
Sporting Kansas City Weekly Update
Published on July 11, 2012 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
SPORTING KC FACES PHILADELPHIA IN OPEN CUP SEMIFINAL TONIGHT
Sporting Kansas City will play their most important match of the season against the Philadelphia Union in the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at 6:30 p.m. CT tonight at PPL Park. The match will be streamed live on Sporting Kansas City's YouTube channel and broadcast live on 810 WHB. Subscribe to the team's YouTube Channel here.
Should Sporting Kansas City advance on Wednesday, the U.S. Open Cup Final will be hosted at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on August 7 or 8. Sporting Kansas City won the U.S. Open Cup in 2004.
THREE SELECTED TO MLS ALL-STAR FIRST XI
Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen, defender Aurelien Collin and midfielder Graham Zusi were announced as members of the 2012 MLS All-Star First XI.
The First XI are the 11 MLS players who received the most votes from fans at their positions from the 2012 MLS All-Star ballot. Sporting Kansas City's three representatives are the most of all MLS clubs and each of the three players will be in consideration for the 18-man gameday roster to be selected by MLS All-Star coach Ben Olsen (D.C. United) and revealed on Sunday, July 15.
The 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game will be held at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, July 25 at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. where the MLS All-Stars will face European Champions Chelsea FC live on ESPN2 and TeleFutura.
NIELSEN NOMINATED FOR MLS SAVE OF THE WEEK
Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen is one of five nominees for MLS Save of the Week in Week 18. The 2012 MLS All-Star denied Houston Dynamo Designated Player Boniek Garcia in the 15th minute of Saturday's scoreless draw at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, one of two saves he made on the night for his seventh shutout of the season.
SPORTING KC SIGNS DEFENDER NEVEN MARKOVIC
Sporting Kansas City announced Friday that the club has signed defender Neven Markovic. The 25-year-old joins Sporting KC from Doxa Drama FC of the Superleague Greece.
Markovic fulfills an international spot and has been added to the club's roster. Per club policy, terms of the agreement will not be disclosed.
Markovic started his professional career in 2005 when he played for Serbian side FK Rad Belgrade. From 2008-2010 he played in the top league in Romania for FC Vaslui. At Vaslui, Markovic appeared in over 20 games and played in UEFA competition.
In 2011, the left-footed Markovic played for clubs in Croatia (NK Zagreb) and Greece (Doxa Drama).
SPORTING DRAWS WITH HOUSTON, MOVES INTO FIRST PLACE IN EAST
Sporting Kansas City drew with the Houston Dynamo last Friday in front of a sold out crowd at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The draw saw Sporting KC move into first place in the Eastern Conference, tied with D.C. United.
Jimmy Nielsen's exemplary goalkeeping earned him a nod for the MLS Save of the Week: Week 18.
SUPPORT SPORTING KC PLAYERS IN FUZZY FOTOS KC FUNDRAISER
Several Sporting Kansas City players and their dogs are competing in the Fuzzy Fotos KC fundraiser to benefit the Great Plains SPCA and the Kansas City Free Health Clinic. Fans can vote for Team Sporting KC by making a $5 donation. Make your donation toward the team's goal of $10,000 at the homepage for Team Sporting KC, featuring the following players:
Kei Kamara with Chelsea Bobby Convey with Vada Chance Myers with Lela Rose Graham Zusi with Baci Eric Kronberg with Rambo Matt Besler with Gipper
VOTE IN MLS W.O.R.K.S. COMMUNITY MVP CONTEST
David Belpedio has been chosen as Sporting Kansas City's representative in the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Community MVP contest. Belpedio, nominated by Kim Champlain, is a driven and encouraging role model to others. Many may know Belpedio as a partner at Marks Nelson CPA, but he is also part of an amazing volunteer program called Gillis, which is a program whose mission is to help at-risk children and families through education, counseling and social services.
As part of the Gillis Board of Directors since 2006 and chairman since the fall of 2011, Belpedio has devoted his time to supporting children and families in need. Through his passion to assist the underprivileged, Belpedio has also inspired his own son to lead a fundraiser in efforts to restore local cottages on the Gillis campus. Through this process, his son raised more than $95,000 to put towards the restoration and support of the Gillis program. Not only has Belpedio made an impact on the families he has supported, but he is also an inspiration to other members of the community to get involved and give back.
Belpedio will be recognized at a Sporting Kansas City home game later this season. Be sure to support Belpedio and Sporting Kansas City in the selection for the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Community MVP by voting online before Friday, July 13!
MLS W.O.R.K.S. will present the 2012 Community MVP award to one upstanding, valuable and devoted citizen in an MLS market. Along with winning the title of the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Community MVP, the chosen winner will also be awarded $10,000 to donate to the charity of their choice along with a trip to the 2012 AT&T All-Star Game.
TICKETS FOR USMNT WORLD CUP QUALIFIER AT LSP ON SALE JULY 24
Tickets for the upcoming U.S. Men's National Team World Cup qualifier at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan., will go on sale to the public on July 24. The MNT concludes the Semifinal Round of FIFA World Cup qualifying by facing Guatemala on October 16 at 6 p.m. CT.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, July 24, at 10 a.m. CT through ussoccer.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000, at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout the Kansas City area (including Hen House Markets) and the LIVESTRONG Sporting Park ticket office (open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
Ultimate Fan Tickets (special VIP packages that include a premium ticket, a custom-made official U.S. National Team jersey with name and number, VIP access to the field before and after the game, and other unique benefits) are also available for the game exclusively through ussoccer.com.
As a sponsor of U.S. Soccer, Visaî is pleased to offer all Visa cardholders access to an advance ticket sale for these matches before the sale to the general public. This advance sale begins at ussoccer.com on Friday, July 20, at 10 a.m. CT and runs until Tuesday, July 24, at 8 a.m. CT. Visa will be the only payment method accepted through the Visa presale and is the preferred card of U.S. Soccer. Terms and conditions apply.
SPORTING KC ANNOUNCES FRIENDLY WITH MONTPELLIER
Sporting Kansas City will host French Ligue 1 champions Montpellier HSC at 7:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, July 24 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. Tickets begin at $20 and are on sale to the public at Ticketmaster.com or at the LSP Box Offices.
All Sporting Kansas City Season Ticket Members will receive a ticket to the match, Special Game C, as part of their full-season ticket packages and parking is free for all Sporting KC home matches at LSP.
Founded in 1974, Montpellier Hérault Sport Club is coming off the club's best season in the team's storied history, winning the French Ligue 1 Title for the 2011-12 campaign. Led by French national team member Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (captain), as well as talented Moroccan international Younes Belhanda (awarded as best African player in France), Montpellier won 25 games and finished three points ahead of Paris Saint-Germain.
The first-place finish qualifies Montpellier HSC for the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League group stage to compete against the top clubs in Europe next season.
SPORTING KC TO HOST STOKE CITY FC ON AUGUST 1
Sporting Kansas City will host Stoke City FC of the Barclays Premier League at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Aug. 1 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. Ticket prices begin at $20 and are on sale now .
Founded in 1863, Stoke City are the oldest club in the Premier League and are led by Manager Tony Pulis and forward Peter Crouch, an England international with 22 goals in 42 appearances.
PRORATED 2012 SEASON TICKET PLANS AVAILABLE
Sporting Kansas City prorated season ticket plans are available for the remainder of the 2012 Major League Soccer season. The benefits include discounted rates, priority for purchasing playoff tickets, preferred parking and access to special events.
For ticket information, visit www.sportingkc.com or call 888-4KC-GOAL.
SIGN UP FOR SPORTING KC YOUTH CAMP
Sporting Kansas City and the Sporting Kansas City Juniors youth development academy have one summer youth camp remaining for 2012. Click the link below for more information on the St. Teresa's Academy Camp, offered for boys and girls ages 4-13.
St. Teresa's Academy Camps : July 30 - Aug. 3 for boys and girls ages 4-13 ($75-100)
FOLLOW SPORTING KC ONLINE
Sporting Kansas City fans looking to keep up with the club on the worldwide web now have a place to go. The new social media page on SportingKC.com features Twitter account information for the club, its players as well as many staff members. Additionally, fans may take advantage of the Media Recap page for all the latest independent news coverage available online.
Major League Soccer Stories from July 11, 2012
- Sporting KC advances to U.S. Open Cup Final with 2-0 victory at Philadelphia Union - Sporting Kansas City
- Sporting Kansas City Weekly Update - Sporting Kansas City
- Toronto FC and Soolsma Agree to Part Ways - Toronto FC
- Earthquakes to Host A&W Root Beer Float Night on Saturday - San Jose Earthquakes
- Whitecaps FC Transfer Midfielder Davide Chiumiento to FC Zurich - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Timbers Goalkeeper Joe Bendik Named MLS W.O.R.Ks. Humanitarian of the Month - Portland Timbers
- Impact Acquires Conditional Draft Pick for Forward Justin Braun - Club de Foot Montreal
- Real Salt Lake Acquires Salt Lake City Native Justin Braun Montreal - Real Salt Lake
- Joao Plata Loan Deal Finalized - Toronto FC
- Timbers Recall Forward Bright Dike from Loan - Portland Timbers
- Defender Dennis Iapichino Joins Montreal Impact - Club de Foot Montreal
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
