins (1 shootout), 85 goals … Ties 11 AT KC (26 meetings): Sporting 9 wins (0 shootout), 36 goals … Fire 8 wins (1 shootout), 38 goals … Ties 9 LAST YEAR (MLS): 5/18: CHI 2, KC 1 (Magee 7, 15 – Dwyer 68) 7/6: KC 1, CHI 1 (Dwyer 33 – Magee 40) 10/10: KC 2, CHI 0 (Zusi 80; Dwyer 92+)
This is the only league meeting between the teams this season. The teams evenly split their season series a year ago. Each team won on their home ground; they also played
to a 1-1 draw at Sporting Park. The Fire haven’t won in Kansas City since 2012; SKC have two wins and two draws in the home meetings
since. Coaches record: Peter Vermes vs. CHI: P14 W4 L6 D4 … Frank Yallop vs. KC: P28 W13 L9 D6
SPORTING KANSAS CITY Sporting Kansas City saw their winless streak extended to three games, coming back for a point in a wild 4-4 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Saturday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. Sporting are in a tie for fifth place in the Western Conference with 10 points from 8 matches. LAST MATCH
Sporting took the lead just three minutes into the game when Krisztian Nemeth picked up a loose ball and charged toward goal, firing home inside the right post from 25 yards out.
But the Dynamo had a 3-1 lead by just after halftime. First, a scuffed clearance landed in the path of Giles Barnes, and he sliced a half-volley past SKC goalkeeper Luis Marin to pull the game level in the 11th minute.
The Dynamo took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Will Bruin scored with a flick off the back of his head from a Brad Davis pinpoint corner kick. Then Barnes struck again less than a minute into the second half, driving up field and taking a shot from some 22 yards out that beat Marin to his right post.
But Sporting pulled level with goals in short order. First, in the 74th minute, Dom Dwyer pounced on an ill-advised back pass and slotted a shot into the open net after rounding Deric in the box. Then six minutes later, Benny Feilhaber converted a penalty after Dynamo defender Jermaine Taylor was ruled to have handled a Nemeth attempt on goal and referee Kevin Stott pointed to the spot.
The Dynamo again nosed in front in the 84th minute when Raul Rodriguez rushed the near post to head home a Davis free kick. But Feilhaber had the final answer deep in stoppage time, scoring his second of the night by driving home a shot from distance that sailed inside the left post.
SKC manager Peter Vermes made no changes to the team that saw the LA Galaxy hit for a late winner for a 2-1 victory at StubHub Center.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-1-2-3): Luis Marin - Jalil Anibaba, Kevin Ellis (Connor Hallisey 90), Matt Besler, Marcel de Jong (Amadou Dia 63) - Servando Carrasco (Soni Mustivar 55) - Benny Feilhaber, Roger Espinoza - Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer, Krisztian Nemeth.
MLS GAME INFORMATION
TEAM NEWS Sporting saw their current winless run extended to three games, following back-to-back victories, their only two
wins of the season. SKC have not lost consecutive games this season. “We found the way to get back in the game, a couple of times. But, over the course of the game, we made way
too many mistakes over the course of 90 minutes and that's something you can't do at this level,” SKC manager Peter Vermes said.
It was the most goals Sporting have scored in a game in their 20-year history and failed to come away with a victory.
“In a lot of respects, we didn't deserve to get anything coming out of here,” Vermes said. “The only thing I'll say is that at that moment, during the course of the game, we were very good and we didn't give up.”
Benny Feilhaber had the first multiple-goal game of his MLS career, converting a penalty then hitting for the equalizer deep in stoppage time.
“Benny has the ability to be one of the best No. 10s in our league,” Vermes said. “When he's in form, like he is now, playing on both sides of the ball, a lot of things tend to come out that are part of his makeup. That will only get better if he continues to value those things that are important, and I think that's one of those reasons why he's in form at the moment.
Said Feilhaber: “I'm just trying to get closer to the goal. I think that's one of the things that I've consciously tried to improve in my game, get closer to the goal and be able to provide not only assists but get goals myself. … I'm trying to make my runs further up the field so I can connect with Dom and the other offensive players and just get in more dangerous areas.”
Krisztian Nemeth netted a goal for a second consecutive match, his third in the last four games (and his third in six total appearances this season).
Dom Dwyer scored his second goal of the season, his first since April 5. Dwyer has played every minute of every match this season.
Making a second consecutive start after missing two matches through injury, Graham Zusi recorded his first assist of the season, on the Feilhaber match-winner.
Sporting conceded two goals from set pieces, and have now allowed five goals from deadball opportunities among their 12 goals allowed on the season – tied with Philadelphia Union for most goals let in from set pieces.
“When you play like that, you're always going to get beat. That part of the equation was not good enough on our side. We have to be much better. Much better,” said Vermes. “ … (W)e were giving up way too many [set pieces, and there were some guys who lost their men, for sure.”
CHICAGO FIRE The Chicago Fire made it three wins in a row coming off a long layoff, getting the game’s only goal for a victory against New York City on Friday evening at Toyota Park. The Fire are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 9 points from 6 matches. LAST MATCH
The game's lone goal came in the 20th minute. NYCFC goalkeeper Ryan Meara failed to corral a wayward backpass near the endline, and in an attempt to keep the ball from going out for a corner, inadvertently spilled the ball right to David Accam, who calmly collected the loose ball and finished into an open net from the left.
Just three minutes later, Accam turned the screw again when he was dragged down from behind by NYCFC midfielder Andrew Jacobson as he was clear in on goal, and referee Ricardo Salazar showed a red card to reduce the visitors to 10 men.
Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson recorded four saves in recording his second consecutive clean sheet. Fire head coach Frank Yallop made three changes to the team that claimed a 3-2 win against Toronto FC at
Toyota Park. Sean Johnson came in between the posts in place of Jon Busch, Matt Watson started in midfield for Michael Stephens, and Guly do Prado came in up top in favor of Quincy Amarikwa.
CHICAGO FIRE (4-4-1-1): Sean Johnson - Eric Gehrig, Jeff Larentowicz, Adailton, Joevin Jones - David Accam, Matt Watson, Matt Polster, Harry Shipp - Shaun Maloney - Guly do Prado (Quincy Amarikwa 66).
TEAM NEWS The Fire have won three games in a row following the victory at NYCFC, the first time they’ve won three
consecutive league games since Oct.4-19, 2013. Fire Designated Player David Accam opened his MLS account by scoring the game’s only goal at NYCFC,
making his second consecutive start. “David is probably not at his best quite yet, I don’t think, but he’s very exciting obviously, [and] there’s a lot
more to come from him,” Fire head coach Frank Yallop said. “David’s an exciting player, and he’s excited to be here. I thought he played fantastic and, you’ll have to ask him, but there’s still more in him I think. He could be a little more attack-minded.”
Said Accam: “When you work really hard things come for you, and that’s what we did, work hard, and I’m not surprised I got the goal. I took a gamble on the ball, and when the ’keeper was going for the ball I just went
MLS GAME INFORMATION
straight to him and we got the goal. It’s not simple. When you work hard everything comes to you, so it’s not simple.”
Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson recorded his second consecutive shutout in the win; he now has a personal goalless run of 249 minutes, tied for seventh-longest in MLS this season.
Guly do Prado made his first career MLS start; he had missed out on the Toronto FC match, after coming off the substitutes’ bench in each of the first four matches.
Quincy Amarikwa was out of the starting lineup for the first time this season, but came off the substitutes’ bench for the final quarter of the contest.
“Guly did well, held the ball up, and played a good role in our attack. Quincy had an ankle injury, missed 12 odd days of training, so we’re on top of that now, if guys don’t train and don’t get their numbers up and going then, they won’t be able to last 90 minutes,” Yallop said. “ … I didn’t want to change many things, I brought Quincy to make a bit of a difference and spark, and he did that. The guys that started and played the whole game did well.”
Matt Watson also made his first start since the season opener on March 6, playing 90 minutes in a central midfield role.
“Matt was good tonight, I spoke to him a couple of days ago, said this was a great opportunity,” Yallop said. “He’s a great kid and he works hard and wants to do well on the team. His teammates really love him and I thought he played great.”
Shaun Maloney moved into an underneath striker role, playing off Guly do Prado as the lone out-and-out sriker to start.
“The first three games, with personnel and the way we were playing, the manager asked me to play deeper, and of course I'm more willing to do whatever he asks of me,” said Maloney. “I think the last probably three games or so, including San Jose, I was a little bit further up. Particularly the last two games, the higher up in the pitch I am, I think I'm more comfortable. I played with Guly [do Prado], and with David [Accam] and Harry [Shipp]; the further up the field I am, the more effective I am.”
UNF POS PLAYER GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E
9 F Krisztian Nemeth 6 5 434 3 0 16 3 3 3 2 0 0 010 M Benny Feilhaber 8 8 714 2 5 7 2 12 14 1 19 1 014 F Dom Dwyer 8 8 720 2 1 26 8 12 26 7 0 1 03 D Ike Opara 6 6 534 2 0 7 2 6 4 0 0 0 027 M Roger Espinoza 7 7 629 1 1 6 2 13 10 0 0 2 023 D Jalil Anibaba 6 6 540 1 0 8 3 3 2 2 0 1 05 D Matt Besler 7 7 610 0 2 0 0 5 3 0 0 1 18 M Graham Zusi 6 6 481 0 1 8 0 5 7 1 18 1 071 D Marcel de Jong 6 6 453 0 1 5 1 1 7 0 5 1 013 D Amadou Dia 4 2 222 0 0 3 2 4 2 0 0 0 011 M Bernardo Anor 6 1 188 0 0 4 0 4 4 0 1 0 022 M Connor Hallisey 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 02 D Erik Palmer-Brown 1 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 037 F Jacob Peterson 6 2 206 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 094 M Jimmy Medranda 3 3 187 0 0 3 0 3 2 0 1 0 04 D Kevin Ellis 4 3 275 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 2 01 G Luis Marin 8 8 720 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 06 M Paulo Nagamura 4 3 287 0 0 3 1 8 3 0 0 1 016 M Servando Carrasco 6 5 408 0 0 7 0 8 1 0 0 1 015 D Seth Sinovic 3 2 225 0 0 3 1 3 0 0 0 0 093 M Soni Mustivar 4 0 61 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0
Sun. Mar. 8 New York T 1-1 19784 0-0-1 7 1 KC: Opara (50); NYR: Sam (54)Sat. Mar. 14 at FC Dallas L 1-3 14149 0-1-1 9 1 KC: Espinoza (44); DAL: Perez (17,52) Castillo (73)Sat. Mar. 21 Portland T 0-0 20848 0-1-2 8 2Sat. Mar. 28 at New York
City FCW 1-0 27454 1-1-2 6 5 KC: Opara (13);
Sun. Apr. 5 Philadelphia W 3-2 19545 2-1-2 2 8 KC: Dwyer (16) Anibaba (91+) Nemeth (94+); PHI: own goal (3) Aristeguieta (19)
Sat. Apr. 11 Real Salt Lake T 0-0 20087 2-1-3 2 9Sat. Apr. 18 at Los Angeles L 1-2 20018 2-2-3 4 9 KC: Nemeth (22); LA: Husidic (9) Gonzalez (94+)Sat. Apr. 25 at Houston T 4-4 21046 2-2-4 6 10 KC: Nemeth (2) Dwyer (74) Feilhaber (80,95+); HOU:
Barnes (11,46) Bruin (46+) Rodriguez (83)Sun. May 3 ChicagoSat. May 9 at D.C. UnitedSat. May 16 ColoradoWed. May 20 New EnglandSat. May 23 at SeattleFri. May 29 FC DallasSat. June 6 SeattleSun. June 21 at Real Salt
LakeSat. June 27 ColoradoSun. July 12 at VancouverSat. July 18 MontrealFri. July 24 at Real Salt
LakeSat. Aug. 1 HoustonSat. Aug. 8 at Toronto FCSat. Aug. 15 VancouverWed. Aug. 19 San JoseSat. Aug. 22 at ColumbusSat. Aug. 29 at ColoradoWed. Sep. 9 at PortlandSun. Sep. 13 at Orlando City
SCFri. Sep. 18 FC DallasWed. Sep. 23 at HoustonSun. Sep. 27 SeattleSat. Oct. 3 at PortlandFri. Oct. 16 at San JoseSun. Oct. 25 Los Angeles
Fri. Mar. 6 at Los Angeles L 0-2 27000 0-1-0 12 0 LA: Villarreal (65) Keane (81)
Sat. Mar. 14 Vancouver L 0-1 15731 0-2-0 11 0 VAN: Rivero (86)Sun. Mar. 22 at San Jose L 1-2 18000 0-3-0 12 0 CHI: Shipp (29); SJ: Alashe (5) Harden (21)Sun. Mar. 29 Philadelphia W 1-0 12815 1-3-0 10 3 CHI: dos Santos (37); Sat. Apr. 4 Toronto FC W 3-2 13818 2-3-0 4 6 CHI: Jones (14) Maloney (56) Larentowicz (68); TOR:
Giovinco (20) Cheyrou (54)Fri. Apr. 24 New York City
FCW 1-0 19124 3-3-0 4 9 CHI: Accam (20);
Sun. May 3 at Sporting KCSat. May 9 Real Salt LakeFri. May 15 at New York
City FCFri. May 22 at ColumbusSat. May 30 MontrealWed. June 3 at D.C. UnitedSat. June 6 Orlando City SCSat. June 13 at New EnglandWed. June 24 D.C. UnitedFri. July 3 at Houston
Sat. July 11 SeattleWed. July 15 ColumbusSun. July 19 at ColumbusSat. July 25 New EnglandSun. Aug. 2 FC DallasFri. Aug. 7 at PortlandSun. Aug. 16 at PhiladelphiaSat. Aug. 22 ColoradoWed. Aug. 26 New YorkSat. Aug. 29 at Orlando City
SCSat. Sep. 5 at MontrealFri. Sep. 11 at New YorkSat. Sep. 19 Orlando City SC
Wed. Sep. 23 at MontrealSat. Sep. 26 at Toronto FCSat. Oct. 3 New EnglandSun. Oct. 18 at D.C. UnitedSun. Oct. 25 New York
4/8/1998 KC 1 vs CHI 0 (KC)6/24/1998 CHI 4 vs KC 1 (SF)8/29/1998 CHI 3 at KC 2 CHI SOW (KC)9/17/1998 CHI 1 vs KC 0 (SF)3/27/1999 CHI 3 at KC 0 (KC)5/22/1999 CHI 3 vs KC 1 (SF)8/5/1999 CHI 2 at KC 1 (KC)8/25/1999 CHI 2 vs KC 0 (SF)3/25/2000 KC 4 vs CHI 3 (KC)6/4/2000 CHI 3 vs KC 2 (SF)10/15/2000 KC 1 vs CHI 0 (DC)5/19/2001 CHI 2 vs KC 0 (SF)7/4/2001 CHI 7 at KC 0 (KC)8/14/2002 CHI 5 vs KC 1 (NC)8/31/2002 KC 2 vs CHI 1 (KC)4/26/2003 CHI 3 at KC 2 (KC)6/21/2003 KC 4 vs CHI 2 (KC)7/26/2003 CHI 2 vs KC 0 (NC)4/3/2004 KC 0 vs CHI 0 (KC)5/8/2004 KC 2 vs CHI 2 (KC)9/1/2004 CHI 3 vs KC 1 (SF)6/18/2005 CHI 1 vs KC 1 (SF)8/10/2005 KC 3 at CHI 2 (SF)8/19/2005 KC 3 vs CHI 0 (KC)10/1/2005 CHI 1 at KC 0 (KC)5/6/2006 KC 1 vs CHI 1 (KC)6/17/2006 KC 3 vs CHI 2 (KC)7/4/2006 CHI 1 vs KC 0 (TP)8/16/2006 CHI 3 vs KC 0 (TP)4/21/2007 CHI 2 vs KC 1 (TP)8/22/2007 KC 3 vs CHI 2 (KC)8/25/2007 CHI 2 vs KC 0 (TP)4/20/2008 KC 1 at CHI 0 (TP)7/27/2008 KC 0 vs CHI 0 (CA)10/5/2008 KC 1 vs CHI 1 (CA)4/18/2009 CHI 2 vs KC 2 (TP)8/16/2009 CHI 2 at KC 0 (CA)5/15/2010 KC 2 vs CHI 2 (CA)10/12/2010 KC 2 at CHI 0 (TP)3/26/2011 CHI 3 vs KC 2 (TP)6/9/2011 KC 0 vs CHI 0 (SP)5/12/2012 CHI 2 vs KC 1 (TP)6/29/2012 CHI 1 at KC 0 (SP)9/28/2012 KC 2 vs CHI 0 (SP)3/16/2013 KC 0 vs CHI 0 (SP)7/7/2013 KC 2 at CHI 1 (TP)8/23/2013 CHI 1 vs KC 0 (TP)5/18/2014 CHI 2 vs KC 1 (TP)7/6/2014 KC 1 vs CHI 1 (SP)10/10/2014 KC 2 vs CHI 0 (SP)
English TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes Referee: Jose Carlos RiveroTV talent: Adrian Healey (play-by-play) Assistant ref: Jeff Hosking Taylor Twellman (color) Assistant ref: Eric Weisbrod Fourth official: Nima SaghafiEnglish Radio: Sports Radio 810 WHB Spanish Radio: La Grande 1340 AMRadio talent: Nate Bukaty (play-by-play) Radio talent Enrique Morales (play-by-play) Andy Gruenebaum (color) Raul Padrino Villegas (color) Jake Yadrich (analyst)
SPORTING KANSAS CITY vs CHICAGO FIRE
GAME NOTES WWW.SPORTINGKC.COM/MEDIA-GUIDE
Sunday, May 3, 2015Kickoff: 4 p.m. CT
Sporting Park (Kansas City, KS)MLS Regular Season Game 9
No. Pos. Name Pronunciation 1 GK Luis Marin muh-REEN 2 DEF Erik Palmer-Brown 3 DEF Ike Opara oh-PAR-ah 4 DEF Kevin Ellis 5 DEF Matt Besler BEEZ-ler 6 MID Paulo Nagamura POW-lo na-ga-MOO-ra 7 DEF Chance Myers 8 MID Graham Zusi ZOO-see 9 FWD Krisztian Nemeth KRIS-tee-ON NEY-muth 10 MID Benny Feilhaber FAIL-hob-ber 11 MID Bernardo Anor AHN-your 12 MID Mikey Lopez* 13 DEF Amadou Dia ah-mah-doo DEE-ah 14 FWD Dom Dwyer 15 DEF Seth Sinovic sin-OH-vick 16 MID Servando Carrasco ser-VAWN-dough cuh-ROSS-co 17 DEF Saad Abdul-Salaam* sahd ab-DOOL sa-LAHM 18 FWD James Ansu Rogers 21 GK Jon Kempin* 22 MID Connor Hallisey HAL-iss-see 23 DEF Jalil Anibaba jah-LEEL ah-nee-bah-bah 27 MID Roger Espinoza 29 GK Tim Melia MEE-lia 37 FWD Jacob Peterson 71 DEF Marcel de Jong de YUNG 93 MID Soni Mustivar SOH-nee MOO-stuh-var 94 MID Jimmy Medranda muh-DRAHN-dah *on loan
SPORTING KANSAS CITY ROSTER
Eastern Conference Pts W L T GD GP 1. New England Revolution 14 4 2 2 +3 82. D.C. United 14 4 1 2 +2 73. New York Red Bulls 12 3 0 3 +5 64. Columbus Crew SC 11 3 2 2 +6 75. Chicago Fire 9 3 3 0 –1 66. Orlando City SC 8 2 4 2 –4 87. Toronto FC 6 2 4 0 –1 68. New York City FC 6 1 4 3 –2 89. Philadelphia Union 6 1 5 3 –7 910. Montreal Impact 2 0 2 2 –4 4Western Conference Pts W L T GP 1. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 16 5 3 1 +2 92. FC Dallas 14 4 2 2 0 83. Seattle Sounders FC 13 4 2 1 +5 74. LA Galaxy 12 3 2 3 +1 85. Houston Dynamo 10 2 2 4 +2 86. Sporting Kansas City 10 2 2 4 –1 8 7. Real Salt Lake 9 3 4 0 –2 78. Portland Timbers 9 2 3 3 –1 79. Real Salt Lake 9 2 2 3 –3 710. Colorado Rapids 7 1 2 4 0 7
2015 MLS REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
2015 REGULAR SEASON TEAM STATS
SPORTING KANSAS CITY CHICAGO FIRE
3-3-0 (9 pts.)65th in East61.00571.17-187 (27)31.0%8585100
RECORDGAMES PLAYED
CONFERENCE POSITIONGOALS
GOALS/GAMEASSISTS
GOALS ALLOWEDALLOWED/GAME
GOAL DIFFERENTIALSHOTS (ON GOAL)
ON GOAL %FOULS COMMITTED
FOULS SUFFEREDCAUTIONSEJECTIONS
2-2-4 (10 pts.)8
t-5th in West11
1.381112
1.50–1
106 (25)23.6%
989712
1
2015 REGULAR SEASON INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
SPORTING KANSAS CITY CHICAGO FIRE
1 six players tied3 Harry Shipp19 Harry Shipp5 three players tied1 three players tied2 Harry Shipp14 Matt Polster23 Quincy Amarikwa2 Adailton/Polster0
1.00 Sean Johnson2 Sean Johnson2 Sean Johnson11 Sean Johnson
GOALSASSISTSSHOTS
SHOTS ON GOALGAME-WINNING GOALS
GAME-WINNING ASSISTSFOULS COMMITTED
FOULS SUFFEREDCAUTIONSEJECTIONS
GOALS AGAINST AVG.WINS
SHUTOUTSSAVES
Krisztian Nemeth 3 Benny Feilhaber 5
Dom Dwyer 25Dom Dwyer 8
Nemeth/Opara 1 Matt Besler 2
Roger Espinoza 13Dom Dwyer 26
Ellis/Espinoza 2Matt Besler 1
Luis Marin 1.50 Luis Marin 2Luis Marin 3Luis Marin 19
Sporting KC Game Notes | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Sporting KC and the Chicago Fire are set for their 50th all-time regular season meeting Sunday at Sporting Park. It will be the first inter-conference game between the teams since 2004, when Kansas City spent its final season in the West before joining Chicago in the East in 2005. Now a member of the West again, Sporting KC will look to extend their four-game unbeaten streak against the Fire at Sporting Park. That four-game stretch includes three shutouts and an aggregate score of 5-1 in favor of Peter Vermes’ men. Chicago, however, boasts a significant edge in the all-time series with a 25-13-11 record. The Fire are 8-9-9 in Kansas City and 1-2-3 at Sporting Park with their lone win at the venue on June 29, 2012. Sporting KC’s first two major trophies in club history—the 2000 MLS Cup and the 2004 U.S. Open Cup—were secured with victories over Chicago. Kansas City topped the Fire 1-0 in the 2000 MLS Cup before beating their rivals 1-0 in the 2004 U.S. Open Cup final at Arrowhead Stadium.
Recent #SKCvCHI regular season meetingsDate Score Result Location03/16/2013 KC 0 vs CHI 0 T Sporting Park07/07/2013 KC 2 at CHI 1 W Toyota Park08/23/2013 KC 0 at CHI 1 L Toyota Park05/18/2014 KC 1 at CHI 2 L Toyota Park07/06/2014 KC 1 vs CHI 1 T Sporting Park10/10/2014 KC 2 vs CHI 0 W Sporting Park
#SKCvCHI: HEAD-TO-HEADStats as of April 29, 2015
Sporting KC - Team• One of five teams to make the MLS Cup Playoffs each of the last four
seasons (LA, NYR, SEA, RSL).• In the 2015 regular season, Sporting KC...
...leads MLS with 26 chances created from set plays and five assists from set plays ...leads MLS with four headed goals and rank tied for 2nd with 11 total goals ...leads MLS with 46 successful crosses/corners ...leads MLS with 497 duels won and 175 aerial duels won ...leads MLS with 209 interceptions, 43 more than any other team ...is tied for 3rd in MLS with 11 assists ...is 3rd in MLS with 150 tackles won ...is 2nd in MLS with 88 chances created
Sporting KC - Individual• Benny Feilhaber leads MLS with five assists.• Dom Dwyer leads MLS with 26 fouls suffered.• Matt Besler is tied for 2nd in MLS with two game-winning assists.• Benny Feilhaber and Matt Besler are the only two MLS players with
two assists from set plays.• Roger Espinoza is 4th among MLS midfielders with 50 duels won.• Krisztian Nemeth has scored in three of the club’s last four matches.• All three of Krisztian Nemeth’s shots on target this season have
resulted in goals.• Former Chicago Fire defender Jalil Anibaba has played every minute of
Sporting KC’s last six games, starting with his club debut on March 21.• Luis Marin has a 0.75 goals against average in four games at Sporting
Park.
#SKCvCHI: BY THE NUMBERS
• Manager Peter Vermes’ 78 regular season wins are tied for 12th most in MLS history. With a win Saturday, he will pass Tim Hankinson to take sole possession of 12th place.
• Dom Dwyer ranks 9th in KC history with 26 regular season goals, two behind Scott Sealy (2005-08) and Vitalis Takawira (1996-99) who are tied for 7th. His 30 goals in all competitions are tied for 9th in KC history, one behind Takawira and two behind Mo Johnston (1996-01). In SKC regular season history, Dwyer ranks... ...1st with 0.45 goals per game ...2nd with 7 penalty kick goals ...tied for 3rd with 5 multi-goal games ...tied for 8th with 7 game-winning goals
• Graham Zusi ranks 3rd in KC history with 40 assists in the MLS regular season and 50 assists in all competitions. His 16 game-winning assists are tied for 2nd all-time with Chris Klein, behind Preki’s 23. In SKC regular season history, Zusi ranks... ...9th with 154 games played ...7th with 240 shots ...6th with 198 fouls suffered ...1st with 535 corner kicks (8th most in MLS history) ...tied for 6th with 8 game-winning goals
• In SKC regular season history, Matt Besler ranks... ...8th with 157 games played ...7th with 152 games started ...7th with 13,726 minutes played
• Connor Hallisey made his MLS debut last Saturday, entering in second half stoppage time of a 4-4 draw at Houston.
• Benny Feilhaber is tied with Kei Kamara for 10th in KC history with 21 assists in all competitions, one behind Jack Jewsbury in 9th.
• Paulo Nagamura is one shy of his 75th career MLS appearance for Sporting KC (including postseason).
• Bernardo Anor is one shy of 50 MLS regular season starts.• Luis Marin is ties for 7th in KC history with three regular season
shutouts and tied for 10th with eight games played in goal.
NOTEWORTHY MILESTONES
• Graham Zusi has four goals in 12 regular season appearances against Chicago, most recently scoring the game-winner in a 2-0 win on Oct. 10, 2014, at Sporting Park.
• Benny Feilhaber has two goals and two assists in nine regular season appearances against Chicago, most recently scoring in a 2-1 win at Toyota Park on July 7, 2013.
• Dom Dwyer scored in all three meetings against Chicago last season—May 18 in Chicago, then July 6 and Oct. 10 at Sporting Park.
• In 10 regular season games against SKC, Sean Johnson has recorded four clean sheets, 37 saves and posted a 0.90 goals against average.
• Aside from injured forward Mike Magee, just one player on the current Chicago roster has scored a regular season goal against Sporting KC. Defender Jeff Larentowicz has one goal in 19 games against SKC, scoring on Oct. 25, 2008, as a member of New England.
#SKCvCHI: PLAYER PERFORMANCES
• SKC midfielder Roger Espinoza and Chicago winger Shaun Maloney were teammates at English club Wigan Athletic from 2013-2014. Both players started and played 90 minutes in Wigan’s famous 1-0 win over Manchester City in the 2013 FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.
• SKC defender Jalil Anibaba played for Chicago from 2011-2013, starting 94 of his 97 MLS appearances for the club (including postseason).
• As a member of Real Salt Lake in 2013, Chicago defender Lovel Palmer missed his penalty kick to seal Sporting KC’s MLS Cup victory in a 10-round penalty kick shootout after a 1-1 draw through regulation at Sporting Park.
• SKC midfielder Servando Carrasco and Chicago forward Jason Johnson were teammates at the Houston Dynamo from 2013-2014.
Sporting KC Game Notes | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING KANSAS CITY NEWS AND NOTESSPORTING KC BACK HOME SUNDAY TO HOST THE CHICAGO FIRE With two consecutive road matches in the books, Sporting Kansas City returns home to face the Chicago Fire at 4 p.m. CT Sunday at Sporting Park in a nationally televised match on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. Tied for fifth place in the Western Conference (2-2-4, 10 points), Sporting KC hosts Chicago as an inter-conference opponent for the first time since 2004. Peter Vermes’ men have yet to lose at Sporting Park this season (1-0-3) and are unbeaten in four straight home games against the Fire. Midfielder Benny Feilhaber enters the match in a rich vein of form, leading MLS with five assists and recording his first MLS brace—including an MLS Goal of the Week nominee—in last Saturday’s 4-4 draw at the Houston Dynamo. First-year forward Krisztian is also on an uptick with three goals in the team’s last four matches. Chicago (3-3-0, 9 points) missed out on the 2014 playoffs en route to an MLS record 18 draws last season and opened this year with three consecutive defeats. Since then, however, Frank Yallop’s side has rattled off three straight home victories with two shutouts from United States international goalkeeper Sean Johnson. Homegrown midfielder Harry Shipp, who earned an MLS Rookie of the Year nomination in 2014, leads the Fire with three assists, while first-year Designated Players Shaun Maloney and David Accam have both opened their scoring accounts.
SKC TO DEBUT ALL-WHITE THIRD KIT SUNDAY AT SPORTING PARK On Wednesday, Sporting KC released the club’s new third kit featuring a monochromatic white and metallic silver jersey that will debut Sunday at Sporting Park. The collared jersey’s signature argyle pattern, an iconic element from the third kit of the past two years, is showcased across the chest and is incorporated atop the back of the uniform, as well as on the reverse side of the socks. The silver metallic color scheme further showcases the player names/numbers, two MLS Cup championship stars above the club crest and all four distinctive logos: Ivy Funds, adidas, Sporting KC and MLS. The third kit, exclusively worn with corresponding white shorts and white socks, accompanies Sporting KC’s new primary uniform which launched for the team’s 20th season in 2015, in addition to the striped secondary jersey introduced last year.
LAST TIME OUT: SKC RALLIES TO TIE HOUSTON 4-4 WITH 95TH-MINUTE GOAL Sporting KC battled back from a 3-1 deficit with three goals in the final 20 minutes for a thrilling 4-4 draw at the Houston Dynamo last Saturday. The eight-goal game equals the second-highest scoring MLS match in club history, a feat not seen since 1998, and was capped off by Benny Feilhaber’s superb equalizer in the fifth minute of second half stoppage time. Krisztian Nemeth opened the scoring just two minutes into the match, finding the net for the third time this month, before Dom Dwyer kick-started the comeback with his second goal of the year in the 74th minute. Feilhaber then recorded the first brace of his MLS career and did so in dramatic fashion with a penalty kick in the 80th minute before a stunning half-volley from 25 yards out with less than two minutes remaining. Rookie midfielder Connor Hallisey made his MLS debut in second half stoppage time. The rivals, who have played 16 times since 2011, are now tied for fIfth place in the Western Conference standings with 10 points and will meet twice more in the regular season—Aug. 1 at Sporting Park and Sept. 23 back in Houston.
GOALS GALORE IN HOUSTON Last Saturday’s 4-4 draw between Sporting KC and Houston was tied for the second highest scoring match in Kansas City’s 646-game MLS history (including postseason). Only a 6-4 win against Columbus during the inaugural 1996 season offered more scoring over 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Sporting KC’s four goals were also tied for the team’s second most in a road match all-time, one behind a five-goal shutout win at Colorado in 2000. The fact that Kansas City put four past a Houston defense that had previously conceded one goal in 360 minutes at BBVA Stadium this year (and led MLS with 0.57 goals allowed per game) makes the feat even more impressive.Highest scoring matches in Sporting KC historyDate Result Goals Venue05/02/1996 KC 6-4 CLB 10 Arrowhead Stadium08/16/1998 CLB 5-3 KC 8 Ohio Stadium04/25/2015 HOU 4-4 KC 8 BBVA Compass StadiumNote: seven goals scored on 11 occasions (KC is 9-2-0 in those games)
SPORTING PARK SELLOUT STREAK Sporting Park has sold out 57 consecutive MLS matches (including playoffs) dating back to March 2012 and 69 of 78 overall since opening in June 2011. Sporting KC has set new regular season attendance records in each of the last four years, eclipsing 20,00 spectators per game in 2014. In 77 MLS matches played at the venue, Sporting Park is averaging 19,367 spectators -- 104.9 percent of its 18,467-seat capacity. Sporting KC’s average home attendance in 2014 was at 108.7 percent capacity, the best mark in MLS.
FEILHABER UP FOR GOAL OF THE WEEK AND TEAM OF THE WEEK Sporting KC midfielder Benny Feilhaber continued his strong start to the season in a 4-4 draw at the Houston Dynamo last Saturday. Major League Soccer’s assist leader opened his 2015 scoring account with the first two-goal performance of his MLS career, landing him unanimous Team of the Week recognition from MLSsoccer.com, Goal.com, Bleacher Report and NBC Pro Soccer Talk. In addition, Feilhaber’s spectacular volley in the 95th minute of the match has been nominated for MLS Goal of the Week. The late strike was the final goal in Sporting KC’s second-highest scoring match in team history.
FOR THE GOALKEEPERS, ONE TO FORGET Though last Saturday’s 4-4 draw may have been an instant classic among fans, pundits and participating field players, it will be one the goalkeepers want to forget. Luis Marin and Tyler Deric combined to make zero saves, marking just the fourth time in MLS history that a match failed to produce a single save. The other three instances—most recently a scoreless draw between FC Dallas and Seattle last month—combined for just seven shots on goal, while Houston and SKC combined for eight.All-time MLS matches without a save from either teamDate Result Shots on goal Venue05/18/2005 RSL 2-0 CHV 2 Rice-Eccles Stadium04/04/2009 LA 2-3 COL 5 StubHub Center03/28/2015 DAL 0-0 SEA 0 Toyota Stadium04/25/2015 HOU 4-4 KC 8 BBVA Compass Stadium
SCORING EARLY, SCORING LATE Sporting KC bookended the scoring last Saturday, drawing first blood really early and salvaging a tie really late. Krisztian Nemeth’s low drive in the second minute—the fourth earliest ever conceded by Houston at home—was tied for the team’s second quickest road goal all-time. Conversely, Benny Feilhaber’s spectacular volley after 95 minutes was the team’s second latest road goal all-time and fourth latest overall. Both goals came from outside the box, as did Giles Barnes’ strike in the 46th minute. The three total goals from beyond the penalty area tied an all-time MLS high during the Opta era (2011-present).Latest stoppage time goals in Sporting KC regular season historyDate Result Scorer Min. Venue07/20/2013 RSL 1-2 KC Ike Opara* 97+ Rio Tinto Stadium09/28/2012 KC 2-0 CHI Graham Zusi 96+ Sporting Park09/22/2010 KC 4-3 HOU Josh Wolff* 96+ CommunityAmerica Ballpark04/25/2015 HOU 4-4 KC Benny Feilhaber 95+ BBVA Compass Stadium05/04/2014 KC 2-0 CLB Claudio Bieler 95+ Sporting Park
*Game-winning goal
ZUSI NOTCHES 50TH ASSIST IN ALL COMPETITIONS Graham Zusi’s cushioned header that led to Feilhaber’s last-gasp equalizer last Saturday gave the United States international 50 career assists for Sporting KC in all competitions. Zusi becomes just the third player in club history to reach that mark, behind Preki (104) and Chris Klein (54).
DWYER DOMINANT AGAINST DYNAMO Dom Dwyer, whose opportunistic goal in the 74th minute cut Kansas City’s deficit to 3-2 last Saturday in Houstno, has now scored in each of his last four matches against the Dynamo dating back to the 2013 Eastern Conference Championship second leg. He is the club’s fourth player to score in four straight MLS games against the same opponent (including postseason). KC players to score in four straight games vs. same opponent (incl. playoffs)Player Opponent DatesPreki New England Revolution 6/1/96 to 5/3/97 LA Galaxy 10 /10/96 to 5/10/97Mark Chung D.C. United 6/20/96 to 7/19/97Kei Kamara D.C. United 10/24/09 to 8/21/11Dom Dwyer Houston Dynamo 11/23/13 to 4/25/15
FOUR GOALS NOT ENOUGH IN LATE COMEBACK Last Saturday was the first time ever that Kansas City scored at least four goals and failed to win in MLS competition, having previously been 36-0-0 in those games (including postseason). It also marked the fifth time ever that the team earned a road result after trailing by two goals in the second half.
NEMETH FINDING HIS FORM First-year forward Krisztian Nemeth has scored in three of Sporting KC’s last four matches and is now the club’s top scorer in 2015. The 26-year-old Hungarian and former Liverpool Reserves member has put three shots on goal this season, each of which has found the back of the net.
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Sporting KC Game Notes | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING KANSAS CITY NEWS AND NOTES (CONTINUED)LOAN RECAP: ABDUL-SALAAM AND SAN ANTONIO SALVAGE LATE DRAW Following in the footsteps of Sporting KC, Saad Abdul-Salaam and the San Antonio Scorpions received an equalizer in second half stoppage time to salvage an exciting 2-2 draw last Saturday, April 25. The defending North American Soccer League champions (0-2-1) secured their first point of the 2015 season as a late penalty kick from Rafael Castillo denied Minnesota United (0-1-2) three points in front of a franchise record crowd of 9,233 at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota. Abdul-Salaam played the entire match at right back and has featured in every minute of San Antonio’s young NASL campaign. In Oklahoma City, meanwhile, midfielder Mikey Lopez earned his fourth start in as many matches as OKC Energy FC (2-1-1) suffered their first defeat of the 2015 USL season, 2-1, against expansion team St. Louis FC (2-2-1) at Taft Stadium. Lopez played 56 minutes for Jimmy Nielsen’s men.Mikey Lopez (OKC) USL Stats: 4 GP, 4 GS, 408 MINSaad Abdul-Salaam (San Antonio) NASL Stats: 3 GP, 3 GS, 270 MINJon Kempin (San Antonio) NASL Stats: 2 GP, 180 MIN, 2.50 GAA, 5 saves
WINNING THE DUEL In a 3-1 loss at FC Dallas on March 14, Sporting KC lost 61 percent (69 of 113) of the game’s duels, marking the largest negative discrepancy in duels for Sporting KC since Opta began tracking MLS statistics in 2011. Following the match, Sporting KC responded with two consecutive performances in which they set MLS season-highs for duels won. Peter Vermes’ men won 72 duels in a 0-0 draw against Portland before winning 78 in a win at New York City FC. Sporting KC has out-dueled five of their last six opponents and leads MLS with 497 duels won entering Week 9.
SPORTING KC A SET PIECE THREAT Through the first eight weeks of the season, Sporting KC has been one of the league’s most dangerous teams on set pieces. In addition to scoring four goals directly off set pieces, the team has accumulated numerous statistics that illustrate their set piece prowess.
• Sporting KC leads MLS with 26 chances created from set plays (10 more than any other team) and five assists from set plays
• Sporting KC leads MLS with four headed goals• Benny Feilhaber and Matt Besler are two of three MLS players (Brad
Davis) with multiple assists from set plays (two each).
STADIUM CRASHERS On March 28, Sporting KC delivered New York City FC their first ever defeat at Yankee Stadium with a 1-0 result. Sporting KC has now handed MLS opponents their first loss at a new stadium at seven different venues, including a penalty shootout win against San Jose in 1996. Opponent Date Venue of 1st loss ResultSan Jose Earthquakes April 21, 1996 Spartan Stadium T 2-2Houston Dynamo April 8, 2006 Robertson Stadium W 2-1Toronto FC April 28, 2007 BMO Field W 1-0Seattle Sounders April 11, 2009 CenturyLink Field W 1-0Real Salt Lake May 16, 2009 Rio Tinto Stadium W 2-0Houston Dynamo May 12, 2013 BBVA Compass Stadium W 1-0New York City FC March 28, 2015 Yankee Stadium W 1-0
RULING THE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Following a 1-0 win at New York City on March 28, Sporting KC moved to 7-1-2 in their first meetings against expansion (or relocated*) clubs during Major League Soccer’s expansion era (2005-present) . The list below excludes the San Jose Earthquakes, who took a two year hiatus from 2006-07 before returning to MLS in 2008.Opponent Date Venue ResultChivas USA June 1, 2005 StubHub Center T 1-1Real Salt Lake July 16, 2005 Arrowhead Stadium W 3-2Houston Dynamo* April 8, 2006 Robertson Stadium W 2-1Toronto FC April 25, 2007 Arrowhead Stadium W 3-0Seattle Sounders FC April 11, 2009 CenturyLink Field W 1-0Philadelphia Union June 10, 2010 CommunityAmerica Ballpark W 2-0Vancouver Whitecaps April 2, 2011 Empire Field T 3-3Portland Timbers July 2, 2011 Providence Park W 2-1Montreal Impact May 5, 2012 Sporting Park L 2-0New York City FC March 28, 2015 Yankee Stadium W 1-0
IN-FORM FEILHABER FAST TO FIVE ASSISTS From a playmaking perspective, Benny Feilhaber is off to one of the best starts in club history. At LA Galaxy on April 18, he became the second fastest player to reach the five assist mark, doing so in his seventh league appearance of 2015. Feilhaber’s role in Krisztian Nemeth’s 22nd-minute strike also marked the second time in Sporting KC history that one player has assisted five of the team’s first seven goals in a season. The only other player to accomplish that feat is winger Graham Zusi, who needed just four games to reach five assists in 2012 and also set up five of the club’s first seven goals that year. With 26 regular season matches still to play in 2015, Feilhaber is two assists shy of equaling his career-high, set in 2011 during his first MLS campaign with the New England Revolution. After recording a brace last Saturday at Houston, he is also two goals shy of equalling a career-best four MLS goals, set in 2011 and 2014.
IN-FORM DEFENDER IKE OPARA SIDELINED WITH RUPTURED ACHILLES Sporting KC announced on April 13 that defender Ike Opara has been diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles tendon in his left ankle. He suffered the injury in the 81st minute of Saturday’s scoreless draw between Sporting KC and Real Salt Lake at Sporting Park. The 26-year-old centerback had played every minute of the team’s first six games until that point after coming back from a season-ending surgery in his right ankle one year ago. At the time of his injury, Opara led Sporting KC – and all MLS defenders – with two goals in 2015, while also anchoring a backline that had three shutouts and conceded the fewest shots per game (9.83) of any team in the league this season. In addition, he led all MLS players in 2015 with 30 interceptions and 33 aerials won, while ranking second in duels won (55). He was named to MLSsoccer.com’s Team of the Week in three of the season’s first four weeks and finished third in MLS Player of the Month voting for March. Opara’s two goals this season bring his goal total to six across all competitions since he joined the club in 2013 from San Jose. The 6-foot-2 centerback has proven particularly dangerous on set pieces, as all six of his goals have been headers. Opara’s five MLS goals over the last three regular seasons are tied for third most among defenders, one behind Jordan Harvey (Vancouver) and Matt Hedges (Dallas). Opara has been a key contributor for teams that have won the NCAA National Championship (Wake Forest, 2007), Supporters’ Shield (San Jose, 2012) and MLS Cup (Sporting KC, 2013). At the international level, he represented the United States at the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt and was also a member of the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team during Olympic qualifying in 2012.
HISTORIC COMEBACK Sporting KC’s 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Union on April 5 was just the seventh in MLS history by a team that trailed entering stoppage time. Jalil Anibaba scored a 91st-minute equalizer to set the stage for Krisztian Nemeth’s game-winner with 94 minutes on the clock. The last time Kansas City pulled off such a reversal was Sept. 17, 2007, when Eddie Johnson (93’) and Scott Sealy (94’) condemned the Columbus Crew to a 3-2 defeat.All-time MLS comeback wins in stoppage timeDate Result Score at 90 min Venue04/08/2000 DC 3-2 CHI 1-2 RFK Stadium04/21/2001 DAL 3-2 CHI 1-2 Cotton Bowl07/27/2003 NE 2-4 DC 2-1 Gillette Stadium09/15/2007 KC 3-2 CLB 1-2 Arrowhead Stadium10/15/2011 DC 1-2 CHI 1-0 RFK Stadium06/29/2013 SJ 3-2 LA 1-2 Stanford Stadium04/05/2015 KC 3-2 PHI 1-2 Sporting Park
SPORTING KC REACHES 1,000 GOALS IN ALL COMPETITIONS In addition to being the club’s 1,000th goal across all competitions in team history, Krisztian Nemeth’s 94th-minute match-winner on April 5 against the Philadelphia Union bore league-wide significance. It was the first MLS match in which both teams scored at least two goals from set pieces since September 2009.Sporting KC milestone goals (all competitions)Goal Scorer Date Opponent1st Vitalis Takawira 04/13/1996 Colorado Rapids100th Edmundo Rodriguez 06/21/1997 D.C. United200th Preki 07/31/1999 San Jose Clash300th Roy Lassiter 08/12/2001 Colorado Rapids400th Stephen Armstrong 07/04/2003 Colorado Rapids500th Own goal 05/21/2005 D.C. United600th Jose Burciaga 05/05/2007 Columbus Crew700th Own goal 06/24/2009 New England Revolution800th Kei Kamara 08/21/2011 D.C. United900th Graham Zusi 07/07/2013 Chicago Fire1000th Krisztian Nemeth 04/05/2015 Philadelphia Union
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Sporting KC Game Notes | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING KANSAS CITY NEWS AND NOTES (CONTINUED)OPTA: SPORTING KC 2015 REGULAR SEASON GAME HIGHS TEAMStatistic # Opponent Date ResultGoals 4 Houston Dynamo 4/25/15 T 4-4Assists 4 Philadelphia Union 4/5/15 W 3-2Shots 18 New York Red Bulls 3/8/15 T 1-1Shots on goal 6 Philadelphia Union 4/5/15 W 3-2Chances created 15 New York Red Bulls 3/8/15 T 1-1 Houston Dynamo 4/25/15 T 4-4Passes successful 368 Philadelphia Union 4/5/15 W 3-2Passing accuracy 83.5% Houston Dynamo 4/25/15 T 4-4Corners 8 Philadelphia Union 4/5/15 W 3-2Possession 67.6% Philadelphia Union 4/5/15 W 3-2Duels won 78 New York City FC 3/28/15 W 1-0Tackles won 29 Philadelphia Union 4/5/15 W 3-2Interceptions 37 New York Red Bulls 3/8/15 T 1-1 New York City FC 3/28/15 W 1-0Shots faced (high) 14 New York Red Bulls 3/8/15 T 1-1Shots faced (low) 4 Real Salt Lake 4/11/15 T 0-0Fouls committed 16 FC Dallas 3/14/15 L 3-1Fouls suffered 17 New York Red Bulls 3/8/15 T 1-1
INDIVIDUALStatistic # Player Date Opp.Shots 6 Dom Dwyer 4/5/15 PHIShots on goal 4 Dom Dwyer 4/5/15 PHIChances created 5 Dom Dwyer 3/8/15 NYR Graham Zusi 3/8/15 NYR Benny Feilhaber 4/11/15 RSLPasses successful 70 Matt Besler 4/5/15 PHICorners 7 Benny Feilhaber 4/5/15 PHIOpen play crosses 9 Marcel de Jong 4/11/15 RSLDribbles completed 4 Roger Espinoza 3/21/15 POR Graham Zusi 3/21/15 PORDuels won 13 Ike Opara 3/28/15 @ NYC Ike Opara 4/11/15 RSLTackles won 6 Jimmy Medranda 4/5/15 PHIInterceptions 9 Kevin Ellis 3/14/15 @ DAL Ike Opara 3/28/15 NYCClearances 15 Ike Opara 3/28/15 NYCHeaded clearances 10 Ike Opara 3/28/15 NYC Matt Besler 4/18/15 @ LAFouls committed 4 Benny Feilhaber 3/14/15 @ DAL Roger Espinoza 3/21/15 POR Kevin Ellis 4/25/15 @ HOUFouls suffered 6 Dom Dwyer 3/28/15 @ NYC Dom Dwyer 4/11/15 RSLSaves 4 Luis Marin (twice) 4/5/15 PHI 4/18/15 @ LA2015 MEDIA RECOGNITIONSJalil AnibabaWeek 5 (4/6) Goal.com Team of the WeekMarcel de JongWeek 3 (3/23) Bleacher Report Team of the Week Goal.com Team of the Week MLSsoccer.com Team of the WeekDom DwyerWeek 5 (4/6) Goal.com Team of the WeekRoger EspinozaWeek 2 (3/16) Bleacher Report Team of the WeekWeek 3 (3/23) NBC Pro Soccer Talk Team of the WeekWeek 5 (4/6) Goal.com Team of the WeekBenny FeilhaberWeek 1 (3/9) NBC Pro Soccer Talk Team of the WeekWeek 4 (3/30) Goal.com Team of the Week MLSsoccer.com Team of the WeekWeek 6 (4/13) NBC Pro Soccer Talk Team of the WeekWeek 8 (4/27) Bleacher Report Team of the Week Goal.com Team of the Week MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week NBC Pro Soccer Talk Team of the Week Soccer by Ives Goal of the WeekIke OparaWeek 1 (3/9) Bleacher Report Team of the Week Goal.com Team of the Week MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week NBC Pro Soccer Talk Team of the Week Soccer By Ives Best XIWeek 3 (3/23) MLSsoccer.com Team of the WeekWeek 4 (3/30) Bleacher Report Team of the Week Goal.com Team of the Week MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week NBC Pro Soccer Talk Team of the WeekMarch Soccer By Ives Player of the Month MLSsoccer.com Player of the Month finalistWeek 6 (4/13) Goal.com Team of the Week
ROAD WARRIORS Sporting KC has won 30 away matches in MLS since the beginning of 2011, more than any other club, including eight road wins in each of the previous three regular seasons. Their 24 road wins from 2012-2014 are the most of any MLS club over a three-year span during the non-shootout era (2000-present). Coincidentally, the 1-0 victory over New York City FC on March 28 was Sporting KC’s 300th regular season road game and the team’s 100th road win across all competition in club history.
OFFSEASON OVERHAULA roster makeover during the offseason saw Sporting KC acquire 13 new players and part ways with 15 members from last year’s squad. While retaining its veteran core – Matt Besler, Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer, Seth Sinovic and Chance Myers – the club made multiple signings at each position.New goalkeepers (2): Luis Marin (31), a Chilean international (eight caps) with 12 years of professional experience in his native country and Sporting KC’s current holder of the No. 1 jersey; Tim Melia (28), a sixth-year MLS veteran who was a League Pool Goalkeeper in 2014 and received a call-up from Sporting KC last summer.New defenders (4): Jalil Anibaba (26), a versatile veteran who has started more than 100 MLS matches over four years with Chicago and Seattle; Saad Abdul-Salaam (23), a right back out of Akron selected 12th overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft; Amadou Dia (21), a left back out of Clemson selected 20th overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft; Marcel de Jong (28), a Canadian international (33 caps) who has played each of the last four years at FC Augsburg of the German Bundesliga.New midfielders (3): Roger Espinoza (28), a Honduran international (46 caps) and MLS All-Star who played in Kansas City from 2008-2012 before joining Wigan Athletic in England; Servando Carrasco (26), an MLS veteran who played 60 games over four years with Seattle and Houston; Soni Mustivar (25), a Haiti international who has played each of the last three seasons with Petrolul Ploiesti in the Romanian first division.New forwards (4): Bernardo Anor (26), a fifth-year veteran who played 72 MLS matches and scored 12 goals in Columbus; Krisztian Nemeth (26), a Hungarian international (15 caps) with nearly 10 years of professional experience across Europe; Connor Hallisey (22), a winger out of California selected 10th overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft; James Ansu Rogers (21), a winger out of New Mexico selected 53rd overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft.
SUCCESS IN KANSAS CITY Sporting KC is in their 20th season as one of nine active charter members in Major League Soccer. Led by seventh-year Manager Peter Vermes, Sporting KC is the only club to win an MLS Cup (2013), a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (2012) and multiple conference regular season titles (2011, 2012) since 2006. Vermes has guided the team to four straight postseason appearances and 69 MLS victories (including playoffs) since 2011, third most in the league. During that time, Sporting KC has recorded a league-best 30 road wins. In addition to winning championships, the club has seen many of its current players earn individual accolades. Winger Graham Zusi was named MLS Breakout Player of the Year in 2011, while captain Matt Besler received MLS Defender of the Year recognition in 2012. A pair of three-time MLS All-Stars, Zusi (28 caps) and Besler (25 caps) are veterans of the United States Men’s National Team and signed Designated Player contracts with Sporting KC last July after competing at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Last year, Dwyer scored 22 MLS goals and 24 goals in all competitions to set new single-season records for the club. The 24-year-old has scored 52 goals in all competitions since the start of 2013—30 with Sporting KC and 22 with former USL PRO affiliate Orlando City SC. Now entering his fourth year in Kansas City, Dwyer signed a contract extension during this offseason. Sporting KC also welcomes back Honduran international midfielder Roger Espinoza, who played five seasons for the team from 2008-2012. After becoming an MLS All-Star in 2012, Espinoza moved to Wigan Athletic where he won the 2013 FA Cup title and made 57 total appearances across the English Premier League, English Championship, UEFA Europa League and domestic cups. He is the only active MLS player to have competed in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups and the 2012 Summer Olympics.
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Sporting KC Game Notes | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Sporting KC regular season record vs. Chicago Fire: 13-25-11Home games: 9-8-9 (36 GF, 38 GA)Road games: 4-17-2 (22 GF, 47 GA)
Date Score Result Location04/08/1998 KC 1 vs CHI 0 W Arrowhead Stadium06/24/1998 KC 1 at CHI 4 L Soldier Field08/29/1998 KC 2 vs CHI 2 L (SO) Arrowhead Stadium09/17/1998 KC 0 at CHI 1 L Soldier Field03/27/1999 KC 0 vs CHI 3 L Arrowhead Stadium05/22/1999 KC 1 at CHI 3 L Soldier Field08/05/1999 KC 1 vs CHI 2 L Arrowhead Stadium08/25/1999 KC 0 at CHI 2 L Soldier Field03/25/2000 KC 4 vs CHI 3 W Arrowhead Stadium06/04/2000 KC 2 at CHI 3 L Soldier Field05/19/2001 KC 0 at CHI 2 L Soldier Field07/04/2001 KC 0 vs CHI 7 L Arrowhead Stadium08/14/2002 KC 1 at CHI 5 L Cardinal Stadium08/31/2002 KC 2 vs CHI 1 W Arrowhead Stadium04/26/2003 KC 2 vs CHI 3 L Arrowhead Stadium06/21/2003 KC 4 vs CHI 2 W Arrowhead Stadium07/26/2003 KC 0 at CHI 2 L Cardinal Stadium04/03/2004 KC 0 vs CHI 0 T Arrowhead Stadium05/08/2004 KC 2 vs CHI 2 T Arrowhead Stadium09/01/2004 KC 1 at CHI 3 L Soldier Field06/18/2005 KC 1 at CHI 1 T Soldier Field08/10/2005 KC 3 at CHI 2 W Soldier Field08/19/2005 KC 3 vs CHI 0 W Arrowhead Stadium10/01/2005 KC 0 vs CHI 1 L Arrowhead Stadium05/06/2006 KC 1 vs CHI 1 T Arrowhead Stadium06/17/2006 KC 3 vs CHI 2 W Arrowhead Stadium07/04/2006 KC 0 at CHI 1 L Toyota Park08/16/2006 KC 0 at CHI 3 L Toyota Park04/21/2007 KC 1 at CHI 2 L Toyota Park08/22/2007 KC 3 vs CHI 2 W Arrowhead Stadium08/25/2007 KC 0 at CHI 2 L Toyota Park04/20/2008 KC 1 at CHI 0 W Toyota Park07/27/2008 KC 0 vs CHI 0 T CommunityAmerica Ballpark10/05/2008 KC 1 vs CHI 1 T CommunityAmerica Ballpark04/18/2009 KC 2 at CHI 2 T Toyota Park08/16/2009 KC 0 vs CHI 2 L CommunityAmerica Ballpark05/15/2010 KC 2 vs CHI 2 T CommunityAmerica Ballpark10/12/2010 KC 2 at CHI 0 W Toyota Park03/26/2011 KC 2 at CHI 3 L Toyota Park06/09/2011 KC 0 vs CHI 0 T Sporting Park05/12/2012 KC 1 at CHI 2 L Toyota Park06/29/2012 KC 0 vs CHI 1 L Sporting Park09/28/2012 KC 2 vs CHI 0 W Sporting Park03/16/2013 KC 0 vs CHI 0 T Sporting Park07/07/2013 KC 2 at CHI 1 W Toyota Park08/23/2013 KC 0 at CHI 1 L Toyota Park05/18/2014 KC 1 at CHI 2 L Toyota Park07/06/2014 KC 1 vs CHI 1 T Sporting Park10/10/2014 KC 2 vs CHI 0 W Sporting Park
Sporting KC postseason record vs. Chicago Fire: 1-0-0Date Score Result Location10/15/2000 KC 1 vs CHI 0 W RFK Stadium 2000 MLS Cup
Soni Mustivar (signing - 2/13/15) C.J. Sapong (trade - 12/8/14)
Amadou Dia (SuperDraft - 2/18/15) Soony Saad (out of contract - 1/1/15)
James Ansu Rogers (SuperDraft - 2/25/15) Igor Juliao (loan ends - 1/1/15)
Marcel de Jong (signing - 3/2/15) Claudio Bieler (out of contract - 1/20/15)
Jorge Claros (waived - 2/24/15)
James Marcelin (waived - 2/24/15)
DATE IN/OUT DETAILSNov. 25: OUT Sporting KC declines contract options for M Christian Duke, M Antonio Dovale, GK Andy Gruenebaum, M Michael Kafari, GK Eric Kronberg, M Victor Munoz and F Sal Zizzo; M Lawrence Olum and M Martin Steuble leave club out of contractDec. 8: IN Sporting KC acquires M Bernardo Anor from Columbus Crew SCDec. 8: OUT Sporting KC trades D Aurelien Collin to Orlando City SC; trades F C.J. Sapong to Philadelphia UnionDec. 12: IN Sporting KC signs D Jalil Anibaba after acquiring his rights from Orlando City SC (2014 MLS Expansion Draft)Dec. 16: IN Sporting KC signs M James MarcelinDec. 17 Sporting KC signs F Dom Dwyer to contract extensionDec. 18: IN Sporting KC signs GK Luis Marin and F Krisztian NemethDec. 23: IN Sporting KC signs GK Tim MeliaJan. 1: OUT F Soony Saad leaves club out of contract; D Igor Juliao leaves club as loan expiresJan. 6: IN Sporting KC signs M Roger EspinozaJan. 15: IN Sporting KC selects M Connor Hallisey (10th overall), D Saad Abdul-Salaam (12th overall) and D Amadou Dia (20th overall) in the first round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. Hallisey and Abdul-Salaam signed with MLS prior to the draft and were automatically added to Sporting KC’s roster.Jan. 15: Sporting KC signs F Jacob Peterson to new contractJan. 20: OUT F Claudio Bieler leaves club out of contractJan. 20: IN Sporting KC selects M James Ansu Rogers (53rd overall) and D Tony Rocha (73rd overall) in the third and fourth rounds of the 2015 MLS SuperDraftJan. 27: IN Sporting KC signs D Kevin Ellis to new contract; signs M Servando Carrasco after acquiring his rights from Houston DynamoFeb. 13: IN Sporting KC signs M Soni MustivarFeb. 18: IN Sporting KC signs D Amadou Dia, the 20th overall pick (first round) in the 2015 MLS SuperDraftFeb. 24: OUT Sporting KC waives M Jorge Claros and M James MarcelinFeb. 25: IN Sporting KC signs F James Ansu Rogers, the 53rd overall pick (third round) in the 2015 MLS SuperDraftMarch 2: IN Sporting KC signs D Marcel de JongMarch 20: LOAN Sporting KC loans GK Jon Kempin to San Antonio Scorpions (NASL)March 24: LOAN Sporting KC loans M Mikey Lopez to OKC Energy FC (USL)April 1: LOAN Sporting KC loans D Saad Abdul-Salaam to San Antonio Scorpions (NASL)
Sat/Sun, Nov. 7/8 Conference Semifinals (Leg 2) MLS Cup Playoffs
Sat/Sun, Nov. 21/22 Conference Championship (Leg 1) MLS Cup Playoffs
Sat/Sun, Nov. 28/29 Conference Championship (Leg 2) MLS Cup Playoffs
Sat/Sun, Dec. 5/6 MLS Cup Final MLS Cup Playoffs
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2015 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
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Sporting KC Game Notes | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2015 BOX SCORES
March 8, 2015: Sporting KC 1-1 New York Red BullsMLS Regular Season | Sporting Park | Kansas City, KS
Attendance: 19,784 (54th straight sellout)Weather: 70 degrees and sunny
1 2 FSporting KC (0-0-1, 1 pt) 0 1 1New York Red Bulls (0-0-1, 1 pt) 0 1 1
Sporting KC: Luis Marin; Seth Sinovic, Matt Besler (c), Ike Opara, Amadou Dia; Roger Espinoza, Benny Feilhaber, Krisztian Nemeth (Jacob Peterson 77); Bernardo Anor (Paulo Nagamura 61), Dom Dwyer, Graham Zusi (Erik Palmer-Brown 85)Subs not used: Tim Melia, Connor Hallisey, Jalil Anibaba, Jimmy Medranda
New York Red Bulls: Luis Robles; Damien Perrinelle, Ronald Zubar (Matt Miazga 77), Roy Miller, Chris Duvall; Sacha Kljestan, Felipe (Anatole Bertrand Abang 84), Lloyd Sam, Dax McCarty (c), Mike Grella (Sal Zizzo 68); Bradley Wright-PhillipsSubs not used: Kyle Reynish, Sean Davis, Leo Stolz, Dane Richards
Sporting KC: Luis Marin; Amadou Dia, Kevin Ellis, Ike Opara, Marcel de Jong; Paulo Nagamura, Benny Feilhaber, Roger Espinoza; Graham Zusi (c) (Jacob Peterson 88), Dom Dwyer, Krisztian Nemeth (Bernardo Anor 76)Subs not used: Tim Melia, Seth Sinovic, Jalil Anibaba, Soni Mustivar, Jimmy Medranda
FC Dallas: Chris Seitz; Atiba Harris, Matt Hedges (c), Moises Hernandez, Zach Loyd; Fabian Castillo (Kyle Bekker 89), Mauro Diaz (Ryan Hollingshead 69), Michel, Tesho Akindele (Michael Barrios 76), Victor Ulloa; Blas PerezSubs not used: Dan Kennedy, Walker Zimmerman, David Texeira, Kellyn Acosta
Sporting KC: Luis Marin; Jalil Anibaba, Ike Opara, Matt Besler (c), Marcel de Jong; Benny Feilhaber (Servando Carrasco 84), Paulo Nagamura, Roger Espinoza (Soni Mustivar 93+); Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer, Jimmy Medranda (Bernardo Anor 56)Subs not used: Tim Melia, Amadou Dia, Seth Sinovic, Jacob Peterson
Portland Timbers: Adam Kwarasey; Alvas Powell, Nat Borchers, Liam Ridgewell (c), Jorge Villafana; Diego Chara, Jack Jewsbury, Dairon Asprilla (Gaston Fernandez 76), Darlington Nagbe, Rodney Wallace (Jeanderson 92+); Fanendo Adi (Maximiliano Urruti 76)Subs not used: Andrew Weber, Norberto Paparatto, Taylor Peay, George Fochive
March 28, 2015: Sporting KC 1-0 New York City FCMLS Regular Season | Yankee Stadium | Bronx, NY
Attendance: 27,454Weather: 36 degrees and cloudy
1 2 FSporting KC (1-1-2, 5 pts) 1 0 1New York City FC (1-1-2, 5 pts) 0 0 0
Sporting KC: Luis Marin; Seth Sinovic, Matt Besler (c), Ike Opara, Jalil Anibaba; Servando Carrasco, Benny Feilhaber, Paulo Nagamura (Soni Mustivar 78); Graham Zusi (Bernardo Anor 39), Dom Dwyer, Jimmy Medranda (Jacob Peterson 67)Subs not used: Tim Melia, Kevin Ellis, Amadou Dia, Connor Hallisey
New York City FC: Josh Saunders; Jeb Brovsky, Kwame Watson-Siriboe, Jason Hernandez, Chris Wingert; Ned Grabavoy, Andrew Jacobson (Thomas McNamara 84), Mix Diskerud (c), Mehdi Ballouchy (Kwadwo Poku 75); Patrick Mullins, Javier Calle (Tony Taylor 59)Subs not used: Ryan Meara, Andres Mendoza, Pablo Alvarez, Matthew Dunn
Sporting KC: Luis Marin; Jalil Anibaba, Ike Opara, Matt Besler (c), Marcel de Jong (Seth Sinovic 46); Servando Carrasco (Soni Mustivar 77), Roger Espinoza, Benny Feilhaber; Jacob Peterson, Dom Dwyer, Jimmy Medranda (Krisztian Nemeth 64)Subs not used: Tim Melia, Kevin Ellis, Paulo Nagamura, Bernardo Anor
Philadelphia Union: Rais Mbolhi; Fabinho (Raymond Lee 78), Steven Vitoria, Maurice Edu (c), Raymon Gaddis; Andrew Wenger, Brian Carroll, Michael Lahoud, Eric Ayuk (C.J. Sapong 72); Sebastien Le Toux, Fernando AristeguietaSubs not used: Ryan Meara, Andres Mendoza, Pablo Alvarez, Matthew Dunn
Stats Summary SKC PHIShots (on goal) 14 (6) 10 (5)Saves 4 2Fouls 11 11Offside 2 3Corner Kicks 8 3 Misconduct Summary:SKC -- Marcel de Jong (caution; reckless tackle) 18PHI -- Maurice Edu (caution; tactical foul) 62PHI -- Brian Carroll (caution; reckless foul) 68
Scoring Summary:PHI -- Own Goal (Jacob Peterson) 3SKC -- Dom Dwyer 1 (Benny Feilhaber 3) 16PHI -- Fernando Aristeguieta 3 (Sebastien Le Toux 1) 19SKC -- Jalil Anibaba 1 (Roger Espinoza 1) 91+SKC -- Krisztian Nemeth 1 (M. Besler 2, B. Feilhaber 4) 94+
April 11, 2015: Sporting KC 0-0 Real Salt LakeMLS Regular Season | Sporting Park | Kansas City, KS
1 2 FSporting KC (2-1-3, 9 pts) 0 0 0Real Salt Lake (2-0-3, 9 pts) 0 0 0
Sporting KC: Luis Marin; Marcel de Jong, Matt Besler (c), Ike Opara (Kevin Ellis 84), Jalil Anibaba; Roger Espinoza, Servando Carrasco, Benny Feilhaber; Krisztian Nemeth, Dom Dwyer, Jacob Peterson (Bernardo Anor 77)Subs not used: Tim Melia, Soni Mustivar, Amadou Dia, Jimmy Medranda, Paulo Nagamura
Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando; Jamison Olave, Elias Vasquez, Tony Beltran, Kenny Mansally; Luke Mulholland (John Stertzer 92+), Kyle Beckerman (c), Javier Morales; Luis Gil (Jordan Allen 65), Alvaro Saborio, Olmes Garcia (Demar Phillips 88)Subs not used: Jeff Attinella, Aaron Maund, Sebastian Saucedo, Devon Sandoval
Sporting KC: Luis Marin; Marcel de Jong (Amadou Dia 75), Matt Besler (c), Kevin Ellis, Jalil Anibaba; Servando Carrasco, Roger Espinoza, Benny Feilhaber; Krisztian Nemeth (Bernardo Anor 75), Dom Dwyer, Graham Zusi (Jacob Peterson 92)Subs not used: Tim Melia, Paulo Nagamura, Soni Mustivar, Connor Hallisey
LA Galaxy: Jaime Penedo; Dan Gargan, A.J. DeLaGarza, Tommy Meyer (Omar Gonzalez 78), Robbie Rogers; Stefan Ishizaki (Gyasi Zardes 69), Rafael Garcia (Mike Vayrynen 66), Juninho (c), Baggio Husidic; Bradford Jamieson, Alan GordonSubs not used: Brian Rowe, Oscar Sorto, Jose Villarreal, Ignacio Maganto
Stats Summary SKC LAShots (on goal) 10 (2) 9 (6)Saves 4 1Fouls 12 11Offside 3 2Corner Kicks 3 9 Misconduct Summary:SKC -- Roger Espinoza (caution; tactical foul) 30 LA -- Dan Gargan (caution; reckless tackle) 32 LA -- Juninho (caution; unsporting behavior) 83 SKC -- Dom Dwyer (caution; unsporting behavior) 83
Sporting KC: Luis Marin; Jalil Anibaba, Kevin Ellis (Connor Hallisey 92+), Matt Besler, Marcel de Jong (Amadou Dia 63); Servando Carrasco (Soni Mustivar 55), Benny Feilhaber, Roger Espinoza; Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer, Krisztian NemethSubs not used: Tim Melia, Paulo Nagamura, Bernardo Anor, Jacob Peterson
Houston Dynamo: Tyler Deric; Kofi Sarkodie, Raul Rodriguez, Jermaine Taylor, DaMarcus Beasley; Alex Lopez (David Horst 80), Ricardo Clark, Nathan Sturgis (Luis Garrido 84), Brad Davis; Giles Barnes, Will Bruin (Chandler Hoffman 70)Subs not used: Joe Willis, Alex, Leonel Miranda, Rob Lovejoy
Sporting KC Game Notes | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
2015 Record When...
Scoring first goal 1-0-2 Conceding first goal 1-2-0Leading at halftime 1-0-0Tied at halftime 0-2-3Trailing at halftime 1-0-1Scoring 0 goals 0-0-2Scoring 1 goal 1-2-1Scoring 2 goals 0-0-0Scoring 3 goals 1-0-0Scoring 4+ goals 0-0-1Allowing 0 goals 1-0-2Allowing 1 goal 0-0-1Allowing 2 goals 1-1-0Allowing 3 goals 0-1-0Allowing 4+ goals 0-0-1Wearing Sporting blue 1-1-4Wearing dark indigo 1-1-0Wearing black 0-0-0Leading at 75’ 1-0-0Tied at 75’ 0-1-3Trailing at 75’ 1-1-1Outshooting opponent 1-1-4Outshot by opponent 1-0-0Shots even 0-1-0One-goal games 2-1-0On ESPN 0-0-0On FOX Sports 1 1-0-1On KMCI-TV 1-2-3Day games (before 5 p.m.) 0-0-0Games 5 p.m. CT or later 2-2-4With red card for 0-0-1With red card against 0-0-1Temperature 75 & up 0-0-1Temperature below 75 2-2-3In Pacific time zone 0-1-0In Mountain time zone 0-0-0In Central time zone 1-1-4In Eastern time zone 1-0-0vs. Eastern Conference 2-0-1vs. Western Conference 0-2-3On grass 2-2-4On turf 0-0-0With zero subs 0-0-0With one sub 0-0-0With two subs 0-1-1with three subs 2-1-3
vs. Chicago Fire 13-25-11 vs. Colorado Rapids 22-17-13vs. Columbus Crew 24-21-6vs. D.C. United 20-20-11vs. FC Dallas 20-20-10 (0-1-0)vs. Houston Dynamo 5-7-9 (0-0-1)vs. LA Galaxy 19-24-11 (0-1-0)vs. Montreal Impact 5-3-1vs. NE Revolution 23-16-11vs. New York City FC 1-0-0 (1-0-0)vs. New York Red Bulls 19-20-13 (0-0-1)vs. Orlando City SC 0-0-0vs. Philadelphia Union 5-4-4 (1-0-0)vs. Portland Timbers 3-2-1 (0-0-1)vs. Real Salt Lake 8-5-5 (0-0-1)vs. SJ Earthquakes 21-21-7vs. Seattle Sounders FC 1-7-1vs. Toronto FC 12-4-5vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1-2
Regular Season Home and Away
Overall All-time 245-231-1272015 at home 1-0-3All-time at home 157-85-592015 on road 1-2-1All-time on road 88-146-68
SPORTING KC MISCELLANEOUS STATSQuickest Goals... 2nd min, Krisztian Nemeth, 4/25 at HOU 12th min, Ike Opara, 3/28 at NYC 16th min, Dom Dwyer, 4/5 vs PHI
Quickest Goals Against... 3rd min, own goal (Jacob Peterson), 4/05 vs PHI 9th min, Baggio Husidic, 4/18 at LA 11th min, Giles Barnes, 4/25 at HOU
Game-winning goals after 75’... 94th min, Krisztian Nemeth, 4/05 vs PHI
Game-tying goals after 75’... 95th min, Benny Feilhaber, 4/25 at HOU
Game-winning goals against after 75’... 94th min, Omar Gonzalez, 4/18 at LA
Game-tying goals against after 75’...
Hat Tricks...
Hat Tricks Against...
Own Goals... 3rd min, Jacob Peterson, 4/05 vs PHI
Own Goals Against...
Red Cards... 70th min, Matt Besler, 3/8 vs NYR
Red Cards Against... 79th min, Jermaine Taylor, 4/25 at HOU
Penalty Kicks... 79th min, Dom Dwyer (saved), 3/14 at DAL 80th min, Benny Feilhaber (goal), 4/25 at HOU
Penalty Kicks Against...
Youngest Goalscorer... 24 yrs., 249 days, Dom Dwyer, 4/5 vs PHI
REAL SALT LAKEApril 11, 2015 (T 0-0)GK MarinD AnibabaD Opara (Ellis 84’)D BeslerD de JongM FeilhaberM CarrascoM EspinozaF Peterson (Anor 77’)F DwyerF Nemeth
PHILADELPHIA UNIONApril 5, 2015 (W 3-2)GK MarinD AnibabaD OparaD BeslerD de Jong (Sinovic 46’)M FeilhaberM Carrasco (Mustivar 77’)M EspinozaF PetersonF DwyerF Medranda (Nemeth 64’)
at New York City FCMarch 28, 2015 (W 1-0)GK MarinD AnibabaD OparaD BeslerD SinovicM Nagamura (Mustivar 78’)M CarrascoM FeilhaberF Zusi (Anor 39’)F DwyerF Medranda (Peterson 67’)
at FC DallasMarch 14, 2015 (L 1-3)GK MarinD DiaD OparaD EllisD de JongM NagamuraM FeilhaberM Espinoza F Zusi (Peterson 88’)F DwyerF Nemeth (Anor 76’)
at LA GalaxyApril 18, 2015 (L 1-2)GK MarinD AnibabaD EllisD BeslerD de Jong (Dia 75’)M FeilhaberM CarrascoM EspinozaF Zusi (Peterson (90’)F DwyerF Nemeth (Anor 75’)
CHICAGO FIREMay 3, 2015
NE REVOLUTIONMay 20, 2015
COLORADO RAPIDSMay 16, 2015
at D.C. UnitedMay 9, 2015
at Houston DynamoApril 25, 2015GK MarinD AnibabaD Ellis (Hallisey 90’)D BeslerD de Jong (Dia 63’)M FeilhaberM Carrasco (Mustivar 55’)M EspinozaF ZusiF DwyerF Nemeth
at Seattle Sounders FCMay 23, 2015
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FCJune 6, 2015
at Vancouver WhitecapsJuly 12, 2015
COLORADO RAPIDSJune 27, 2015
at Real Salt LakeJune 21, 2015
FC DALLASMay 29, 2015
MONTREAL IMPACTJuly 18, 2015
HOUSTON DYNAMOAug. 1, 2015
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKESAug. 19, 2015
VANCOUVER WHITECAPSAug. 15, 2015
at Toronto FCAug. 8, 2015
at Real Salt LakeJuly 24, 2015
at Columbus Crew SCAug. 22, 2015
at Portland TimbersSept. 9, 2015
at Houston DynamoSept. 23, 2015
FC DALLASSept. 18, 2015
at Orlando City SCSept. 13, 2015
at Colorado RapidsAug. 29, 2015
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FCSept. 27, 2015
at San Jose EarthquakesOct. 16, 2015
LA GALAXYOct. 25, 2015
at Portland TimbersOct. 3, 2015
14
Sporting KC Player Bios | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Ht: 6-0 Wt. 185 DOB: 10/19/1988Hometown: Fullerton, CaliforniaCollege: North CarolinaLast Club: Seattle Sounders FCAcquired: Trade with Orlando City SC on 12/12/2014
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, Oct. 22, 2011, CHI vs CLBAssists 1, 6 times, last: Apr. 5, 2014, SEA at PORShots on Goal 2, 2 times, last: Oct. 27, 2012, CHI vs DCShots 3, 4 times, last: Mar. 21, 2015, KC vs PORFouls Committed 3, 7 times, last: Aug. 20, 2014, SEA vs SJFouls Suffered 3, 4 times, last: Apr. 5, 2014, SEA at POR Last Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUGoal Apr. 5, 2015, KC vs PHIAssist Apr. 5, 2014, SEA at POR2015 Record when: he starts 2-1-3 he scores 1-0-0
Fifth-year MLS defender Jalil Anibaba joined Sporting KC ahead of the 2015 season. He made 112 regular season appearances over four years with the Chicago Fire (2011-2013) and Seattle Sounders FC (2014), recording four goals and six assists. He made his Sporting KC debut with a start on March 21, contributing to a shutout of the Portland Timbers. Capable of playing as a centerback or right back, Anibaba made 16 MLS appearances in 2014 and helped Seattle win the Supporters’ Shield title. He also featured in four matches during the club’s run to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open championship. The 26-year-old spent his first three professional seasons in Chicago, where he played in 96 of the team’s 102 regular season contests from 2011-2013. The defender was named a finalist for Major League Soccer’s Fair Play Award in 2013, starting every regular season match of the campaign. As a youth, Anibaba represented the United States at the under-18 and under-20 national team levels.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 0Shots on Goal 0Shots 0Fouls Committed 0Fouls Suffered 0 Last Regular Season...Appearance N/AGoal N/AAssist N/A2015 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0
Currently on loan with the San Antonio Scorpions of the North American Soccer League, rookie defender Saad Abdul-Salaam was selected by Sporting KC with the 12th overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. The right back played three seasons at the University of Akron (2012-2014), recording three goals and 12 assists in 54 college games. He made his NASL debut for San Antonio on April 4 with a start. Abdul-Salaam, who helped Akron win MAC regular season titles in each of his three college seasons, enjoyed a breakout junior campaign in 2013 with five assists in 19 starts. He earned All-MAC First Team honors as a senior in 2014, notching two goals and a team-high six assists while starting all 21 games for the Zips.
#17 | D | Saad Abdul-Salaam | @saad_abdul
Ht: 5-8 Wt. 150 DOB: 6/27/1993Hometown: Salt Lake City, UtahCollege: New MexicoAcquired: 2015 MLS SuperDraft 3rd Round (#53)
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 0Shots on Goal 0Shots 0Fouls Committed 0Fouls Suffered 0Last Regular Season...Appearance N/AGoal N/AAssist N/A2015 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0
Sporting KC selected rookie midfielder James Ansu Rogers with the 53rd overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. The third round draft selection was a member of the United States Under-20 Men’s National Team in 2012 after first representing the U.S. at the under-15 level in 2007. A native of Sierra Leone, Ansu Rogers moved to the U.S. at age 11 and competed for the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake academies prior to being recruited to the University of New Mexico. He contributed 18 goals and 21 assists in 80 games for the Lobos over a four-year collegiate career.
#18 | F | James Ansu RogersHt: 6-1 Wt. 178 DOB: 5/24/1988Hometown: Caracas, VenezuelaCollege: South FloridaLast Club: Columbus Crew SCAcquired: Trade with Columbus Crew SC on 12/8/2014
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, 2 times, last: July 19, 2014, CLB vs MTLAssists 1, 3 times, last: Oct. 11, 2014, CLB at PHIShots on Goal 3, May 4, 2014, CLB at KCShots 5, 3 times, last: July 19, 2014, CLB vs MTLFouls Committed 5, 2 times, last: July 7, 2013, CLB vs PORFouls Suffered 4, 3 times, last: July 26, 2014, CLB at NELast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LAGoal Oct. 26, 2014, CLB vs PHIAssist Oct. 11, 2014, CLB at PHI2015 Record when: he starts 0-0-1 he scores 0-0-0
Bernardo Anor joined Sporting KC from Columbus Crew SC in December 2014 to become the club’s first offseason acquisition. The 26-year-old native of Venezuela appeared in 72 matches over four seasons with Columbus, scoring 12 goals and adding three game-winning assists since being drafted out of the University of South Florida in 2011. He made his Sporting KC debut with a start on March 8. Anor played 13 MLS matches as a rookie and 11 games in 2012 before suffering a season-ending ACL injury. He returned in 2013 to make 19 MLS starts and earn the club’s Comeback Player of the Year award. He netted a career-high six goals in 2014, helping Columbus earn a postseason berth for the first time since 2011. Anor was South Florida’s top scorer for three seasons during his collegiate career (2007-2010) in which he recorded 21 goals and seven assists. His younger brother, Juan Pablo, plays professionally for Malaga CF in Spain’s La Liga, and his father, Bernardo, represented Venezuela at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
#11 | M | Bernardo Anor | @BernardoAnor
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Sporting KC Player Bios | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Ht: 5-10 Wt. 175 DOB: 8/13/1988Hometown: San Diego, CaliforniaCollege: CaliforniaLast Club: Houston DynamoAcquired: Trade with Houston Dynamo on 1/15/2015
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, June 8, 2013, SEA vs VANAssists 1, May 11, 2013, SEA vs SJShots on Goal 1, 3 times, last: May 21, 2014, HOU at DCShots 3, June 8, 2013, SEA vs VANFouls Committed 4, 2 times, last: July 3, 2013, SEA vs DCFouls Suffered 3, 2 times, last: May 3, 2014, HOU at CHV Last Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOU Goal June 8, 2013, SEA vs VANAssist May 11, 2013, SEA vs SJ2015 Record when: he starts 2-1-2 he scores 0-0-0
A fifth-year veteran of MLS, Servando Carrasco enters his first season with Sporting KC. He made his debut for the club as a second-half substitute on March 21 before making his first start on March 28, a 1-0 win at New York City FC. Previously, the 26-year-old defensive midfielder appeared in 60 MLS matches over four years (including postseason) for Seattle Sounders FC (2011-2013) and the Houston Dynamo (2013-2014). Carrasco was a four-year starter at California, where he recorded 13 goals and 13 assists in 73 appearances before being selected in the second round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 0Shots on Goal 1, 2 times, last: Mar. 14, 2015, KC at DALShots 2, Mar. 8, 2015, KC vs NYRFouls Committed 2, Mar. 14, 2015, KC at DAL Fouls Suffered 2, Mar. 8, 2015, KC vs NYRLast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUGoal N/AAssist N/A2015 Record when: he starts 0-1-1 he scores 0-0-0
Rookie defender Amadou Dia was selected by Sporting KC with the 20th overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. On March 8, the 21-year-old became the first rookie to start in a Sporting KC season opener since 2011 and recorded seven interceptions, third most among MLS players in Week 1. Dia appeared in 70 games during a four-year collegiate career at Clemson, contributing four goals and six assists. As a senior in 2014, he led the Tigers to the school’s first ACC soccer championship since 2001 en route to reaching the Round of 16 in the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship. Dia has represented the United States at the under-14 (2007), under-18 (2009, 2010) and under-20 (2012) levels and also holds dual citizenship in his native France. As a youth, he was an NSCAA All-American and Colorado’s Gatorade Boys Soccer Player of the Year in 2010.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 2 times, last: Oct. 22, 2011, KC at DCAssists 1, 9 times, last: Apr. 5, 2015, KC vs PHIShots on Goal 2, Oct. 9, 2010, KC vs SEAShots 2, 4 times, last: Mar. 16, 2013, KC vs CHIFouls Committed 5, Aug. 4, 2012, KC at NEFouls Suffered 4, Sept. 26, 2009, KC vs COLLast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOU Goal Oct. 22, 2011, KC at DCAssist Apr. 5, 2015, KC vs PHI2015 Record when: he starts 2-1-4 he scores 0-0-0
Sporting KC captain Matt Besler is in his seventh season at his hometown club. He has earned MLS Best XI (2012, 2013), MLS All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014), MLS Defender of the Year (2012) and MLS Breakout Player of the Year (2012) honors and was named the 2014 KC Sportsman of the Year by the Kansas City Sports Commission. In July 2014, Besler signed a long-term Designated Player contract with the club. His 188 appearances for Sporting KC in all competitions lead the current roster and rank eighth most all-time. A regular staple of the team’s backline, he has started 152 of his 157 MLS regular season appearances and landed Sporting KC Defender of the Year honors three times (2011-2013). Besler has earned 25 caps for the United States Men’s National Team since debuting in January 2013. He was on the U.S. roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil alongside teammate Graham Zusi, becoming the first Kansan to play in the World Cup. He started all four matches in the tournament as the U.S. finished Group G runners-up behind eventual champion Germany and advanced to the Round of 16. He helped lead the U.S. to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup title, starting all three matches in the knockout stage.
#5 | D | Matt Besler | @MattBesler
Ht: 5-9 Wt. 170 DOB: 10/15/1986Hometown: Valkenswaard, NetherlandsLast Club: FC Augsburg (Germany)Acquired: Signed on 3/2/2015
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 1, Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUShots on Goal 1, Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LAShots 2, 2 times, last: Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LA Fouls Committed 1, Apr. 5, 2015, KC vs PHIFouls Suffered 2, 2 times, last: Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LA Last Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOU Goal N/AAssist Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOU2015 Record when: he starts 1-2-3 he scores 0-0-0
Sporting KC signed defender Marcel de Jong ahead of the 2015 season. After logging more than 225 club appearances over his past 10 professional seasons in Netherlands and Germany, he made his MLS and Sporting KC debut on March 14 with at 90-minute performance at FC Dallas. He logged his first MLS assist in a 4-4 draw against Houston on April 25. A dual citizen of Canada and Netherlands, de Jong began his youth career with PSV Eindhoven before signing professionally with Helmond Sport 2004. After two years in the Dutch second division, he joined Roda JC in the top flight Eredivisie in 2006. De Jong moved to Germany in 2010, signing for FC Augsburg. His first season there ended with promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time since the team was founded in 1907. De Jong has made 33 appearances for the Canada Men’s National Team with two goals since his international debut at age 21 in 2007, most recently starting in a 3-0 friendly win over Costa Rica on March 30. He has represented his country at each of the past three CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments, as well as 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying.
#71 | D | Marcel de Jong
16
Sporting KC Player Bios | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Ht: 5-9 Wt. 160 DOB: 1/19/1985Hometown: Irvine, CaliforniaCollege: UCLALast Club: New England RevolutionAcquired: Trade with NE Revolution on 12/11/2012
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUAssists 2, 3 times, last: Apr. 5, 2015, KC vs PHIShots on Goal 2, 9 times, last: Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUShots 5, July 26, 2014, KC at TORFouls Committed 6, Aug. 10, 2014, KC at VANFouls Suffered 6, May 12, 2012, NE vs VANLast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUGoal Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUAssist Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LA2015 Record when: he starts 2-2-4 he scores 0-0-1
Now in his fifth MLS season, Benny Feilhaber set career-highs in 2014 with 32 MLS appearances and 31 starts (including postseason) en route to four goals and six assists. A regular fixture in Sporting KC’s midfield, he has won the club’s Goal of the Year award in each of the last two years. Since 2011, he ranks third in MLS in fouls won and fifth in duels won (including playoffs). He currently leads the league with five assists in 2015. Feilhaber turned professional in 2005 with Hamburg (Germany) after two seasons at UCLA. He would move to Derby County of the English Premier League in 2007 and Danish club AGF Aarhus in 2008 before signing with the New England Revolution in 2011. Acquired by Sporting KC prior to the 2013 season, he has made 82 appearances in all competitions for the club with 10 goals and 21 assists. A veteran member of the United States Men’s National Team, Feilhaber has earned 41 caps with two goals since debuting in 2007. He scored the game-winning goal on a volley in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup final against Mexico before competing at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He helped lead the U.S. to the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and also made three appearances at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
#10 | M | Benny Feilhaber | @b_feilhaber22
Ht: 5-9 Wt. 160 DOB: 6/30/1991Hometown: Kansas City, MissouriCollege: Barton County Community CollegeAcquired: Signed as Homegrown on 2/18/2011
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 1, 3 times, last: Oct. 10, 2014, KC vs CHIShots on Goal 1, Aug. 29, 2014, KC vs HOUShots 2, Oct. 26, 2014, KC vs NYRFouls Committed 4, April 25, 2015, KC at HOUFouls Suffered 2, 5 times, last: Oct. 26, 2014, KC vs NYRLast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUGoal N/AAssist Oct. 10, 2014, KC vs CHI2015 Record when: he starts 0-2-1 he scores 0-0-0
Sporting KC’s second Homegrown Player in club history, defender Kevin Ellis is coming off a 2014 campaign in which he made a career-high 21 appearances and 17 starts in MLS (including his playoff debut). He finished 2014 with three assists in league play, tied for third most in the team, while splitting time between the right back and centerback positions. Now in his fifth season with the club, Ellis developed in the Sporting KC Academy while attending Oak Park High School before playing collegiately at Barton County Community College in 2009-10. He scored his first competitive goal for the club last March, sparking a 1-0 win over Cruz Azul (Mexico) in the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal first leg at Sporting Park.
#4 | D | Kevin Ellis | @Kev_Ellis4Ht: 5-9 Wt. 180 DOB: 7/30/1990Hometown: London, EnglandCollege: South FloridaAcquired: 2012 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#16)
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, 5 times, last: Aug. 16, 2014, KC vs TORAssists 1, 4 times, last: Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LAShots on Goal 4, 3 times, last: Apr. 5, 2015, KC vs PHIShots 7, Sept. 27, 2013, KC vs PHIFouls Committed 5, 2 times, last: Apr. 26, 2014, KC at NEFouls Suffered 9, Apr. 19, 2014, KC vs MTLLast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUGoal Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUAssist Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LA2015 Record when: he starts 2-2-4 he scores 1-0-1
Now in his fourth season at Sporting KC, Dom Dwyer is coming off a breakout 2014 campaign in which he garnered Sporting KC Offensive Player of the Year and co-MVP honors. The Englishman set a single season club record with 22 goals, second most in MLS, and his 26 career goals in the regular season now rank ninth in team history. Dwyer, who was named an MLS All-Star in 2014 for the first time in his career, has scored 52 goals in all competitions since the beginning of 2013—30 for Sporting KC and 22 for former USL PRO affiliate Orlando City SC. His 0.57 goals per 90 minutes in MLS rank first in team history. He signed a contract extension with the club ahead of the 2015 campaign. After making three appearances across all competitions during his rookie season, he notched 15 goals in 13 regular season games while on loan with Orlando City SC in 2013 to set USL PRO’s single-season scoring record at the time. He added four goals in the USL PRO final to earn championship MVP honors. Dwyer won two national championships at Tyler (Texas) Junior College (2009, 2010), where he was the national junior college player of the year after scoring 37 goals as a sophomore. Moving on to South Florida in 2011, he scored 16 goals in 21 games.
#14 | F | Dom Dwyer | @Ddwyer14
Ht: 5-11 Wt. 170 DOB: 10/25/1986Hometown: Aurora, ColoradoCollege: Ohio StateLast Club: Wigan Athletic FC (England)Acquired: Signed on 1/6/2015
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 3 times, last: Mar. 14, 2015, KC at DALAssists 1, 12 times, last: Apr. 5, 2015, KC vs PHIShots on Goal 2, 3 times, last: May 12, 2012, KC at CHIShots 5, 2 times, last: Mar. 17, 2012, KC vs NEFouls Committed 4, 6 times, last: Mar. 21, 2015, KC vs PORFouls Suffered 6, Sept. 17, 2011, KC at RSLLast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUGoal Mar. 14, 2015, KC at DALAssist Apr. 5, 2015, KC vs PHI2015 Record when: he starts 1-2-4 he scores 0-1-0
Roger Espinoza returns to Sporting KC in 2015 after a two-year stint in the English Premier League and Championship. He began his pro career in Kansas City (2008-2012) before moving abroad to Wigan Athletic FC. On March 14, he scored the third goal of his Sporting KC career and his first since returning to the club this offseason. In his last year with the Sporting KC, Espinoza was an MLS All-Star and helped lead the club to the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title. He has made 137 appearances for the team in all competitions, recording three goals and 13 assists over six seasons. In the 2011 and 2012 seasons combined (including playoffs), he ranked in the top 10 among MLS players with 358 duels won (fifth) and 128 tackles won (seventh). Espinoza has earned 46 caps for the Honduras Men’s National Team, scoring four goals since debuting in 2009. He is the only active MLS player to have competed in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups and the 2012 Summer Olympics. He leads the Sporting KC roster with five career World Cup starts. Espinoza made 57 appearances and scored three goals in all competitions for Wigan Athletic, including eight in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League. He also recorded a 90-minute shift in Wigan’s 1-0 win over Manchester City in the 2013 FA Cup Final.
#27 | M | Roger Espinoza
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Sporting KC Player Bios | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Ht: 6-1 Wt. 170 DOB: 4/8/1993Hometown: Leawood, KansasLast Club: Sporting Kansas City AcademyAcquired: Signed as Homegrown on 8/31/2010
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals Allowed 3, 2 times, last: Aug. 29, 2014, KC vs HOUSaves 2, 2 times, last: Aug. 23, 2014, KC vs DCLast Regular Season...Appearance Aug. 29, 2014, KC vs HOUShutout N/A2015 Record when: he starts 0-0-0
Currently on loan with the San Antonio Scorpions of the North American Soccer League, goalkeeper Jon Kempin became Sporting KC’s first ever Homegrown Player upon signing for the club in 2010. He enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2014, entering the record books as the youngest goalkeeper to start an MLS match in club history. He earned back-to-back MLS Save of the Week honors in his first two MLS appearances was MVP of the 2014 MLS Chipotle Homegrown Game. After making his Sporting KC debut in the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Kempin went on loan to then-USL PRO affiliate Orlando City SC (nine games played) in 2013. He then spent half of 2014 on loan at OKC Energy FC (13 games played), the club’s current USL PRO affiliate managed by former Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen. He made his NASL debut for San Antonio on April 4 with a start. At the beginning of 2015, Kempin was named to the United States Men’s National Team roster for the first time in his career to take part in manager Jurgen Klinsmann’s January Camp. He previously represented the U.S. at the under-14 through under-23 levels.
#21 | GK | Jon Kempin | @JonKempin21
Ht: 6-2 Wt. 196 DOB: 5/18/1983Hometown: Valparaiso, ChileLast Club: Universidad de ChileAcquired: Signed on 12/18/2014
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals Allowed 4, Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUSaves 4, 2 times, last: Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LALast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUShutout Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LA2015 Record when: he starts 2-2-4
First-year MLS goalkeeper Luis Marin joined Sporting KC in December 2014 after spending the first 12 years of his professional career in Chile. He arrives from Primera Division club Universidad de Chile, where he saw action in the 2013 Copa Sudamericana and the 2014 Copa Libertadores. In his MLS debut on March 8, Marin became the 14th goalkeeper in Sporting KC history to start a regular season match. He posted his first shutout for the club on March 21 against Portland before taking his first win on March 28 at New York City FC. The veteran began his career with Audax Italiano (2003-2006) before moving to Lota Schwager in 2007. Union Espanola acquired Marin from 2008-2010, during which time the club finished in first place in the 2009 Torneo Apertura standings and reached the round of 16 in the 2009 Copa Sudamericana. In 2011, he was recruited to O’Higgins FC and became captain for the club. He led O’Higgins to a berth in the 2012 Copa Sudamericana after finishing second in the 2012 Apertura. Marin has made eight appearances for the Chile Men’s National Team and was selected to the nation’s 23-player roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He made his international debut in March 2010 and last captained Chile in February 2012.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 0Shots on Goal 0Shots 0Fouls Committed 0Fouls Suffered 0 Last Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUGoal N/AAssist N/A2015 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0
Rookie midfielder Connor Hallisey was selected by Sporting KC with the 10th overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of California. He made his MLS debut with a late substitute appearance in a 4-4 draw at the Houston Dynamo on April 25. A former member of the United State Under-18 Men’s National Team, Hallisey played four seasons at Cal (2011-2014), recording 12 goals and 19 assists in 72 career matches. As a senior in 2014, Hallisey was an NCAA Division I Men’s Second Team All-American, starting 19 games with nine goals and 12 assists. He was named to the 2014 Capital One/CoSIDA All-District 8 Team, earned All-Pac-12 first team honors, landed a Pac-12 All-Academic second team nod, and was a MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 0Shots on Goal 2, Aug. 1, 2014, KC vs PHIShots 2, 3 times, last: Aug. 1, 2014, KC vs PHIFouls Committed 3, July 16, 2014, KC at CLBFouls Suffered 3, Oct. 26, 2014, KC vs NYLast Regular Season...Appearance Oct. 26, 2014, KC vs NYGoal N/AAssist N/A2015 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0
Currently on loan with USL PRO affiliate OKC Energy FC, Mike Lopez was drafted in the first round of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft as a Generation adidas signing. He made his club debut in the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup before playing his first MLS match in July 2014 for the first of eight MLS appearances and five starts. He spent the first half of last year on loan at affiliates Orlando City SC and OKC Energy FC, playing 14 total matches in USL PRO. Lopez was a regular fixture for the United States Under-20 Men’s National Team, playing at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey and the 2013 Toulon Tournament in France. He has also participated in training camps at the U-15 and U-18 levels. In 2015, Lopez has started two matches and played 162 minutes for OKC Energy FC, coached by former Sporting KC captain Jimmy Nielsen.
#12 | M | Mikey Lopez | @MLopez12_5
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Sporting KC Player Bios | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Ht: 6-1 Wt. 190 DOB: 5/15/1986Hometown: Great River, New YorkCollege: Lynn UniversityLast Club: Chivas USAAcquired: Signed on 12/23/2014
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals Allowed 5, Oct. 26, 2013, CHV vs PORSaves 5, Oct. 28, 2012, CHV at DALLast Regular Season...Appearance May 3, 2014, CHV vs HOUShutout N/A2015 Record when: he starts 0-0-0
Sporting KC signed goalkeeper Tim Melia in December 2014. He enters his sixth MLS season in 2015 after previously representing Real Salt Lake (2010-2011) and Chivas USA (2012-2014), where he backed up MLS All-Stars Nick Rimando (RSL) and Dan Kennedy (CHV). Melia’s professional career began in 2008 with the Rochester Rhinos in the USL First Division. In 2010, he joined Real Salt Lake and spent part of the season on loan in the USL Second Division with the Charleston Battery. He helped lead Charleston to a first place finish in the regular season standings and eventually the league title with eight saves in the championship match. Melia was a member of Chivas USA from 2012-2014, making 18 saves in six MLS appearances. He most recently served as a League Pool Goalkeeper, earning emergency call-ups from MLS Cup Playoff participants Sporting KC (August), FC Dallas (October) and D.C. United (November) in late 2014.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, Apr. 27, 2013, KC vs PORAssists 1, 13 times, last: May 10, 2014, KC at MTLShots on Goal 2, 2 times, last: Apr. 27, 2013, KC vs PORShots 3, 3 times, last: July 3, 2013, KC vs VANFouls Committed 4, 5 times, last: Apr. 1, 2012, KC at CHVFouls Suffered 4, May 12, 2012, KC at CHILast Regular Season...Appearance May 23, 2014, KC vs TORGoal Apr. 27, 2013, KC vs PORAssist May 10, 2014, KC at MTL2015 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0 Eighth-year veteran Chance Myers enters 2015 as Sporting KC’s longest tenured player. The No. 1 overall selection in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft has made 145 appearances for the club in all competitions, recording four goals and 15 assists from the wing back position. Myers eclipsed 30 MLS appearances in both 2011 and 2012 as a regular starter, and after making a career-high 31 MLS starts in 2013 (including playoffs), was the top-rated outside back on the MLS Castrol Index. Despite missing most of 2014 with an Achilles injury, he still ranks third in MLS with 96 successful crosses from open play (including postseason) since the beginning of 2011. Myers signed a new contract with the club last year after joining the U.S. Men’s National Team for the first time in his career as a member of Jurgen Klinsmann’s January Camp in 2014. He previously played for the U.S. U-18, U-20 and U-23 youth national teams.
#7 | D | Chance Myers | @CR_Myers
Ht: 5-5 Wt. 150 DOB: 2/7/1994Hometown: Mosquera, Nariño, ColombiaLast Club: Deportivo Pereira (Colombia)Acquired: Signed on 2/13/2014
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 0Shots on Goal 1, Sept. 7, 2013, KC vs CLBShots 3, Mar. 15, 2014, KC vs DALFouls Committed 3, Mar. 15, 2014, KC vs DALFouls Suffered 4, Mar. 15, 2014, KC vs DALLast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 5, 2015, KC vs PHIGoal N/AAssist N/A2015 Record when: he starts 2-0-1 he scores 0-0-0
Jimmy Medranda joined Sporting KC in August 2013 on loan from Deportivo Pereira (Colombia), making his MLS debut on Sept. 7, 2013 in a 3-0 win over Columbus Crew SC. The Colombian midfielder signed permanently for the club last February, earning his lone MLS start to date on March 15 for the first of six appearances in all competitions in 2014. He made his first appearance of 2015 with a start on March 21 against Portland. Medranda joined Deportivo Pereira’s youth system at age 12 before climbing the ladder to the senior team. He made 16 first team appearances for the club in two seasons, scoring twice.
#94 | M | Jimmy Medranda | @jimmymedranda
Ht: 5-10 Wt. 170 DOB: 2/12/1990Hometown: Aubervilliers, FranceLast Club: Petrolul Ploiesti (Romania)Acquired: Signed on 2/13/2015
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 0Shots on Goal 0Shots 0Fouls Committed 2, Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUFouls Suffered 1, Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOULast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUGoal N/AAssist N/A2015 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0 Sporting KC signed defensive midfielder Soni Mustivar ahead of the 2015 season. The 25-year-old made his MLS debut as a second-half substitute on March 21 against Portland. Mustivar began his professional career as a teenager with SC Bastia in France’s Ligue 2 during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. Following a loan spell at US Orleans (France), he moved to FC Petrolul Ploiesti and played each of the past three seasons in Romania’s Liga I. He recorded 61 league appearances with two goals in addition to playing eight matches in the UEFA Europa League. He started in Petrolul’s triumph in the 2012-13 Romanian Cup Final. Mustivar has earned six caps for the Haiti Men’s National Team. He most recently played in three matches at the 2014 CFU Caribbean Cup in November to help Haiti secure a third place finish and qualify for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Prior to making his international debut with Haiti in 2013, he was a youth international for France at the U-20 level.
#93 | M | Soni Mustivar | @billydougie
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Sporting KC Player Bios | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Ht: 5-11 Wt. 165 DOB: 1/5/1989Hometown: Gyor, HungaryLast Club: Roda JC Kerkrade (Netherlands)Acquired: Signed on 12/18/2014
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 3 times, last: Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUAssists 0Shots on Goal 1, 3 times, last: Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUShots 4, 2 times, last: Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUFouls Committed 1, 3 times, last: Apr. 11, 2015, KC vs RSLFouls Suffered 1, 3 times, last: Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LALast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUGoal Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUAssist N/A2015 Record when: he starts 0-2-3 he scores 1-1-1
Now in his first MLS season, Krisztian Nemeth signed for Sporting KC in December and made his league debut with a start on March 8 at Sporting Park. He scored his first MLS goal in the 94th minute of a 3-2 win over Philadelphia on April 5, Sporting KC’s latest game-winning goal in Sporting Park history. He most recently played for Roda JC Kerkrade in the Dutch Eredivisie, recording eight goals during the 2013-14 season. Nemeth’s professional career began at age 15 when he signed with MTK Budapest in 2005. He was signed by Rafael Benitez to join Liverpool FC in 2007 and featured extensively for the Liverpool Reserves, becoming the Barclays Premier Reserve League’s top scorer with nine goals during his first season. His career continued in Greece with AEK Athens (2009-10), Olympiacos (2010) and Olympiacos Volos (2011) before he moved to Dutch club RKC Waalwijk in 2012. Internationally, Nemeth starred for the Hungary under-17 and under-19 youth national teams before leading his country to a third place finish at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup with three goals in the tournament. He earned his first of 15 caps for Hungary’s senior team in 2010 and made five appearances during 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying.
#9 | F | Krisztian Nemeth
Ht: 6-1 Wt. 175 DOB: 4/24/1997Hometown: Lee’s Summit, MissouriAcquired: Signed as Homegrown on 8/2/2013
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 0Shots on Goal 0Shots 0Fouls Committed 3, May 18, 2014, KC at CHIFouls Suffered 1, 2 times, last: Mar. 8, 2014, KC vs NYRLast Regular Season...Appearance Mar. 8, 2014, KC vs NYRGoal N/AAssist N/A2015 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0
One of the youngest players under contract in MLS, Erik Palmer-Brown became a homegrown player in August 2013 at age 16. On March 8, the 18-year-old became the youngest MLS player to appear in a team’s regular season opener since 2010 and recorded his first MLS minutes at Sporting Park. Palmer-Brown made his league debut with a start in May 2014, becoming the youngest player in MLS history to start a match as a defender, for the first of six appearances in all competitions (including debuts in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League). He played in the inaugural Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game last August., helping the MLS Homegrown team secure a 0-0 draw against the Portland Timbers U-23s. The Lee’s Summit, Mo. native joined the Sporting KC Academy at age 13. He has represented United States youth national teams at the U-15, U-17, U-18 and U-20 levels, most recently competing with the U-20s at training camps in England (March 23-30) and Austria (April 18-26). He is in contention for a spot on the United States’ squad for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand this June.
#2 | D | Erik Palmer-Brown | @ErikBrown14
Ht: 5-8 Wt. 155 DOB: 3/2/1983Hometown: Sao Paulo, BrazilLast Club: Chivas USAAcquired: Trade with Chivas USA on 11/29/2011
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, Mar. 21, 2009, CHV vs COLAssists 1, 19 times, last: Sept. 26, 2014, KC vs NEShots on Goal 4, May 13, 2006, LA vs RSLShots 5, 2 times, last: Sept. 1, 2012, KC vs TORFouls Committed 6, Sept. 13, 2007, CHV vs LAFouls Suffered 6, May 13, 2006, LA vs RSLLast Regular Season...Appearance Mar. 28, 2015, KC at NYCGoal Sept. 26, 2014, KC vs NEAssist Sept. 26, 2014, KC vs NE2015 Record when: he starts 1-1-1 he scores 0-0-0
Sporting KC’s most experienced MLS player with 241 league appearances (including playoffs), Paulo Nagamura is in his fourth season with the club. Since arriving ahead of the 2012 campaign, he has recorded four goals and six assists in 84 games (75 starts) across all competitions. A veteran presence in the midfield, he converted penalty kicks in shootouts following the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final and 2013 MLS Cup Final. The Brazilian began his career with Sao Paulo FC and Arsenal FC in England before coming to the United States to play for the LA Galaxy in 2005, winning the MLS Cup and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in his first season. He has also played for Toronto FC (2007) and Chivas USA (2007-2011) in MLS, becoming an MLS All-Star in 2009.
#6 | M | Paulo Nagamura | @paulinhonag
Ht: 6-2 Wt. 180 DOB: 2/21/1989Hometown: Durham, North CarolinaCollege: Wake ForestLast Club: San Jose EarthquakesAcquired: Trade with San Jose Earthquakes on 12/12/2012
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 8 times, last: Mar. 28, 2015, KC at NYCAssists 0Shots on Goal 2, 3 times, last: Mar. 22, 2014, KC vs SJShots 3, 2 times, last: Mar. 22, 2014, KC vs SJFouls Committed 4, 2 times, last: May 28, 2011, SJ at CHIFouls Suffered 2, 4 times, last: May 19, 2013, KC at DCLast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 11, 2015, KC vs RSLGoal Mar. 28, 2015, KC at NYCAssist N/A2015 Record when: he starts 2-1-3 he scores 1-0-1
Defender Ike Opara is in his sixth season in MLS and third season as a member of Sporting KC. After sitting out almost a year through injury, he returned to the pitch on March 8 and scored Sporting KC’s first goal of the season. He led MLS through Week 6 with 30 interceptions and was nominated for Eithad Airways MLS Player of the Month for March after scoring twice and anchoring a backline that posted two shutouts. He then suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon injury in his right ankle on April 11. The club’s 2013 Newcomer of the Year, Opara appeared in a career-best 18 MLS matches with 15 starts during the club’s MLS Cup-winning campaign. He scored four goals in 2013 across all competitions (all headers) and featured in three of Sporting KC’s playoff matches. A season-ending ankle injury limited him to three MLS appearances in 2014 and two starts in the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals. Opara represented the United States at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, playing all three matches at the tournament, and at the U-23 level during the 2012 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. He was drafted by the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft as a Generation adidas signing and played 36 MLS matches for the club over three seasons.
#3 | D | Ike Opara | @IkeOpara
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Sporting KC Player Bios | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, 3 times, last: Sept. 28, 2012, KC vs CHIAssists 2, 4 times, last: Mar. 29, 2014, KC at COLShots on Goal 3, 3 times, last: Oct. 10, 2014, KC vs CHIShots 5, 5 times, last: Oct. 24, 2012, KC vs PHIFouls Committed 4, 2 times, last: Mar. 30, 2013, KC vs MTLFouls Suffered 6, Oct. 26, 2013, KC at PHILast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOUGoal Oct. 10, 2014, KC vs CHIAssist Apr. 25, 2015, KC at HOU2015 Record when: he starts 1-2-3 he scores 0-0-0
A seventh-year veteran for Sporting KC, Graham Zusi has garnered MLS All-Star (2012, 2013, 2014), MLS Best XI (2012, 2013) and MLS Breakout Player of the Year (2011) honors in addition to receiving a 2012 MLS MVP nomination. The winger is the only MLS player with at least five goals and at least seven assists in each of the last four regular seasons. He has earned Sporting KC MVP honors each of the last three years (twice a co-MVP) and has led the club in assists every year since 2011. Zusi signed a long-term Designated Player contract with the team in July 2014. Sporting KC is 17-0-2 all-time when he scores an MLS goal, and he leads MLS with 365 chances created and 357 successful crosses/corners since 2011 (including playoffs). His 50 career assists in all competitions are third most in club history, and his 22 MLS goals rank 10th all-time for the club. Zusi has earned 28 caps for the United States Men’s National Team since debuting in January 2012, recording three goals and six assists. He was on the U.S. roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup alongside teammate Matt Besler, playing in all four matches at the tournament. In the group stage, he provided the game-winning assist in a 2-1 win over Ghana before adding another assist in a 2-2 draw with Portugal.
#8 | M | Graham Zusi | @gzusi
Ht: 5-10 Wt. 170 DOB: 1/28/1987Hometown: Leawood, KansasCollege: CreightonLast Club: New England RevolutionAcquired: Signed on 5/10/2011
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0Assists 1, 7 times, last: Sept. 6, 2014, KC at NYShots on Goal 2, Mar. 15, 2014, KC vs DALShots 3, 2 times, last: Sept. 3, 2014, KC at NEFouls Committed 4, 3 times, last: Sept. 12, 2014, KC at CHVFouls Suffered 3, 6 times, last: Apr. 20, 2013, KC at LALast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 5, 2015, KC vs PHIGoal N/AAssist Sept. 6, 2014, KC at NY2015 Record when: he starts 1-0-1 he scores 0-0-0
Sporting KC’s 2014 Defender of the Year, Seth Sinovic is in his sixth MLS season and fifth campaign at his hometown club. A regular fixture at left back, he is the only player on the team to start at least 30 regular season games in each of the last three seasons. Drafted in 2010 by the New England Revolution, he joined Sporting KC in 2011 and has started 143 of his 145 total appearances for the club in all competitions. He scored his first professional goal in the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs and registered the second of his career in the 2013 postseason against his former team, helping Sporting KC prevail in the decisive leg of the 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Since the beginning of 2011, Sinovic is third in MLS with 48 clean sheet contributions (including playoffs) and ranks sixth with 65 MLS games won. He received his first call-up to the United States Men’s National Team ahead of the 2014 USMNT January camp.
#15 | D | Seth Sinovic | @ssinovicHt: 5-10 Wt. 165 DOB: 1/27/1986Hometown: Portage, MichiganCollege: IndianaLast Club: San Jose EarthquakesAcquired: Signed on 1/19/2012
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 15 times, last: July 26, 2014, KC at TORAssists 1, 14 times, last: July 16, 2014, KC at CLBShots on Goal 3, June 28, 2007, COL at DCShots 5, July 21, 2012, KC vs NEFouls Committed 3, May 12, 2013, KC at HOUFouls Suffered 5, Oct. 16, 2010, TOR vs CLBLast Regular Season...Appearance Apr. 18, 2015, KC at LAGoal July 26, 2014, KC at TORAssist July 16, 2014, KC at CLB2015 Record when: he starts 1-0-1 he scores 0-0-0
A nine-year MLS veteran, Peterson has 15 goals and 14 assists in 205 regular season appearances over the course of his professional career. Now in his fourth season with Sporting KC, he has contributed eight goals and six assists in 86 games across all competitions for the club. Peterson is one of only two players in MLS history, alongside former Kansas City defender Nick Garcia, to be a member of teams that won each of the following: NCAA Division I National Championship (2003, 2004), Canadian Championship (2010, 2011), U.S. Open Cup (2012) and MLS Cup (2013). As a youth, Peterson represented the United States at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championships and 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Four seasons with the Colorado Rapids (2006-09) were followed by stints with Toronto FC (2010-11) and the San Jose Earthquakes (2011) before he was acquired by Sporting KC in 2012. His 205 regular season appearances are second most on the team, behind only Paulo Nagamura (226).
#37 | F | Jacob Peterson | @jacob_peterson
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Sporting KC Coach Bios | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
Peter Vermes enters his seventh season as Sporting Kansas City Manager in 2015. He is the team’s second-longest serving head coach, and his .548 regular season winning percentage (78-60-48) is best in club history. During his tenure, he has won two major trophies – the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the 2013 MLS Cup championship – as well as two MLS Eastern Conference regular season titles (2011, 2012). He is the second coach to lead Sporting KC to four straight postseason appearances, as well as the only person to ever win the MLS Cup as both a player and a coach with the same team. His 78
regular season wins are tied for 12th most in MLS history.
Vermes oversees all soccer operations for Sporting KC, including the active roster and the Sporting KC Juniors program. Vermes, an original member of Major League Soccer, retired from the League in 2002, closing out his playing career in Kansas City after stints with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and Colorado Rapids.
Following a standout high school career in which he was named New Jersey Player of the Year, Vermes was a star forward and All-American at Rutgers University. After college, Vermes represented the United States in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, and was named 1988 Chevrolet U.S. Male Soccer Athlete of the Year for his efforts.
Vermes was an integral part of a young U.S. team at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, where he nearly scored a sensational goal against the host Azzurri. It marked the first time the United States had qualified for the World Cup in 40 years and set the stage for the progress of the U.S. National Team. In 1989 and 1990, Vermes became the first American to play in the Hungarian and Dutch First Divisions, appearing for Raba ETO and FC Volendam, respectively. He later spent five years with Figueras of the Spanish Second Division.
For MLS’s inaugural season in 1996, Vermes served as captain of the New York/New Jersey MetroStars. In 1997, he was traded to the Colorado Rapids for current Sporting KC Assistant Coach Kerry Zavagnin and played in Denver through the 1999 season, leading the Rapids to the 1997 MLS Cup Final.
Vermes joined Kansas City in 2000 for what would be the most successful seasons of his MLS career. During his first year in Kansas City, he anchored one of the best defenses in league history and won MLS Defender of the Year honors in helping lead the Wizards to the 2000 MLS Cup Championship. He retired in 2002 after appearing in 184 MLS matches and playing more than 16,000 minutes. He was nominated on the players’ ballot for the National Soccer Hall of Fame from 2007-2012. In 2013, Vermes became eligible for the veteran ballot and on October 11, 2013, Vermes was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Manager | Peter VermesAssistant Coach Kerry Zavagnin first joined Kansas City in 2000 as a holding midfielder and was an integral part of the club’s midfield for the next nine seasons, during which time he helped lead the Wizards to MLS Cup (2000) and U.S. Open Cup (2004) Championships. He was named to the MLS All-Star team and the Best XI in 2004. Zavagnin’s primary duties as an assistant include: scouting, developing Sporting Kansas City’s younger players, breaking down film and assisting with training sessions, among others.
He started his professional career with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, where he played in 39 games over two seasons. After spending one season with the Lehigh Valley Steam (USL-1), Zavagnin came to Kansas City in 2000. He played 237 games (228 starts) and logged 20,516 minutes for Kansas City, setting team records in both categories. He scored eight goals and added 22 assists in his nine seasons in Kansas City blue. Zavagnin was named Team Defender of the Year in 2001.
On top of his club success in Kansas City, Zavagnin also appeared 21 times for the United States National Team. He recorded one assist for the Red, White and Blue. The U.S. team went 15-2-4 when Zavagnin appeared. Zavagnin married his wife Mirriam prior to the 2009 season, when he became an assistant coach at the club.
Assistant Coach | Kerry Zavagnin
Assistant Coach Zoran Savic joined Sporting Kansas City late in the 2009 season after a 30-year career at all levels of the game in the United States. A native of Gornji Milanovac, Yugoslavia, Savic began his journey through American soccer with the Buffalo Stallions of the Major Indoor Soccer League in 1980. Savic would go on to star for several MISL teams, with his most prosperous period coming with the Kansas City Comets, with whom he scored 70 goals in just over 100 appearances from 1982-1984.
After retiring as a player in 1991, Savic turned his attention to coaching in the indoor game. Savic led the Kansas City Attack from 1992-1996, winning Coach of the Year honors for the 1994-1995 season while also serving as the team’s General Manager. Savic later coached the Kansas City Comets from 2000-2005.
In 2007 Savic switched to the outdoor game, joining Chivas USA as an assistant to then-head coach Preki before moving into the commentary booth for Kansas City matches in 2008 and 2009. Savic’s career as a commentator was cut short, however, when newly installed Manager Peter Vermes tabbed Savic to be part of his coaching staff late in the 2009 season.
Assistant Coach | Zoran Savic
Assistant Coach John Pascarella played professionally for nine seasons before beginning his coaching career in 1998 at the University of Maryland. Pascarella played club soccer with Sporting Kansas City Technical Director Peter Vermes. His playing experience took him to Peru before he returned to the United States to play in the A-League and MLS.
Once his playing career was over, Pascarella began coaching as a member of Sasho Cirovski’s staff at Maryland. He then went on to
work in Northern Virginia youth soccer circles as a high school coach and Olympic Development Program coach before becoming the Head Coach and Technical Director of the Northern Virginia Royals of the USL’s Premier Development League for two seasons.
Pascarella joined Kansas City’s technical staff in 2009 and was a goalkeeper and fitness coach until 2011, when he became an assistant.
Assistant Coach | John PascarellaMateus Manoel is in his sixth season with Sporting Kansas City as Head Fitness Coach. His responsibilities cover all aspects of sport performance and science for the team, including strength and conditioning, injury prevention, field practices, nutrition, fitness monitoring (training load and readiness), player re-adaptation following rehab and recovery.
In the summer of 2010, Manoel was an Assistant Fitness Coach for the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team during the FIFA World Cup in
South Africa. He had formerly served as the Head Fitness Coach for the Mexican Men’s National Team in 2009, working with renowned coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. During 2007 and 2008, Manoel held a position with Athletes’ Performance in the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, where he worked with professional athletes from a variety of sports, including NFL, NHL, MLB and MLS (Chivas USA and LA Galaxy). Previously, he had assisted with strength and conditioning for D.C. United from the MLS, while concurrently holding the position of Sports Performance Director with Velocity Sports Performance in Alexandria, Virginia.
Manoel holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from George Washington University, where he was also responsible for the strength and conditioning needs of the Colonials Men’s Varsity Soccer Team. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland - College Park and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Manoel was born in Brazil and is fluent in both Portuguese and Spanish.
Fitness Coach | Mateus Manoel
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Sporting KC Game Notes | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
ALL-TIME MLS STATISTICS
SAAD ABDUL-SALAAM GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA
KC - Regular Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MLS - TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
JALIL ANIBABA GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA
Saves Garth Lagerwey (1996), Mike Ammann (1997 & 1998), Tony Meola (2000, three times in 2003), Bo Oshoniyi (2002 & 2004)
9
Stat Player #
Games Jimmy Nielsen 128
Minutes Jimmy Nielsen 11497
Wins Jimmy Nielsen 57
Losses Tony Meola 45
Draws Jimmy Nielsen 32
Shutouts Jimmy Nielsen 45
Goals Allowed Tony Meola 154
Saves Tony Meola 507
Goals Against Avg. Jimmy Nielsen 0.99
Stat Player #
Games Davy Arnaud 240
Minutes Kerry Zavagnin 20515
Goals Preki 71
Assists Preki 98
Shots Preki 693
Shots on goal Preki 283
Fouls Committed Davy Arnaud 329
Fouls Suffered Davy Arnaud 528
Offsides Eddie Johnson 126
Corner Kicks Graham Zusi 517
Cautions Kerry Zavagnin 44
Ejections Nick Garcia 5
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Sporting KC Game Notes | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL ALL-TIME CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
BOLD* - denotes player on current roster
GAMES PLAYEDPlayer GP1. Davy Arnaud 2402. Kerry Zavagnin 2373. Nick Garcia 2244. Preki 2185. Jimmy Conrad 2046. Chris Klein 2007. Jack Jewsbury 1958. Matt Besler* 1579. Graham Zusi* 154 10. Michael Harrington 14910. Mo Johnston 149
GOALSPlayer GP G1. Preki 218 712. Davy Arnaud 240 432. Josh Wolff 144 434. Chris Klein 200 395. Kei Kamara 113 386. Mo Johnston 149 317. Scott Sealy 88 287. Vitalis Takawira 103 289. Dom Dwyer* 58 2610. Graham Zusi* 154 22
GAME-WINNING GOALSPlayer GP GWG1. Preki 218 132. Chris Klein 200 123. Kei Kamara 113 113. Josh Wolff 144 115. Davy Arnaud 240 106. Graham Zusi* 154 86. Vitalis Takawira 103 88. Dom Dwyer* 58 78. C.J. Sapong 110 78. Scott Sealy 88 7
GAME-WINNING ASSISTSPlayer GP GWA1. Preki 218 232. Chris Klein 200 162. Graham Zusi* 154 164. Davy Arnaud 240 104. Josh Wolff 144 106. Jack Jewsbury 195 86. Mo Johnston 149 86. Kei Kamara 113 86. Kerry Zavagnin 237 810. Francisco Gomez 114 710. Chris Henderson 61 7
MULTI-GOAL GAMESPlayer GP MGG1. Vitalis Takawira 103 82. Preki 218 73. Dom Dwyer* 58 53. Kei Kamara 113 53. Scott Sealy 88 53. Josh Wolff 144 57. Mo Johnston 149 47. Chris Klein 200 410. Davy Arnaud 240 310. Teal Bunbury 89 310. Eddie Johnson 43 310. Graham Zusi* 154 3
PENALTY KICK GOALSPlayer GP PKG1. Preki 218 212. Dom Dwyer* 57 73. Kei Kamara 113 54. Claudio Lopez 57 45. Claudio Bieler 41 35. Jose Burciaga Jr. 115 35. Jack Jewsbury 195 35. Josh Wolff 144 39. Omar Bravo 27 29. Matt McKeon 144 2
GOALS PER GAMEPlayer GP GLS AVG1. Dom Dwyer* 58 26 0.452. Kei Kamara 113 38 0.343. Preki 218 71 0.334. Scott Sealy 88 28 0.325. Josh Wolff 144 43 0.306. Vitalis Takawira 103 28 0.277. Mark Chung 94 20 0.218. Mo Johnston 149 31 0.219. Chris Klein 200 39 0.2010. C.J. Sapong 110 20 0.18*Minimum 20 goals
ASSISTSPlayer GP A1. Preki 218 982. Chris Klein 200 453. Graham Zusi* 154 404. Davy Arnaud 240 355. Mo Johnston 149 286. Josh Wolff 144 267. Mark Chung 94 258. Kerry Zavagnin 237 229. Jack Jewsbury 195 209. Kei Kamara 113 20
SHOTSPlayer GP SH1. Preki 218 6932. Davy Arnaud 240 4523. Kei Kamara 113 3704. Chris Klein 200 3125. Mo Johnston 149 2746. Josh Wolff 144 2657. Graham Zusi* 154 2408. Jack Jewsbury 195 2169. Mark Chung 94 20310. Matt McKeon 144 173
SHOTS ON GOALPlayer GP SOG1. Preki 218 2832. Davy Arnaud 240 1763. Mo Johnston 149 1383. Chris Klein 200 1383. Josh Wolff 144 1386. Kei Kamara 113 1267. Vitalis Takawira 103 1028. Mark Chung 94 959. Jack Jewsbury 195 9010. Graham Zusi* 154 79
FOULS COMMITTEDPlayer GP FC1. Davy Arnaud 240 3292. Kerry Zavagnin 237 3263. Matt McKeon 144 3094. Nick Garcia 224 2345. Mo Johnston 149 2266. Jimmy Conrad 204 2107. Aurelien Collin 107 1918. Diego Gutierrez 119 1909. Jack Jewsbury 195 17510. Roger Espinoza* 120 169
FOULS SUFFEREDPlayer GP FS1. Davy Arnaud 240 5282. Preki 218 3623. Kerry Zavagnin 237 3544. Nick Garcia 224 2505. Mark Chung 94 2046. Graham Zusi* 154 1987. Diego Gutierrez 119 1968. Jack Jewsbury 195 1879. Josh Wolff 144 18310. Kei Kamara 113 176
CAUTIONS (YELLOW CARDS)Player GP YC1. Kerry Zavagnin 237 442. Davy Arnaud 240 433. Nick Garcia 224 374. Aurelien Collin 107 315. Diego Gutierrez 119 305. Matt McKeon 144 307. Jack Jewsbury 195 287. Mo Johnston 149 289. Jimmy Conrad 204 2710. Preki 218 23
CORNER KICKSPlayer GP RC1. Graham Zusi* 154 5352. Preki 218 4523. Claudio Lopez 57 1884. Jose Burciaga Jr. 115 1755. Francisco Gomez 114 1576. Chris Henderson 61 1547. Chris Klein 200 1528. Davy Arnaud 240 1449. Carlos Marinelli 41 9110. Vitalis Takawira 103 71
GAMES STARTEDPlayer GS1. Kerry Zavagnin 2282. Nick Garcia 2243. Davy Arnaud 2134. Jimmy Conrad 2035. Preki 1996. Chris Klein 1837. Matt Besler* 1528. Jack Jewsbury 1428. Mo Johnston 14210. Michael Harrington 12810. Jimmy Nielsen 12810. Josh Wolff 128
MINUTES PLAYEDPlayer MP1. Kerry Zavagnin 205152. Nick Garcia 201573. Davy Arnaud 193994. Jimmy Conrad 181945. Preki 178176. Chris Klein 163807. Matt Besler* 137268. Jack Jewsbury 132759. Mo Johnston 1259910. Michael Harrington 11633
GAMES PLAYED IN GOALPlayer GP1. Jimmy Nielsen 1282. Tony Meola 1253. Bo Oshoniyi 964. Kevin Hartman 905. Mike Ammann 606. Chris Snitko 267. Eric Kronberg 258. Garth Lagerwey 239. Andy Gruenebaum 1110. Luis Marin* 810. Pat Harrington 810. David Winner 8
SAVESPlayer GP SV1. Tony Meola 125 5072. Bo Oshoniyi 96 3543. Kevin Hartman 90 3324. Jimmy Nielsen 128 3045. Mike Amman 60 2066. Chris Snitko 26 957. Garth Lagerwey 23 838. Eric Kronberg 25 589. Andy Gruenebaum 11 3410. David Winner 8 27
GOALKEEPER WINSPlayer GP GW1. Jimmy Nielsen 128 572. Tony Meola 125 493. Mike Ammann 60 333. Bo Oshoniyi 96 335. Kevin Hartman 90 306. Garth Lagerwey 23 127. Eric Kronberg 25 98. Andy Gruenebaum 11 68. Chris Snitko 26 510. Pat Harrington 8 4
SHUTOUTSPlayer GP SO1. Jimmy Nielsen 128 452. Tony Meola 125 373. Kevin Hartman 90 223. Bo Oshoniyi 96 225. Mike Ammann 60 106. Eric Kronberg 25 87. Luis Marin* 7 37. Andy Gruenebaum 11 37. Garth Lagerwey 23 37. Chris Snitko 26 3
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Sporting KC Game Notes | May 3, 2015 vs. Chicago Fire | SportingKC.com/Game-Notes
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL SINGLE-SEASON CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
GAMES PLAYEDYear Player GP2011 C.J. Sapong 342012 Jimmy Nielsen 342013 Jimmy Nielsen 342012 Kei Kamara 332014 Dom Dwyer 33
GAMES STARTEDYear Player GS2012 Jimmy Nielsen 342013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 8 players tied with 32
MINUTES PLAYEDYear Player MIN2012 Jimmy Nielsen 30602013 Jimmy Nielsen 30602000 Nick Garcia 29152000 Peter Vermes 29151996 Preki 28802005 Bo Oshoniyi 28802011 Matt Besler 2880
GAMES PLAYED IN GOALYear Player GP2012 Jimmy Nielsen 342013 Jimmy Nielsen 342005 Bo Oshoniyi 322000 Tony Meola 312011 Jimmy Nielsen 31
GOALSYear Player GP GOALS 2014 Dom Dwyer 33 221996 Preki 32 182007 Eddie Johnson 24 151996 Vitalis Takawira 28 131997 Preki 27 122000 Miklos Molnar 17 122003 Preki 30 12
ASSISTSYear Player GP ASSISTS 1997 Preki 27 172003 Preki 30 172000 Preki 31 152012 Graham Zusi 32 151996 Preki 32 131998 Preki 25 13
SHOTSYear Player GP SHOTS 1996 Preki 32 1402012 Kei Kamara 33 1342014 Dom Dwyer 33 1131999 Preki 30 972000 Preki 31 95
SHOTS ON GOALYear Player GP SOG 1996 Preki 32 612012 Kei Kamara 33 491996 Vitalis Takawira 28 482014 Dom Dwyer 33 481997 Preki 27 442002 Preki 25 44
FOULS COMMITTEDYear Player GP FC 2000 Chris Henderson 31 792001 Matt McKeon 26 761997 Matt McKeon 31 752000 Matt McKeon 30 752013 Oriol Rosell 31 66
CAUTIONS (YELLOW CARDS)Year Player GP YC 2013 Aurelien Collin 29 132011 Aurelien Collin 23 102013 Oriol Rosell 31 101997 Mo Johnston 29 92005 Jose Burciaga JR. 31 9
EJECTIONS (RED CARDS)Year Player GP RC 2010 Davy Arnaud 27 3 7 players tied with 2
CORNER KICKSYear Player GP CK 2012 Graham Zusi 32 1502013 Graham Zusi 27 1282014 Graham Zusi 25 1252009 Claudio Lopez 29 1232011 Graham Zusi 32 97
OFFSIDESYear Player GP OFF 2007 Eddie Johnson 24 501996 Vitalis Takawira 28 441997 Vitalis Takawira 28 432014 Dom Dwyer 33 382000 Chris Henderson 31 36
GAME-WINNING GOALSYear Player GP GWG 2000 Miklos Molnar 17 62007 Eddie Johnson 24 62014 Dom Dwyer 33 61997 Preki 27 52012 C.J. Sapong 31 5
GAME-WINNING ASSISTSYear Player GP GWA 2000 Chris Henderson 31 52000 Matt McKeon 30 52003 Preki 30 52004 Davy Arnaud 30 52004 Josh Wolff 26 52012 Graham Zusi 32 52013 Graham Zusi 27 5
PENALTY KICK GOALSYear Player GP PKG 1996 Preki 32 72014 Dom Dwyer 33 72003 Preki 30 51997 Preki 27 31998 Preki 25 32006 Jose Burciaga Jr. 30 32013 Claudio Bieler 28 3
GOALS PER GAMEYear Player GP GLS AVG2000 Miklos Molnar 17 12 0.712014 Dom Dwyer 33 22 0.672007 Eddie Johnson 24 15 0.631996 Preki 32 18 0.562013 Kei Kamara 15 7 0.47*Minimum 5 goals
SAVESYear Player GP SV 2000 Tony Meola 31 1292003 Tony Meola 30 1212008 Kevin Hartman 30 1172005 Bo Oshoniyi 32 1122007 Kevin Hartman 30 110
SHUTOUTSYear Player GP SO 2000 Tony Meola 31 162012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 152013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 132008 Kevin Hartman 30 102010 Jimmy Nielsen 29 10
GOALKEEPER WINSYear Player GP GW 1997 Mike Ammann 29 212012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 182013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 172000 Tony Meola 31 151996 Garth Lagerwey 23 122011 Jimmy Nielsen 31 12
GOALS AGAINST AVERAGEYear Player GP GA GAA2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 27 0.792013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 30 0.882000 Tony Meola 31 29 0.922004 Tony Meola 21 22 1.052014 Eric Kronberg 19 20 1.05*Minimum 1,000 minutes played
Game #1 03/08/2015 KC 1 vs NYR 1 T Opara 1 (Feilhaber 1) 50
Game #2 03/14/2015 KC 1 at DAL 3 L Espinoza 1 (Feilhaber 2) 44
Game #3 03/21/2015 KC 0 vs POR 0 T
Game #4 03/28/2015 KC 1 at NYC 0 W Opara 2 (Besler 1) 12
Game #5 04/05/2015 KC 3 vs PHI 2 W Dwyer 1 (Feilhaber 3) 16; Anibaba 1 (Espinoza 1) 91+; Nemeth 1 (Besler 2, Feilhaber 4) 94+
Game #6 04/11/2015 KC 0 vs RSL 0 T
Game #7 04/18/2015 KC 1 at LA 2 L Nemeth 2 (Feilhaber 5, Dwyer 1) 22
Game #8 04/25/2015 KC 4 at HOU 4 T Nemeth 3 (de Jong 1) 2; Dwyer 2 (unassisted) 74; Feilhaber 1 (penalty kick) 80; Feilhaber 2 (Zusi 1) 95+
- at Sporting Kansas City –May 3, 2015
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB – www.Chicago-Fire.com – 7000 S. Harlem Ave. – Bridgeview, IL 60455 – 708.496.6725
FIRE FLASHES 2015 Record/Home/Away…………….……………………...3-3-0/3-1-0/0-2-0 2014 Record/Home/Away………………,,,,………….…6-10-18/4-2-11/2-8-7 vs. Eastern Conference/2014………………..………..………….3-0-0/5-6-13 vs. Western Conference/2014……………………..…………...….0-3-0/1-4-4 Current Streak………………………………………………………………...3W Last Five…………………………………………..…..…………..…….LLWWW All-Time Record………………………………………..…………..225-183-129 All-Time Home Record…………………………………..…………...139-63-69 All-Time Away Record………………………..………………………86-121-60 Last Regular Season Win………………….…….…1-0, vs NYCFC, 4/24/15 Last Regular Season Loss………………............…....……2-1 at SJ, 3/22/15 Last Shutout by Fire……………………..……......….1-0, vs NYCFC, 3/24/15 Last Shutout by Opponent………………………….….....1-0 vs VAN 3/14/15 March Record 2015/2014……………………………..…………….1-3-0/0-1-3 April Record 2015/2014…………………………………………..…2-0-0/0-0-3 May Record 2015/2014………………………………………….….0-0-0/2-2-0 June Record 2015/2014………………………………………….…0-0-0/0-1-2 July Record 2015/2014………………………………………..…….0-0-0/1-1-4 August Record 2015/2014………………………………….………0-0-0/2-1-3 September Record 2015/2014…………………………….……….0-0-0/0-2-2 October Record 2015/2014……………………………….………..0-0-0/1-2-2 Pre All-Star 2015/2014…………………………………….………3-3-0/3-5-13 Post All-Star 2015/2014…………………………………..…………0-0-0/3-5-5 Record After 6 Games 2015/2014…..…………..….……….…….3-3-0/0-1-5 Ahead/Behind/Tied at Halftime………………………..…….2-0-0/0-1-0/1-2-0 Ahead/Behind/Tied at 75’……………………………….…...3-0-0/0-2-0/0-1-0 Outshoot Opp./Opp. More Shots/Shots Tied……..………..3-0-0/0-3-0/0-0-0 Day/Night…………………………………………….……………...2-1-0/1-2-0 Grass/Turf…………………………………………………………...3-3-0/0-0-0 Wearing Primary Kit……………………………………………….………..3-2-0 Wearing Secondary Kit…………………………………...……….……….0-1-0 One Goal Games/Home/Away………………………………2-1-0/2-1-0/0-0-0 Two Goal Games/Home/Away………………………………0-1-0/0-0-0/0-1-0 Three Goal Games/Home/Away……………………….……0-1-0/0-0-0/0-1-0 Five Goal Games/Home/Away………………………………1-0-0/1-0-0/0-0-0 On Fridays/Home/Away…………………………………..….1-1-0/1-0-0/0-1-0 On Saturdays/Home/Away…………………………………..1-1-0/1-1-0/0-0-0 On Sundays/Home/Away…………………………………….1-1-0/1-0-0/0-1-0 On UniMas/Home/Away………………………………….…..1-1-0/1-0-0/0-1-0 On FOX Sports/Home/Away…………………………….…..0-1-0/0-0-0/0-1-0 On CSN Chicago/Home/Away………………………………1-1-0/1-1-0/0-0-0 On ESPN/Home/Away………………………………….……1-0-0/1-0-0/0-0-0 In clear Weather/Home/Away……………………….………1-3-0/0-1-0/0-2-0 In cloudy Weather/Home/Away……………………………..2-0-0/2-0-0/0-0-0 40-50 degrees at kickoff/Home/Away…………………...…1-0-0/1-0-0/0-0-0 50-59 degrees at kickoff/Home/Away……………………....2-0-0/2-0-0/0-0-0 60-69 degrees at kickoff/Home/Away……………………...0-2-0/0-1-0/0-1-0 70-79 degrees at kickoff/Home/Away………..…………….0-1-0/0-0-0/0-1-0 Using one substitutions/Home/Away……………………..1-0-0/1-0-0/0-0-0 Using two substitutions/Home/Away………………………..1-0-0/1-0-0/0-0-0 Using three substitutions/Home/Away……………......…..1-3-0/1-1-0/0-2-0
A LOOK AT THE FIRE The Chicago Fire enter their 18th season of MLS play after a busy offseason. With two-time MLS Cup champion and two-time MLS Coach of the Year Frank Yallop at the helm, the Men in Red made a slew of changes, shoring up the roster with three Designated Player signings, adding Kennedy Igboananike, David Accam and Shaun Maloney. With a distinct local flavor, the Fire added Michael Stephens, Eric Gehrig and Homegrown Players Collin Fernandez and Patrick Doody, bringing the number of players with Chicago ties on the roster to seven. Although there were a number of changes, the Fire return a strong core of players including captain Jeff Larentowicz, U.S. international Sean Johnson and 2014 MLS Rookie of the Year finalist and Homegrown Player Harry Shipp. NOVACARE INJURY REPORT: April 30, 2015 Out Mike Magee – Hip and Knee Surgery Patrick Nyarko – ACL Surgery PLAYER TRANSACTIONS OUT 10/25/14 – M Logan Pause announces retirement 11/18/14 – Decline options on defenders Marco Franco, Patrick Ianni, Hunter Jumper, Steven Kinney, Gonzalo Segares and Bakary Soumare; midfielders Alex and Sanna Nyassi; and forwards Robert Earnshaw, Matt Fondy and Florent Sinama-Pongolle. 12/18/14 – Juan Luis Anangono transferred to Universidad de Guadalajara 12/31/14 – Loan ends for Benji Joy and Grant Ward 12/31/14 – Contract expires for Victor Pineda 1/20/15 – GK Kyle Reynish traded to New York Red Bulls 4/13/15 – M Alex traded to Houston Dynamo IN 8/28/14 – M Collin Fernandez signed as a Homegrown Player 10/29/14 – D Lovel Palmer re-signed 11/18/14 – M Patrick Nyarko re-signed 12/2/14 – F Kennedy Igboananike signed as a Designated Player 12/3/14 – D Joevin Jones signed 12/9/14 – M Michael Stephens signed 12/10/14 – D Eric Gehrig acquired via trade with Orlando City SC 12/19/14 – M/F David Accam signed as a Designated Player 12/22/14 – D Patrick Doody signed as Homegrown Player 12/30/14 – D Adailton signed 1/5/15- F Guly do Prado signed 1/25/15 – M Alex re-signed 1/25/15 – M Shaun Maloney signed as a Designated Player 1/27/15 – GK Jon Busch signed 2/4/15 – D Matt Polster signed 3/24/15 – M Kingsley Bryce signed 3/27/15 – M Victor Perez acquired on loan 4/13/15 – F Jason Johnson acquired via trade from Houston Dynamo
Chicago Fire (3-3-0, 9 points) at Sporting Kansas City (2-2-4, 10 points) Fire Game #7 – Away Game #3
Sunday, May 3, 2015 | Sporting Park | 4:00 PM CT | TV: ESPN2 | Radio: ESPN Deportes 97.5 FM
- at Sporting Kansas City –May 3, 2015
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB – www.Chicago-Fire.com – 7000 S. Harlem Ave. – Bridgeview, IL 60455 – 708.496.6725
Chicago Fire vs. Sporting Kansas City The Fire are 25-13-11 all-time in regular season matches against Sporting Kansas City and 8-9-9 in matches played on the road. The two sides split the 2014 series with the Fire winning 2-1 on May 18 at Toyota Park, drawing 1-1 at Sporting Park on July 6 and falling 2-0 at Sporting Park on Oct. 10. Kansas City was the final stop of Fire Technical Director Brian Bliss’ playing career, where he played in 1998. In 2000, Bliss was appointed assistant coach for the Wizards. In his six seasons in Kansas City, the Wizards won the 2000 MLS Supporters’ Shield, 2000 MLS Cup and the 2004 U.S. Open Cup. This is the first time the Fire have won three consecutive MLS regular season matches since Oct. 4-19, 2003 where they defeated D.C. United 3-0 at RFK Stadium on Oct. 4, FC Dallas 3-2 on Oct. 12 and Toronto FC 1-0 on Oct. 19. The Fire enter this match in search of their first road points and first points against Western Conference opposition. Sporting KC defender Jalil Anibaba began his professional career with the Fire when he was selected ninth overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. Anibaba made 107 appearances across all competitions for the Fire, scoring five goals and adding five assists before he was traded to the Seattle Sounders FC on Jan. 15, 2014. Busch Two Away from Career Milestone Jon Busch is two starts away from becoming the fourth goalkeeper in MLS history to reach 300 in a career. The other three: Kevin Hartman, Nick Rimando and Joe Cannon. The 15-year MLS veteran has started twice for Chicago this season. Sean Johnson vs. Sporting KC Sean Johnson has four career shutouts against Sporting Kansas City, more than any other opponent. His last came on Aug. 23, 2013 in a 1-0 win at Toyota Park. Three of those four shutouts came on the road. Johnson is 5-2-3 all-time against Sporting. Fire Heating Up The Chicago Fire have won three in-a-row for the first time since 2013. Their winning streak is the longest active streak in MLS. The Fire started their three-game stretch with a 1-0 win against the Philadelphia Union on March 29 and kept it going with a 3-2 win against Toronto FC on April 4 and a 1-0 victory against New York City FC on April 24. Chicago Fire Roster Ten nations of birth are represented on the Fire roster: Brazil (Alex, do Prado, Adailton), England (Watson), Ghana (Accam, Nyarko), Jamaica (Johnson, Palmer), Malaysia (Maloney), Nigeria (Igboananike), Romania (Cocis), Spain (Perez) and Trinidad and Tobago (Jones). Fourteen Fire players were born in the United States. Eight players currently occupy International Roster spots: Accam, Cocis, do Prado, Adailton, Igboananike, Jones, Maloney and Perez. Nine states are represented on the Fire roster. Illinois leads the way with six players (Magee, Stephens, Shipp, Ritter, Doody, Fernandez), with Gehrig hailing from northwest Indiana. Other states that Fire players call home: Georgia (Johnson, Kann), Pennsylvania (Cochrane, Larentowicz), California (Amarikwa), Nevada (Polster), Texas (Bryce), Virginia (Nyarko) and New York (Busch). Sixteen players played collegiately. Two Homegrown products won national championships with their respective schools: Doody (2012 – Indiana University) and Shipp (Notre Dame – 2013). Four players have MLS Cup championship experience. Magee and Stephens won back-to-back titles with the LA Galaxy in 2011 and 2012. Amarikwa and Larentowicz were both part of the Colorado Rapids squad that captured MLS Cup 2010.
- at Sporting Kansas City –May 3, 2015
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB – www.Chicago-Fire.com – 7000 S. Harlem Ave. – Bridgeview, IL 60455 – 708.496.6725
Building The Fire
Year MLS SuperDraft Trades Signings Homegrown 2008 Nyarko – First Round (7th)
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB – www.Chicago-Fire.com – 7000 S. Harlem Ave. – Bridgeview, IL 60455 – 708.496.6725
CHICAGO FIRE ALPHABETICAL ROSTER No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Birth date Hometown College Status 11 David Accam FWD 5-9 154 09/28/1990 Accra, Ghana Hartpury College Int. 4 Adaílton DEF 6-3 187 04/16/1983 Salvador, Brazil -- Int. 24 Quincy Amarikwa FWD 5-9 180 10/29/1987 Bakersfield, CA UC Davis 27 Kingsley Bryce MID 6-0 185 04/16/1993 Plano, TX Saint Louis Univ. 18 Jon Busch GK 5-10 165 08/18/1976 Queens, NY UNC Charlotte 16 Greg Cochrane DEF 5-8 140 11/11/1990 Holland, PA Univ. of Louisville 30 Razvan Cocis MID 5-11 161 02/19/1983 Slatina, Romania -- Int. 22 Patrick Doody DEF 6-0 180 04/22/1992 Naperville, IL Indiana University HG 23 Guly do Prado FWD 6-3 180 12/31/1981 Campinas, Brazil -- Int. 17 Collin Fernandez MID 5-8 140 2/13/1997 Downers Grove, IL -- HG 6 Eric Gehrig DEF 6-1 175 12/25/1987 Crown Point, IN Loyola University Chicago 77 Kennedy Igboananike FWD 5-9 154 2/26/1989 Nri-Igbo, Nigeria -- Int. 7 Jason Johnson FWD 6-0 180 10/9/1990 Happy News, Jamaica VCU GC 25 Sean Johnson GK 6-3 217 05/31/1989 Lilburn, GA Univ. of Central Florida 3 Joevin Jones DEF 6-0 175 08/3/1991 Carenage, Trinidad -- Int. 1 Alec Kann GK 6-4 190 08/08/1990 Decatur, GA Furman 20 Jeff Larentowicz MID 6-1 175 08/05/1983 Philadelphia, PA Brown Univ. 9 Mike Magee MID 5-10 160 09/02/1984 Chicago, IL -- 10 Shaun Maloney MID 5-7 160 01/24/1983 Aberdeen, Scotland -- Int. 14 Patrick Nyarko FWD 6-0 165 01/15/1986 Kumasi, Ghana Virginia Tech GC 5 Lovel Palmer DEF 5-10 160 08/30/1984 Mandeville, Jamaica -- GC 15 Victor Perez MID 5-9 157 01/12/1988 Albacete, Spain -- Int. 2 Matt Polster DEF 6-0 170 06/08/1993 Las Vegas, NV SIU Edwardsville 21 Chris Ritter MID 6-2 190 10/29/1990 Winnetka, IL Northwestern HG 19 Harry Shipp FWD 5-9 145 11/07/1991 Lake Forest, IL Notre Dame HG 26 Michael Stephens MID 5-9 155 04/03/1989 Naperville, IL UCLA 8 Matthew Watson MID 6-0 180 01/01/1985 Redditch, England Univ. of Maryland-BC
CHICAGO FIRE NUMERICAL ROSTER AND PRONUNCIATION GUIDE No. Player Pos. Pronunciation Place of Birth Last Team 1 Alec Kann GK kan Decatur, GA Charleston Battery (USL) 2 Matt Polster DEF Milwaukee, WI SIU Edwardsville (NCAA) 3 Joevin Jones DEF Carenage, Trinidad W Connection (Trinidad & Tobago) 4 Adaílton DEF ah-dah-EEYL-tohn Salvador, Brazil Esporte Clube Bahia (Brazil) 5 Lovel Palmer DEF love-EL Mandeville, Jamaica Real Salt Lake 6 Eric Gehrig DEF Harvey, IL Columbus Crew 7 Jason Johnson FWD Happy News, Jamaica Houston Dynamo 8 Matthew Watson MID Redditch, England Vancouver Whitecaps FC 9 Mike Magee MID Chicago, IL Los Angeles Galaxy 11 David Accam FWD ah-KAHM Accra, Ghana Helsingborgs IF (Sweden) 10 Shaun Maloney MID Miri, Malaysia Wigan (England) 14 Patrick Nyarko FWD nee-YAH-koh Kumasi, Ghana Virginia Tech University (NCAA) 15 Victor Perez MID Albacete, Spain Levante (On loan from Real Valladolid) 16 Greg Cochrane DEF Babylon, NY Los Angeles Galaxy 17 Collin Fernandez MID Downers Grove, IL Chicago Fire Academy 18 Jon Busch GK Queens, NY San Jose Earthquakes 19 Harry Shipp MID Lake Forest, IL Univ. of Notre Dame (NCAA) 20 Jeff Larentowicz MID luh-REN-toe-witz Pasadena, CA Colorado Rapids 21 Chris Ritter MID Winnetka, IL Northwestern Univ. (NCAA) 22 Patrick Doody DEF Naperville, IL Indiana University (NCAA) 23 Guly Do Prado FWD GOO-lee Campinas, Brazil Southampton (England) 24 Quincy Amarikwa FWD ah-MARE-ik-wah Bakersfield, CA Toronto FC 25 Sean Johnson GK Lilburn, GA University of Central Florida (NCAA) 26 Michael Stephens MID Naperville, IL Stabaek (Norway) 27 Kingsley Bryce MID Plano, TX Saint Louis University (NCAA) 30 Razvan Cocis MID koh-chish Slatina, Romania FC Hoverla Uzhhorod (UKR) 77 Kennedy Igboananike FWD ig-bo-ah-na-knee-kay Nri-Igbo, Nigeria AIK (Sweden) Head Coach: Frank Yallop Athletic Trainer: Steve Bagus Assistant Coach: Marc Bircham Equipment Manager: Charles Raycroft Assistant Coach: Clint Mathis Assistant Equipment Manager: Allan Araujo Goalkeeper Coach: Aron Hyde Director of Team Operations: Ron Stern Technical Director: Brian Bliss Senior Coordinator of Team Operations: Alex Boler Director of Scouting: Trevor James Licensed Massage Therapist: Jake Bronowski Strength & Conditioning: Adrian Lamb
- at Sporting Kansas City –May 3, 2015
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB – www.Chicago-Fire.com – 7000 S. Harlem Ave. – Bridgeview, IL 60455 – 708.496.6725
2015 Schedule/Results
DATE OPPONENT VENUE Time (CT) MLS RECORD Friday, March 6 (UniMas) LA Galaxy Los Angeles 2-0 L 0-1-0 Saturday, March 14 (CSN Chicago) Vancouver Whitecaps FC Chicago 1-0 L 0-2-0 Sunday, March 22 (FOX Sports 1) San Jose Earthquakes San Jose 2-1 L 0-3-0 Sunday, March 29 (ESPN2) Philadelphia Union Chicago 1-0 W 1-3-0 Saturday, April 4 (CSN Chicago) Toronto FC Chicago 3-2 W 2-3-0 Friday, April 24 (UDN) New York City FC Chicago 1-0 W 3-3-0 Sunday, May 3 (ESPN2) Sporting Kansas City Kansas City 4:00 PM Saturday, May 9 (CSN Chicago) Real Salt Lake Chicago 2:00 PM Friday, May 15 (UDN) New York City FC New York 6:00 PM
Friday, May 22 (UDN) Columbus Crew SC Columbus 7:00 PM Saturday, May 30 (CSN Chicago) Montreal Impact Chicago 7:30 PM Wednesday, June 3 (CSN Chicago) D.C. United DC 6:00 PM Saturday, June 6 (CSN Chicago) Orlando City SC Chicago 7:30 PM Saturday, June 13 (CSN Chicago) New England Revolution New England 6:30 PM Wednesday, June 24 (CSN Chicago) D.C. United Chicago 7:30 PM Friday, July 3 (UDN) Houston Dynamo Houston 8:00 PM Saturday, July 11 (CSN Chicago) Seattle Sounders Chicago 7:30 PM Wednesday, July 15 (CSN Chicago) Columbus Crew SC Chicago 7:30 PM Sunday, July 19 (ESPN2) Columbus Crew SC Columbus 4:00 PM Saturday, July 25 (CSN Chicago) New England Revolution Chicago 7:30 PM Sunday, Aug. 2 (FOX Sports 1) FC Dallas Chicago 6:00 PM Friday, Aug. 7 (UniMas) Portland Timbers Portland 10:00 PM
Sunday, Aug. 16 (FOX Sports 1) Philadelphia Union Philadelphia 6:00 PM Saturday, Aug. 22 (CSN Chicago) Colorado Rapids Chicago 7:30 PM Wednesday, Aug. 26 (CSN Chicago) New York Red Bulls Chicago 7:30 PM Saturday, Aug. 29 (CSN Chicago) Orlando City SC Orlando 6:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 5 (CSN Chicago) Montreal Impact Montreal 8:00 PM
Friday, Sept. 11 (UniMas) New York Red Bulls New York 6:00 PM Saturday, Sept. 19 (CSN Chicago) Orlando City SC Chicago 7:30 PM Saturday, Sept. 26 (CSN Chicago) Toronto FC Toronto 2:00 PM Saturday, Oct. 3 (CSN Chicago) New England Revolution Chicago 7:30 PM Sunday, Oct. 18 (CSN Chicago) D.C. United DC TBD Sunday, Oct. 25 (CSN Chicago) New York Red Bulls Chicago 4:00 PM
- at Sporting Kansas City –May 3, 2015
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB – www.Chicago-Fire.com – 7000 S. Harlem Ave. – Bridgeview, IL 60455 – 708.496.6725
Goalkeeping Statistics Player GP GS MIN SHT SVS GA GAA PG PA W L T SO Jon Busch 2 2 180 9 6 3 1.50 0 0 1 1 0 0 Sean Johnson 4 4 360 15 11 4 1.00 0 0 2 2 0 2 Alec Kann* 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 *Currently on loan with USL affiliate Saint Louis FC.
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB – www.Chicago-Fire.com – 7000 S. Harlem Ave. – Bridgeview, IL 60455 – 708.496.6725
#1 David Accam – 2015: 3 GP/2 GS, 1G, 0A in 225 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 min. 4/24/15 in 1-0 win over NYCFC. Last MLS GOAL: 4/24/15 vs NYCFC (20’) - Signed with the Fire on Dec. 19, 2014 as a Designated Player - Was a member of the Ghana side that reached the final match in the 2015 African Cup of Nations. - Earned his first cap for Ghana on Jan. 19, 2015 in their first group match against Senegal. #4 Adailton – 2015: 5 GP/5 GS, 1G, 0A in 450 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 mins. 4/24/15 in 1-0 win over NYCFC. LAST MLS GOAL: 3/29/15 vs. PHI (37’) Signed with the Fire on Dec. 30, 2014 from Brazilian side Esporte Clube Bahia - Has experience playing professionally in Brazil, France, Switzerland and China prior to joining MLS. #24 Quincy Amarikwa – 2015: 6 GP/5 GS, 0G, 0A in 428 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 24 mins. 4/24/15 in 1-0 win over NYCFC. LAST MLS GOAL: 9/20/14 vs. DC (16’) LAST MLS ASSIST: 9/20/14 vs. DC (Matthew Watson 78’) - Acquired from Toronto FC on Feb. 27, 2013 - Was selected in the third round (32nd overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by the San Jose Earthquakes - Was a member of the Colorado Rapids squad that captured the 2010 MLS Cup with a 2-1 win over FC Dallas - Appeared in 77 games, scored 31 goals and added seven assists in four seasons at UC Davis #27 Kingsley Bryce – 2015: 0 GP/0 GS, 0G, 0A in 0 min LAST MLS MATCH: Has not appeared in a MLS match - Selected in the second round (28th overall) in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft - Played collegiately at Saint Louis University for four years, scored 23 goals and added 12 assists in 79 games - Native of Plano, Texas, helped Jesuit Prep to the Texas 5A state championship and a perfect 25-0 record in his senior year #18 Jon Busch – 2015: 1 GP/1 GS, 0G, 0A in 90 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 min. 4/4/15 in 3-2 win over TOR LAST MLS WIN: 4/5/15 vs. TOR, 3-2 win LAST MLS SHUTOUT: 10/18/14 vs. VAN, 0-0 draw (SJ) - Returns for his second stint with the Chicago Fire - Won 2008 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and MLS Best XI honors while with the Fire in 2008 - In 2008, recorded a league-best saves percentage of 78.2 percent - On Oct. 24, 2014, recorded a league-best and franchise record 138 saves in one season while with the Earthquakes #16 Greg Cochrane – 2015: 0 GP/0 GS, 0G, 0A in 0 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 min. 8/16/14 at MLT in a 1-0 loss LAST MLS GOAL: Has not scored in a MLS first team match LAST MLS ASSIST: 5/10/14 at NY (Shipp 4’) - Selected 38th overall by the Galaxy in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft - Joined the Fire in a trade on March 3, 2014 #30 Razvan Cocis – 2015: 0 GP/0 GS, 0G, 0A in 0 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 28 min. 9/28/14 at HOU in a 2-0 loss LAST MLS GOAL: Has not scored in an MLS match LAST MLS ASSIST: Has not assisted in a MLS match - Signed with the Fire on July 14, 2014 - Has 50 caps for the Romanian National Team
#22 Patrick Doody – 2015: 0 GP/0 GS, 0G, 0A in 0 min LAST MLS MATCH: Has not appeared in a MLS match - A Native of Naperville, Ill., Doody signed a Homegrown contract on Dec. 22, 2014 - Led Indiana University to the 2012 College Cup - A Product of the Chicago Fire Academy #23 Guly do Prado – 2015: 5 GP/1 GS, 0G, 0A in 120 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 66 mins 4/24/15 vs NYCFC in 1-0 win. - Signed with the Fire on Jan. 5, 2015 - Joined the Fire after most recently representing English side Southampton. - Helped Southampton reach double promotion, helping the side to the Championship in 2011 and then to the Premier League in 2012. - Began his professional career in his native Brazil but also plied his trade in Italy, including Serie A club Perugia. #17 Collin Fernandez – 2015: 0 GP/0 GS, 0G, 0A in 0 min LAST MLS MATCH: Has not appeared in a MLS match - Fire Academy product, originally from Downers Grove, IL - Signed his first professional contract at age 17 - A U.S. youth international, is currently a member of the U-18 MNT #6 Eric Gehrig – 2015: 6 GP/6 GS, 0G, 0A in 540 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 min. 4/24/15 vs NYCFC in 1-0 win. LAST MLS GOAL: Has not scored in a MLS match LAST MLS ASSIST: 5/12/12 vs. DAL (Meram 67’) (CLB) - Born in Harvey, IL. - Played collegiately at Loyola University Chicago - Spent the first four seasons of his professional career with the Columbus Crew. - Joined the Fire via trade with Orlando City SC on Dec. 10, 2014 after he was selected in the Expansion Draft. #77 Kennedy Igboananike – 2015: 5 GP/2 GS, 0G, 0A in 208 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 16 mins. 4/4/15 in 3-2 win vs TOR - Joined the Fire as a Designated Player on Dec. 2, 2014 from Swedish Allsvenskan side AIK - Holds dual Nigerian and Swedish citizenship - Began his professional career with Djurgarden IF in Sweden on June 19, 2007 Jason Johnson – 2015: 0 GP/0 GS, 0G, 0A in 0 min Last MLS Match: Played 1 min. 10/8/14 vs Toronto in1-0 win (HOU) Last MLS Goal : 9/8/2013 vs New York Red Bulls (17”) (HOU) Last MLS Assist: Has not assisted in a MLS match -Joined the Fire via trade with Houston Dynamo on 4/ 13/15 -Has three caps with the Jamaican National Team #25 Sean Johnson – 2015: 4 GP/4 GS, 0G, 0A in 360 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 min. 4/24/15 in 1-0 win vs NYCFC LAST MLS WIN: 4/24/15 vs NYCFC, 1-0 win LAST MLS SHUTOUT: 4/24/15 vs NYCFC, 1-0 win LAST MLS ASSIST: 8/12/12 at PHI (Rolfe 56’) - Has five appearances for the senior U.S. Men’s National Team, helped the U.S. win the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup - Earned his first international start Jan. 29, 2013 and earned the shutout in a 0-0 draw with Canada at BBVA Compass Stadium - At age 21, was the youngest player to appear in goal for the Chicago Fire after making his debut on August 1, 2010 .
- at Sporting Kansas City –May 3, 2015
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB – www.Chicago-Fire.com – 7000 S. Harlem Ave. – Bridgeview, IL 60455 – 708.496.6725
#3 Joevin Jones – 2015: 6 GP/6 GS, 1G, 1A in 489 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 mins on 4/24/15 in 1-0 win over NYCFC. LAST MLS GOAL: 4/5/15 vs TOR (14”) LAST MLS ASSIST: 3/22/15 at SJ (Harry Shipp 29’) - Joined the Fire from W Connection after his loan with Finnish Veikkausliiga club HJK Helsinki - A Trinidad and Tobago international, made his senior debut on Sept. 7, 2010 and has since earned 37 caps. #1 Alec Kann – 2015: 0 GP/0 GS, 0G, 0A in 0 min LAST MLS MATCH: Has not appeared in an MLS first team match - Four-year standout at Furman Univ., had 18 shutouts and a 1.00 GAA in 65 starts - Joined the Fire from USL-PRO side Charleston Battery - In 2014, played 17 matches while on loan to Charlotte Eagles #20 Jeff Larentowicz – 2015: 6 GP/6 GS, 1G, 0A in 540 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 mins. 4/24/15 vs NYCFC in 1-0 win. LAST MLS GOAL: 4/5/15 vs. TOR (68’) LAST MLS ASSIST: 8/30/14 vs. DAL (Earnshaw 83’) - Selected in the fourth round (45th overall) in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft by the New England Revolution - Has reached the MLS Cup finals four times in his career; won the 2010 edition with the Colorado Rapids - Has been capped four times by the U.S. Men’s National Team #9 Mike Magee – 2015: 0 GP/0 GS, 0G, 0A in 0 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 86 min. 8/16/14 at MLT in a 1-0 loss LAST MLS GOAL: 8/10/14 vs. NY (38’) LAST MLS ASSIST: 7/12/14 at NE (Amarikwa 3’) - Joined the Fire on May 25, 2013 from the LA Galaxy - Named 2013 Volkswagen MLS MVP - Two-time MLS Cup champion with the Galaxy in 2011 & 2012 - A Chicago native, spent two years at the U.S. Soccer Residency program - Has 42 career regular season goal and 24 assists in 235 games - In 20 post-season matches, scored 8 goals and 1 assist. #10 Shaun Maloney – 2015: 5 GP/5 GS, 0G, 0A in 450 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 min. 4/24/15 in 1-0 win over NYCFC LAST MLS GOAL: 4/5/15 vs TOR (56”) LAST MLS ASSIST:4/5/15 vs TOR, (Jones 14’) -. Joined the Fire on Jan. 25, 2015 as a Designated Player from English Championship side Wigan Athletic - Made his professional debut with Celtic in 2001. - Earned both the SPFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year honours in 2006 - Joined English Premier League side Aston Villa in 2007 - Made his senior Scottish debut in 2005. Has 36 caps and has scored four times for Scotland #14 Patrick Nyarko – 2015: 0 GP/0 GS, 0G, 0A in 0 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 21 min. 10/18/14 at DC in a 2-1 loss LAST MLS GOAL: 5/10/14 at NY (64’) LAST MLS ASSIST: 10/18/14 at DC (Shipp 67’) - Team leader in assists the past three seasons with ten (2010), nine (2011) and seven (2012) - Has appeared in more matches than any other Fire player over the past four seasons with 121 games played - Made debut for Ghana in 1-1 draw vs. Chile on 2/29/12 - Was the most fouled player in MLS during the 2012 season, suffering 78 fouls #5 Lovel Palmer – 2015: 4 GP/4 GS, 0G, 0A in 360 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 min. 3/29/15 vs PHI in 1-0 win LAST MLS GOAL: 8/13/14 vs. TOR (11’) LAST MLS ASSIST: 8/23/14 at TOR (Amarikwa 90’) - Began his professional career with Jamaican First Division side Harbour View FC in 1999, appearing in 143 matches. - Made his Jamaican senior national team debut in 2005 and has since earned 24 caps
#15 Victor Perez – 2015: 1 GP/0 GS, 0G, 0A in 2 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 2 min. 4/4/15 vs TOR in 3-2 win. LAST MLS GOAL: Has not scored in an MLS match. LAST MLS ASSIST: Has not assisted in an MLS match. - Joined the Fire on loan from Spanish Segunda Division side Real Valladolid - Most recently featured for Spanish La Liga side Levante - Spent time in the Real Madrid and Getafe youth academies #2 Matt Polster – 2015: 6 GP/5 GS, 0G, 0A in 444 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 minutes 4/24/15 vs NYCFC in 1-0 win. - Was selected in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft - Played at SIU Edwardsville for four years - Was a member of the Chicago Fire PDL in 2014 - Made his professional debut on 3/6/15 against the LA Galaxy. #21 Chris Ritter – 2015: 2 GP/1 GS, 0G, 0A in 145 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 82 min. 4/4/15 vs TOR in 3-2 win. LAST MLS GOAL: Has not scored in a MLS first team match LAST MLS ASSIST: Has not assisted in a MLS first team match - Chicago Fire Homegrown product, native of Winnetka, Ill. - Named 2012 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year after leading Northwestern to its second straight Big Ten regular season title - Made his Fire debut when he started against LA on June 1, 2014 #19 Harry Shipp –2015: 6 GP/6 GS, 1G, 3A in 540 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 min. 4/24/15 vs NYCFC in 1-0 win. LAST MLS GOAL: 3/22/15 at SJ (29’) LAST MLS ASSIST: 4/5/15 vs TOR, (Larentowicz 68’) - Lake Forest, Ill. product, signed a Homegrown contract with the Fire - 2013 ACC Offensive Player of the Year and All-ACC First Team honors after finishing his senior season at Notre Dame with 12 goals and 10 assists - Led Notre Dame to the 2013 NCAA College Cup championship - Finalist for 2014 MLS Rookie of the Year award #26 Michael Stephens – 2015: 5 GP/4 GS, 0G, 0A in 281 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 8 min. 4/4/15 vs TOR in 3-2 win. LAST MLS GOAL: 9/14/13 at NE (81’) (LA) LAST MLS ASSIST: 3/3/13 vs. CHI (Keane 80’) (LA) - Naperville, IL native, spent time with the U.S. Soccer Residency Program in Bradenton - Graduated from UCLA with a degree in history - Selected in the first round (16th overall) by the LA Galaxy in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft - Won back-to-back MLS Cups with the Galaxy in 2011 & 2012 - Spent the 2014 season in Norway at Stabaek - Part of the Chicago Fire Super-20 championship side in 2008 #8 Matthew Watson – 2015: 3 GP/3 GS, 0G, 0A in 170 min LAST MLS MATCH: Played 90 mins 4/24/15 vs NYCFC in 1-0 win LAST MLS GOAL: 9/20/14 vs. DC (78’) LAST MLS ASSIST: 7/23/14 at SJ (Ward 75’) - Native of Redditch, England, spent two seasons at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. - Prior to joining MLS, spent time in the NASL, USL PRO and MISL.
- at Sporting Kansas City –May 3, 2015
CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB – www.Chicago-Fire.com – 7000 S. Harlem Ave. – Bridgeview, IL 60455 – 708.496.6725
Chicago Fire at LA Galaxy
The Stubhub Center | Carson, LA | MLS Regular Season | March 6, 2015 Attendance: 27,000
3-14-15 vs VAN, 1-0 L GK Busch D Adailton D Palmer D Gehrig D Larentowicz M Polster (Igboananike 59’) M Jones M Maloney M Shipp M Stephens (Alex 82’) F Amarikwa (do Prado 76’)