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Sporting Kansas City II

Swope Park Rangers at OKC Energy FC

September 16, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Sporting Kansas City II News Release


The Swope Park Rangers are on the road for the first time in over a month when they take on OKC Energy FC at Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Sunday, Sept. 18, knowing a win could send the Rangers to the USL Playoffs in their inaugural season. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT with a live stream available on SportingKC.com.

The Rangers enter the contest with an 11-10-6 (39 pts.) record and currently sit in seventh place in the USL Western Conference. SPR will clinch a spot in the USL Playoffs with a win on Sunday should either Orange County Blues FC or the Real Monarchs drop points on Saturday. The side concluded a five-game homestand last Saturday with a 3-0 victory over Tulsa Roughnecks FC, meaning SPR went 3-1-1 (10 pts.) across those games. Only Sacramento Republic FC (11 pts.) and New York Red Bulls II (13 pts.) - the Western and Eastern Conference leaders, respectively - took more points than the Rangers over their last five games.

In last Saturday's match with Tulsa, the Rangers took the lead early in the first half through captain Christian Duke's second goal of the season, before Kris Tyrpak smashed home a Goal of the Week contender in the 32nd minute. USL all-time leading scorer Dane Kelly scored his fourth goal of the season just before the halftime interval as the Rangers saw out a comfortable 3-0 victory.

OKC Energy FC, who are coached by Sporting KC legend Jimmy Nielsen, sits three points and two places above the Rangers in the Western Conference, going 10-5-12 (42 pts.) this season and holding on to fifth place. The Energy have won just one of their last five games, going 1-2-2 in that time - picking up half as many points as the Rangers in that span.

The Energy let a lead slip twice in their most recent game against Seattle Sounders FC 2, ending in a 2-2 draw at Taft Stadium. Kyle Hyland put the home side ahead in the 11th minute, and OKC would hold that lead into halftime. In the 54th minute, Victor Mansaray equalized for Seattle, but Linus Olsson put the Energy back in front with his first goal for the club five minutes later. With the three points seemingly heading to OKC, Tony Alfaro made it 2-2 in the 94th minute as the two sides split the points.

The Rangers and the Energy have faced off three times this season, with OKC claiming all three contests. SPR suffered their first defeat in club history with a 1-0 defeat at Taft Stadium on April 27, before OKC claimed 3-1 and 2-0 wins at Swope Soccer Village on June 18 and July 12, respectively.

Midfielder Ayrton, who is the only Rangers player to score against OKC this season, is suspended for Sunday's game after being shown his fifth yellow card of the season against Tulsa last Saturday. The 22-year-old Brazilian also missed the most recent meeting between the sides on July 12 after being shown a red card while on the bench against Arizona United SC three days earlier.

Game 28 Date: Sunday, September 18, 2016 Kickoff: 6 p.m. CT Location: Taft Stadium (Oklahoma City, Okla.)

Swope Park Rangers: 11-10-6, 39 pts. 7th in Western Conference.

OKC Energy FC: 10-5-12, 42 pts. 5th in Western Conference.

Swope Park Rangers game notes: 960d402c8782fb1bf1c61d11a Link

BROADCAST INFORMATION Live Stream: The game will be broadcast on SportingKC.com and YouTube.com/USL Talent: Juan Arango (play-by-play), George Metellus (analyst)

SOCIAL TAGS Game-specific hashtag: #OKCvSPR

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