Tag: Sporting KC

In continued celebration of its landmark 25th season, Major League Soccer today announced The Greatest 25, a platform that honors the 25 brightest stars in the history of Major League Soccer.

Among the 25 legendary players are three former members of Sporting Kansas City: midfielder Preki, goalkeepers Tony Meola and Kevin Hartman.

The 25 Greatest was determined by a special panel of more than 200 MLS experts from across North America, all of whom selected the 25 players who have achieved the most on the field, driven the narrative off the field and helped lay the foundation of MLS.

The voting panel was made up of four groups: MLS greats and emeritus, including former players, coaches and staff; current MLS club staff; media members; and local and national broadcast partners.

Preki and Meola were members of the inaugural Sporting Legends class in 2013, joining the club’s hall of honor as two of the most accomplished players in league history, while Hartman spent three seasons in Kansas City after a long stint with the LA Galaxy.

Preki starred for nine seasons in Kansas City and remains the only player to win multiple MLS MVP awards, earning the honor in 1997 before doing so again in 2003 at the age of 40.

He landed eight consecutive MLS All-Star selections from 1996 to 2003, a four-time member of the MLS Best XI (1996, 1997, 2001, 2003) and helped Kansas City to five appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs — including a run to the 2000 MLS Cup title.

Preki’s 112 regular season assists rank fifth all-time in MLS history and he stands as Sporting’s all-time leader in goals (71) and assists (98) in the regular season. He also made 28 appearances for the U.S. Men’s National Team, including two games played at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010.

Meola spent six seasons in Kansas City from 1999 to 2004 and captured MLS MVP, MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, MLS Best XI and MLS Cup MVP accolades during the club’s historic 2000 campaign.

In leading the team to the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup titles, Meola recorded a 681-minute shutout streak and 16 shutouts – both of which remain MLS all-time records. The five-time MLS All-Star ranks second in MLS history with 1,136 career saves.

On the international stage, Meola made 100 appearances for the U.S. Men’s National Team, second most by a goalkeeper, and started for the U.S. at the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups. He was voted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2012.

Hartman started every MLS match for Kansas City from 2007 to 2009, finishing with 100 appearances for the club in all competitions.

The goalkeeper pieced together a remarkable MLS career from 1997 to 2013, amassing 465 league appearances and winning two MLS Cups with the LA Galaxy. The MLS All-Star also played six times for the U.S. Men’s National Team.

The 25 Greatest

(in alphabetical order)

• D Jeff Agoos – D.C United, San Jose Earthquakes, New York Red Bulls
• M Kyle Beckerman – Miami Fusion, Colorado Rapids, Real Salt Lake
• M David Beckham – LA Galaxy
• D Carlos Bocanegra – Chicago Fire, Chivas USA
• F Dwayne De Rosario – San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo, Toronto FC, New York Red Bulls, D.C. United
• F Clint Dempsey – New England Revolution, Seattle Sounders FC
• M Landon Donovan – San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy
• M Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United
• D Robin Fraser – LA Galaxy, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew SC
• F Sebastian Giovinco – Toronto FC
• GK Kevin Hartman – Sporting KC, LA Galaxy, FC Dallas
• M Cobi Jones – LA Galaxy
• F Robbie Keane – LA Galaxy
• D Chad Marshall – Columbus Crew SC, Seattle Sounders FC
• F Josef Martinez – Atlanta United FC
• GK Tony Meola – Sporting KC, New York Red Bulls
• F Jaime Moreno – D.C. United, New York Red Bulls
• D Eddie Pope – D.C. United, New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake
• M Preki – Sporting KC, Miami Fusion
• M Steve Ralston – Tampa Bay Mutiny, New England Revolution
• GK Nick Rimando – Miami Fusion, D.C. United, Real Salt Lake
• M Carlos Valderrama – Tampa Bay Mutiny, Miami Fusion, Colorado Rapids
• M Diego Valeri – Portland Timbers
• F Chris Wondolowski – San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo
• F Bradley Wright-Phillips – New York Red Bulls, LAFC

• Story from Sporting KC

by Brian Turrel

A 3-0 beating Thursday night at the hands of Minnesota United FC sent Sporting Kansas City spinning out of the MLS Cup playoffs, and looking for answers to familiar problems as they head into next year. Missed scoring chances and defensive lapses squandered Kansas City’s hard-won regular season success.

Kansas City had its best chances early, but failed to convert. Forward Alan Pulido, Kansas City’s leading scorer, was held out of Thursday’s match with a knee injury, and his finishing touch was missed.

In the 2nd minute, Johnny Russell chipped the ball over Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, who came out to challenge but got caught out by Russell’s shot. Defender Michael Boxall bailed out his keeper by heading the ball away at the goal line.

In the 14th minute, Russell got another chance on a pass forward from Khiry Shelton, but St. Clair charged out to knock away the one-on-one opportunity. Just a minute later St. Clair saved a close range header from KC defender Roberto Puncec.

In the 27th minute, Minnesota started its barrage. Midfielder Emanuel Reynosa found attacking teammates slipping in behind the Kansas City defense, and assisted on three goals in the span of only 12 minutes. The highlight was Reynosa’s scooped pass over the KC defense to Kevin Molina who smashed the ball across the goal and inside the left post.

With a three-goal advantage at the break, Minnesota took few offensive risks in the second half, and Sporting was unable to mount an effective attack.

Minnesota moves on to play the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference final. Seattle defeated FC Dallas on Tuesday in the other semi-final match and will be the host of the match as the top remaining seed.

Sporting ended the regular season with a 12-6-3 record and finished in first place in the MLS Western Conference standings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children’s Mercy Park will welcome a primetime network television audience on Thursday night as top-seeded Sporting Kansas City battles No. 4 seed Minnesota United FC in the Western Conference Semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

The newest installment of the regional rivalry will kick off at 7:31 p.m. with live national coverage beginning at 7 p.m. on FOX, FOX Deportes and the FOX Sports app.

With stadium capacity reduced to 18% and comprehensive health and safety protocols in place, sold-out Children’s Mercy Park is set to hold the matchup between two in-form teams that prevailed over lower-seeded opposition in the first round of the playoffs.

Led by 12th-year manager Peter Vermes, Sporting ended the 2020 regular season with a 6-1-1 record to claim its fourth first-place conference finish since 2011 and edged the San Jose Earthquakes in the first round contest on Nov. 22.

That same night, Minnesota claimed its first-ever playoff win by defeating the Colorado Rapids after going 4-0-4 in their last eight regular season fixtures.

The winner of Thursday’s showdown will advance to the Western Conference Final on Monday night against reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC.

Sporting is seeking its ninth conference final appearance in club history — the second-most in MLS history — and own homefield advantage through MLS Cup on Dec. 12. Minnesota has reached the conference semifinal stage for the first time and would travel to face Seattle if it beats Sporting on Thursday.

Sporting’s wild Round One victory over San Jose packed plenty of drama, as midfielders Roger Espinoza, Ilie Sanchez and Gianluca Busio scored goals in a 3-3 draw before goalkeeper Tim Melia stole the show during penalty kicks.

The 34-year-old veteran became the first MLS keeper ever to save all three penalties in a shootout — improving his career shootout record to a perfect 6-0 in the process — while Ilie, Johnny Russell and Khiry Shelton converted their spot kicks to secure the first 3-0 shootout result in MLS playoff history.

At age 18, Busio notably became the youngest MLS player to score a goal and record an assist in a playoff game.

Minnesota enjoyed easier passage to the conference semifinal round, cruising to a 3-0 home triumph against Colorado at Allianz Field. Trinidadian standout Kevin Molino scored twice, bringing his team-leading goal total to 11 this season in all competitions, while Finnish international Robin Lod bagged his 10th goal of the year for good measure.

Argentine playmaker Emanuel Reynoso, who joined the Loons on a high-profile transfer from South American powerhouse Boca Juniors in September, assisted on all three goals and now has 10 assists in 14 MLS appearances this year.

On the Sporting sideline, Vermes has arguably the most balanced attack in MLS at his disposal. Russell, Mexican striker Alan Pulido and Israeli midfielder Gadi Kinda scored a team-best six goals apiece during the regular season, while Shelton and fellow forward Erik Hurtado added five each.

Minnesota, meanwhile, boasts a dynamic midfield with Molino, Lod and Reynoso supported by wide player Ethan Finlay and deep-lying veterans Jan Gregus and Osvaldo Alonso.

While Melia carries more than a decade of professional experience into Thursday’s matchup — highlighted by a pair of U.S. Open Cup titles and seven playoff appearances at Sporting — Minnesota will also have confidence in its 23-year-old man between the posts. Goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair earned the starting job in early September and has seven shutouts in 14 matches, building a 7-2-5 record and a 0.86 goals against average.

Sporting has met Minnesota 13 times in all competitions since the Loons joined MLS in 2017, posting a 7-4-2 record as well as a perfect 6-0-0 mark at home. In six previous visits to Children’s Mercy Park, the Loons have been outscored 15-1 and have never led in 540 minutes of action.

Thursday will mark the fourth head-to-head meeting of 2020 and the first playoff contest between the sides.

Minnesota landed the first punch this year on July 12, erasing a late deficit to win 2-1 in the MLS is Back Tournament group stage at Walt Disney World.

Sporting exacted revenge with a 2-1 road victory at Allianz Field on Aug. 21, benefiting from an early Kinda strike and a Minnesota own goal to hand the Loons their first regular season home loss since June 2019.

The most recent meeting on Sept. 13 saw Russell convert an 80th-minute winner in a cagey 1-0 result at Children’s Mercy Park.

Sporting and Minnesota were scheduled to play at Children’s Mercy Park on the penultimate weekend of the regular season, but the Nov. 1 fixture was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns within the Minnesota team.

• Story from Sporting KC