Month: September 2019

Sporting KC to face Portland in home season finale on Sunday

World-class Children’s Mercy Park will hold its last match of the 2019 MLS season on Sunday when Sporting Kansas City (10-15-7, 37 points) welcomes the Portland Timbers (13-13-6, 45 points) in a Western Conference clash at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets for Sporting’s home finale remain available at SeatGeek.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL. The first 5,000 fans through the stadium gates will receive a free headband.

FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports GO will carry three hours of live coverage beginning at 6 p.m., while listeners can catch the action live on ESPN 94.5 FM (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish). The match is one of six Western Conference battles set to kick off concurrently on the penultimate match day of the regular season.

Wednesday’s bitter 2-1 road loss to Minnesota United FC eliminated Sporting Kansas City from playoff contention, ending a club-record eight-year postseason run that began in 2011 when the team moved into Children’s Mercy Park.

Center back Botond Barath opened his MLS scoring account on a Johnny Russell assist in the seventh minute, but the Loons responded with a pair of late goals from Osvaldo Alonso and Hassani Dotson to secure their first-ever postseason berth, with Sporting suffering their fourth successive defeat.

Sporting’s eight-year playoff run under manager Peter Vermes ranks as the fourth-longest postseason streak in MLS history and the longest of any major professional sports team in Kansas City.

With their final home match on the docket, Vermes’ men will now take on the spoiler role against a Portland outfit that sits just one point above the playoff line in the ultra-competitive West.

Led by second-year head coach Giovanni Savarese, the Timbers have played each of their last 10 MLS matches in the friendly confines of Providence Park — a product of spending the first three months of the season on the road while stadium renovations took place in Portland.

Savarese’s side was unable to fully cash in, going 4-4-2 during the marathon homestand and claiming just two points from their previous four fixtures.

A few hours after Sporting surrendered a late lead in Minnesota on Wednesday evening, Portland followed suit against the New England Revolution. A second-half brace from Jeremy Ebobisse had given the hosts a 2-0 advantage, but the Revs pulled one back on 87 minutes through Gustavo Bou before Carles Gil leveled terms with a 97th-minute penalty kick.

Portland can clinch a playoff berth on Sunday with a win over Sporting and a loss from either FC Dallas or the San Jose Earthquakes.

The Timbers will hope they can replicate the success of their most recent trip to Children’s Mercy Park — a pulsating 3-2 triumph in the decisive second leg of the 2018 Western Conference Championship that vaulted the club into MLS Cup against eventual champion Atlanta United FC.

Influential midfield playmakers Diego Valeri and Sebastian Blanco both scored for Portland in the November thriller, while Sporting struck through forwards Gerso Fernandes and Daniel Salloi.

Despite the relative struggles of both teams in recent weeks, Sporting and Portland boast multiple players who have enjoyed standout campaigns.

Russell (nine goals, eight assists) and Chilean international Felipe Gutierrez (12 goals, three assists) have led the way for Sporting, with the latter becoming the fourth midfielder in club history to hit double-digit goals in a single regular season.

Russell, meanwhile, is one goal shy of becoming the fourth Kansas City player to bag 10 goals in consecutive regular seasons.

On the Timbers sideline, Valeri remains one of the league’s greatest talents.

He leads MLS in chances created and ranks second with 16 assists, while Blanco (four goals, 11 assists) and joint-leading scorers Ebobisse and Brian Fernandez (11 goals) have provided a decisive punch up top.

Sporting is 5-2-4 with a remarkable eight shutouts in the last 11 regular season meetings against Portland since 2014.

The sides most recently met on Sept. 7 in Portland as the Timbers staged a late comeback to prevail 2-1. Benny Feilhaber fired Sporting ahead with an MLS Goal of the Week winner before the hosts responded with strikes from Ebobisse and Fernandez to notch a dramatic victory.

Sporting captain Matt Besler will be available for selection Sunday after missing Wednesday’s game against Minnesota on a red card suspension. On the injury front, the hosts are likely to be without the services of Feilhaber (quad), defender Andreu Fontas (Achilles) and backup goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas (back).

  • Story from Sporting KC

Faith news


To send in items for the Faith News, email information to [email protected]. Please include your name and contact information.


Volunteers from Holy Family Catholic Church, Kansas City, Kansas, are preparing for the annual Slovenefest, which will be held Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Monsignor Mejak Hall and Holy Family School grounds, 513 Ohio. The event will include a traditional Slovenian dinner, music and family entertainment. The funds raised will support Holy Family Church. The festival begins after the 4 p.m. Mass on Sept. 28 at Holy Family Church, 274 Orchard St., Kansas City, Kansas. The festival from 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 28 includes children’s and adult games, cultural booth, souvenirs, a silent auction, authentic Slovenian food including sarma (stuffed cabbage rolls), poljene paprika (stuffed peppers), krvavica (a specialty sausage), Slovenian potato salad and green beans. Tamburitza music from Hravatski Obicaj is featured from 5 to 6 p.m., and Slovenian polkas by the Brian McCarty Band are planned from 6 to 9 p.m.


A taco dinner will be served from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, 1007 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas. The cost of the dinner is $7. The event includes music from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. by Stranded in the City. The Holy Name Divas are sponsoring the event, which will benefit scholarships and projects.


The Keeler Women’s Center reopened July 1 at a new location, 759 Vermont Ave., Suite 100-B, Kansas City, Kansas.
The Gospel Non-Violence Study Group will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Keeler Women’s Center, 759 Vermont Ave., Suite 100-B, Kansas City, Kansas. The group is facilitated by Peg Burns Kerbawy.
Scripture Study and Reflection facilitated by Heather Neds will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesdays at the Keeler Women’s Center, 759 Vermont Ave., Suite 100-B, Kansas City, Kansas. To register for classes, call 913-906-8990. The Keeler Women’s Center is a ministry of the Benedictine Sisters. For more information, visit www.keelerwomenscenter.org.


Oak Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, 9301 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, will have a fundraiser for the Oak Ridge Youth Development School from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, Kansas. Tickets are $15 per person. The event will feature poetry, music, spoken word and dance. There will be light refreshments. Tickets can purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/9301-mix-tickets-71735389481.


Open Door Baptist Church, 3033 N. 103rd Terrace, Kansas City, Kansas, will meet for Sunday worship at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 29. Sunday school is at 9 a.m.


Our Lady and St. Rose Catholic Church, 2300 N. 8th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will hold the 13th annual Gospel Choir Concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29.

St. Mary-St. Anthony Catholic Church, 615 N. 7th St., downtown Kansas City, Kansas, will celebrate Fiesta Latina on the church grounds from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, and will begin with a special Spanish Mass at 11:30 a.m. Fiesta Latina is about preserving the Latino culture and living out faith. Festivities include home made traditional Mexican food: tacos, tamales, menudo and pastries. Enjoy Folkloric dancers, traditional Mariachi Mexican music, children and adult games. All money raised supports Catholic education for children at St. Mary-St. Anthony Catholic Church.

Members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1300 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will celebrate a blessing of the animals as they recognize St. Francis of Assisi at 10 a.m. Oct. 6. St. Francis was the patron saint of animals.


Stony Point Christian Church, 149 S. 78th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will participate in Operation Christmas Child, in which individuals may fill up shoe boxes with Christmas gifts for children.


Wyandotte United Methodist Church, 7901 Oakland Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, will meet for worship services on Sept. 29 at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., with Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and the youth group at 1:30 p.m. A Community Blood Center blood drive will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Fellowship Hall, Wyandotte United Methodist Church.

Send Faith News items to [email protected]. Please include your contact information. If there is inclement weather, check with the sponsoring organization to see if the event will still be held. These events are listed by alphabetical order of the faith group.

Police notes

Attempted rape, battery reported
Attempted rape and battery was reported at 9:09 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department. A suspect punched the victim several times and tried to rape her, according to police. She was able to get away and ran to a neighbor’s house. The suspect was arrested. The victim had minor injuries.

Aggravated burglary, aggravated battery reported on North 47th Terrace
Suspects entered a residence in the 800 block of North 47th Terrace about 1:07 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, and shot one victim, according to a social media post by police. They demanded money from other occupants before fleeing, according to police. The victim was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Aggravated robbery reported on Leavenworth Road
Aggravated robbery was reported at 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, in the 7300 block of Leavenworth Road, according to a social media post by police. A victim told police that a suspect pointed a gun at him and demanded his money, according to police. The victim complied and the suspect fled on foot. The victim was not injured.

Aggravated robbery reported on North Boeke
A victim told police that a suspect threatened him with a handgun about 2:34 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, in the 100 block of North Boeke Street, according to a social media post by police. The victim’s wallet, phone and vehicle were taken. The victim was not injured.