Category: Sporting KC

Claros appeared in 12 matches for club across all competitions

Sporting Kansas City announced on Tuesday that the club has waived midfielder James Marcelin and mutually agreed to part ways with midfielder Jorge Claros.

Claros appeared in eight MLS matches (including postseason) and four games during the 2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League group stage since being acquired by Sporting Kansas City last July. The 29-year-old played at the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2014 FIFA World Cup as a member of the Honduras Men’s National Team.

Marcelin was acquired by Sporting Kansas City in December and appeared in three preseason matches for the club. The 28-year-old has twice represented Haiti at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, as well as in Olympic and World Cup qualifying, and has 39 career MLS appearances over two seasons with the Portland Timbers and FC Dallas.

Claros and Marcelin have been removed from Sporting Kansas City’s roster, making available two international roster spots.
– Story from Sporting KC

Sporting Kansas City announced that the club has signed defender Amadou Dia.

The 21-year-old was selected 20th overall in the first round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft out of Clemson University and has been added to the team’s roster for the upcoming 2015 season.

“Amadou is a player we feel has a very good future,” Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said. “He’s got a great instinct around the game. For him, like most players when they come, it will be about taking advantage of the opportunities when he gets them. He has a really good mentality, is extremely coachable and I think he has a huge upside if he continues on this path.”

“I am really excited to officially be a part of this organization,” Dia said. “I am prepared to do whatever it takes and play any role I can in order to make us a better team and help us to accomplish our goals.”

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 at Mountain Vista High School. In addition, he excelled for Real Colorado in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy and was a member of the Region IV team within the Olympic Development Program.

He appeared in 70 games during a four-year collegiate career at Clemson with four goals and six assists before graduating in December. As a senior in 2014, he led Clemson 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 and a No. 11 national ranking in the final NSCAA poll.

Dia has logged the second most minutes (118) of any player during Sporting Kansas City’s preseason campaign and recorded an assist in the team’s 4-2 victory over FC Tucson.
– Story from Sporting KC

Sporting Kansas City resumes preseason action tonight against the Colorado Rapids in the opening match of the 2015 Diamond Desert Cup in Tucson, Ariz.

The friendly is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. at Kino North Stadium and will be streamed live on SportingKC.com.

The club returned to Tucson on Sunday for the second phase of preseason training and will play four matches in the Desert Diamond Cup, at least three of which against teams from Major League Soccer’s Western Conference.

Tonight’s contest is followed by a meeting with defending Supporters’ Shield champion Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday at 9 p.m. and a rematch of MLS Cup 2013 vs. Real Salt Lake on Feb. 25 at 9 p.m.

The tournament’s six-team field also includes MLS side New England Revolution and hosts FC Tucson of the USL Premier Development League, and will conclude Feb. 28 with placement matches for first, third and fifth place.

All four of Sporting KC’s matches in the Desert Diamond Cup will be streamed live on SportingKC.com. In addition, SKCTV’s Nate Bukaty (play-by-play) and Andy Gruenebaum (color) will provide the call for Saturday’s clash with Seattle.

After splitting a pair of matches against the Portland Timbers (2-0 loss) and FC Tucson (4-2 win) during the first leg of preseason, Sporting KC is back in the desert with a few additional players.

Captain Matt Besler and homegrown goalkeeper Jon Kempin have returned to the squad after competing in January Camp for the U.S. Men’s National Team, while winger Graham Zusi and defender Ike Opara could see their first action after recovering from long-term injuries.

Haitian midfielder Soni Mustivar will join Sporting KC after the club receives his P-1 Visa, and Canadian international Marcel de Jong is currently with the team for a trial period.
– Story from Sporting KC