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MLS NEXT Pro Sporting Kansas City II

SKC II Match Preview: Sporting KC II Takes on MNUFC 2 in First Match Since May 17

May 31, 2024 - MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Sporting Kansas City II News Release


Sporting Kansas City II (5-3-2, 17 points) will return to the field on Sunday for the first time since May 17 when they travel to the Land of 10,000 Lakes to take on Minnesota United FC 2 (4-4-0, 12 points) in a 6 p.m. CT matchup on MLSNEXTPro.com and the MLS YouTube channel. The two Frontier Division combatants will square off at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota in the second of three meetings in the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro regular season.

A well-rested Sporting KC II side enters the match after the group enjoyed their bye week following a match with Austin FC II at Parmer Field in Austin, Texas on Friday, May 17. SKC II left Texas with a point after falling in a shootout to Austin, giving head coach Benny Feilhaber's group six results in their last seven matches. Feilhaber will not be in the technical area in Minnesota due to yellow card accumulation, meaning assistant coach and two-time MLS Defender of the Year Ike Opara will lead SKC II in the match.

The two sides last dueled on April 28 in a 4-1 Sporting KC II triumph at Rock Chalk Park thanks in part to a hat trick from Kamron Habibullah. The three-goal performance earned the Canadian International his second MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek honor of April and cemented him as the Player of the Month, a title he would officially claim two days later.

Habibullah leads the team in both goals scored (7) and assists (4). He joined the team midway through the 2024 preseason presented by Central Bank and has amassed 11 goal contributions in 693 minutes played. He has been joined in the attack by forward Beto Avila who has five goals and two assists in eight starts. Avila's latest strikes came in the form of a brace in a 2-1 win over Colorado Rapids 2 on May 12, securing his title as MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchweek 9. Rookie winger Maouloune Goumballe's three scores place him third on the teamsheet in goals scored. He found the back of the net in the team's last outing which was his ninth start.

Fellow rookie and Wake Forest alum Jake Swallen is one of five players to appear in all 10 of SKC II's matches in 2024. He has been accompanied by frequent captain's armband wearer Ethan Bryant in the middle. Bryant struck for the first time on the campaign against Austin, burying a penalty kick with less than 10 minutes to go in the contest. Academy product Cielo Tschantret, who signed his first pro contract on April 16 has five starts this season, playing the defensive midfield role for Feilhaber's side.

The Academy has been a major plot point in the 2024 Sporting Kansas City II story. Defender Nati Clarke, like Tschantret, is a first-year pro out of the Academy. Clarke has appeared in every match, starting nine of them, and ranks second on the team in minutes played (754). Versatile Amateur Academy player Jacob Bartlett has seven starts on the season, playing anywhere from outside back to centerback to midfield.

Ian James, a 15-year-old centerback will be available for selection this weekend after appearing in the US Youth National Team U-16's friendly in Buenos Aries, Argentina against the historic footballing nation. Goalkeeper Jack Kortkamp appeared alongside James in Argentina and is looking to make his pro debut this season after inking his first amateur deal on May 5.

Ian James and Jack Kortkamp earn the start with the #U16MYNT in a 2-2 draw against Argentina! https://t.co/Edi8ERhO0W - Sporting KC Academy (@SKCAcademy) May 30, 2024

Minnesota has had a solid run of form lately, winning three straight matches after losing four of their first five. They currently find themselves in fourth place in the Frontier Division, five points behind Sporting KC II in third. They are led by first-year head coach Jeremy Hall who was appointed on April 24, four days before the 4-1 loss at SKC II. Hall has been a part of the coaching staff with the Loons' second team for three seasons.

On the pitch, forward Patrick Weah has served as the team's talisman. The first-team loanee has five goals and has fired home in two straight matches. Fellow first-teamer Max Duggan is the only MNUFC 2 player to start all eight of their matches. The defender is tied for the team lead in clearances (13) alongside Britton Fischer who is also tied atop the team's leaderboard in assists with two.

Match Information:

MLS NEXT Pro: Match 11

Date: Sunday, June 2, 2024

Kickoff: 6 p.m. CT

Location: National Sports Center (Blaine, Minnesota)

Watch: MLSNEXTPro.com, MLS YouTube

SOCIAL TAGS:

Match-specific hashtag: #MINvSKC

X: @SportingKCII

Instagram : @SportingKCII

X: @MNUFC2

Instagram: @MNUFC2

Jared Belzer - @jared_belzer

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