Real Salt Lake clashes with Sporting Kansas City on Sunday in the regular season home finale at Rio Tinto Stadium. The two heated rivals square off for the third time this season, with RSL winning both matchups at Children’s Mercy Park. Here are three things to know about Sporting KC.
Third Time’s the Charm
Sporting Kansas City is the third different official name for the MLS club in Kansas City. Originally branded the Kansas City Wiz, that moniker lasted just one season before being changed to the Kansas City Wizards in 1997. Upon the club’s move to a new stadium in 2011 – a stadium which itself has held three different names since opening – the club rebranded again, adopting the Sporting Kansas City name that it now holds.
World Cup Vets
Sporting has four players on its roster with World Cup experience, all of whom represented their countries in Brazil in 2014. Graham Zusi, Matt Besler and Brad Davis all saw action for the U.S. National Team in their run to the Round of 16 while Roger Espinoza played for Honduras, who bowed out in the Group Stage. In addition, SKC Head Coach Peter Vermes and Director of Player Personnel Brian Bliss were both on the U.S. National Team for the 1990 World Cup.
Playoff Regulars
After a rocky few seasons in which Kansas City missed the playoffs in four out of six seasons from 2005-2010, Sporting has been a perennial playoff team since moving into what is now called Children’s Mercy Park in 2011, reaching the postseason in all five seasons since. Currently sixth in the West, that streak is at stake as the Portland Timbers are just two points back with two games left to play.
