Sporting Kansas City will be the host for Real Salt Lake in a rematch of the 2013 MLS Cup final on Saturday at Sporting Park.
The Western Conference foes will kick off at 7:30 p.m. with local coverage available on KMCI-TV 38 the Spot beginning at 7 p.m. Additional coverage will be available on SKCTV across the Midwest and via radio in English (Sports Radio 810 WHB) and Spanish (La Grande 1340 AM).
A limited number of tickets may still be available, including standing room only tickets for $20 each, and may be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or at the Sporting Park box offices on gameday.
The home side is fresh off a come-from-behind victory against the Philadelphia Union last weekend, scoring two stoppage-time goals to secure three points in the club’s 600th match all-time.
Krisztian Nemeth’s 94th-minute game-winner marked the 1,000th goal scored in Kansas City history across all competitions. The victory is the second for Sporting KC in as many matches to move the club into third place in the standings alongside Saturday’s opponent.
Real Salt Lake is undefeated in four games to start the 2015 season and also boast back-to-back victories, most recently securing a 1-0 result against San Jose in the Earthquakes first loss at Avaya Stadium.
However, the visitors are winless in four trips to Sporting Park (0-2-2) with just one goal in 390 minutes of play and Real Salt Lake has just one victory in 10 trips to Kansas City all-time.
Sporting KC and Real Salt Lake are two of five teams to make the MLS Cup Playoffs each of the last four seasons, largely due to conceding the fewest goals of all MLS teams over that span. Moreover, the match-up features the only two teams in the league to have logged at least 10 shutouts in each of the last three seasons.
Real Salt Lake’s veteran duo of Kyle Beckerman (357) and Nick Rimando (373) lead all active MLS players in games played, and were U.S. Men’s National Team teammates with Sporting Kansas City’s Matt Besler and Graham Zusi at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Zusi is listed as questionable on the injury report for Saturday’s contest after suffering a left hamstring strain in Sporting KC’s 1-0 win at Yankee Stadium last month.
Sprint Plaza activities will begin at 5:30 p.m. highlighted by a meet-and-greet with U.S. Women’s National Team players Becky Sauerbrunn and Heather O’Reilly ahead of the FC Kansas City season opener at Sporting Park on Sunday.
Additionally, the first 10,000 fans to enter the stadium on Saturday will receive a pair of Sporting KC spirit sleeves.
Fans are encouraged to donate new or gently used soccer equipment on Saturday to contribute to Sporting KC’s Recycle Your Game initiative. The donations will then be redistributed to youth in need throughout the Kansas City area. Collection bins will be located at stadium entrances and all donors will receive a coupon for 10 percent off Sporting Style purchases.
– Story from Sporting KC