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KC Masterpiece
Sporting end Seattle's run after epic PK shooutout victory


KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Seattle had a chance to make history. And Sporting Kansas City made sure they got directly in the way.

It took 120 minutes of soccer and a penalty-kick shootout, but Sporting ended Seattle’s run of three straight Lamar Hunt US Open Cup titles on Wednesday night as they won their second Open Cup – and first trophy since 2004 – in front of 18,863 at Livestrong Sporting Park.

After a 1-1 draw in regulation and two scoreless extra-time frames, Eddie Johnson concluded the ensuing shootout by sending his spot kick high over Jimmy Nielsen’s goal to give the home team the crown with a 3-2 win on penalties.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter...kc-v-sea/recap

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Recap:
Sporting KC posts 2-1 win over D.C. United
Graham Zusi records League-leading 10th assist and adds game-winning goal


http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter...-dc/highlights

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Recap: Kamara's late winner beats TFC, keeps SKC on top


TORONTO – Sporting Kansas City dominated the play for much of the game on Saturday against Toronto FC, finally coming away with a 1-0 win after Kei Kamara scored a late goal at BMO Field.

Kamara’s winner came after Graham Zusi tapped a dangerous free kick in his path and the shot deflected off the defensive wall and the fingertips of goalkeeper Milos Kocic in the 83rd minute.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter...or-v-skc/recap

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Late night, long flight

Delayed travel to NY doesn't stop Sporting from winning


http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2012/...york-red-bulls

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Blue Hell
Zusi brace gives Sporting stranglehold on East's top spot


KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Sporting Kansas City punched their 2012 playoff ticket with a feat they hadn't managed in more than five years: a home victory over the Chicago Fire.

Sporting gave the Livestrong Sporting Park-record crowd just what they wanted on Friday night, beating the Fire 2-0 behind two goals from Graham Zusi and and Jimmy Nielsen's league-leading 14th clean sheet.

Sporting extended their season-high unbeaten streak to nine games, while Chicago had a four-match winning streak snapped and lost for just the second time in their last nine.

The match was physical and chippy all night, with 24 total fouls – 13 by Sporting – and two ejections in second-half stoppage time. Chicago manager Frank Klopas was given a straight red by referee Chris Penso, and left back Gonzalo Segares drew his second yellow.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter...kc-v-chi/recap

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Feilhaber fits as Espinoza replacement


It's no secret that I'm a fan of Benny Feilhaber. I've been calling for his inclusion in Jurgen Klinsmann's US national team since last summer, and have been known to get into the odd Twitter sparring contest or three about his worth as a player. And I've been saying since about mid-June that Sporting KC should trade for him.

My reasoning is simple: Sporting were very, very good last year largely because they could press high, force turnovers and ram the ball down your throat. They'd also beat the hell out of you on set pieces.

Beyond that, they were pretty ineffective. If you could stretch them out and make them play you across the entire pitch, then they could be had. Houston have basically written the book on that over the past two seasons, and KC knew it.

Now with Tuesday's trade, Feilhaber changes the game for SKC, largely because he's a direct replacement for a guy – Roger Espinoza – with a very different skill set.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...za-replacement

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Sporting KC introduce Claudio Bieler as Designated Player


Sporting Kansas City introduced 28-year-old forward Claudio Bieler as a Designated Player on Tuesday in a press conference held at Livestrong Sporting Park. He will be added to the club's roster pending receipt of his ITC and P-1 Visa, and will occupy a senior international roster spot.

"He's proven over the years that he's a very consistent goalscorer," Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes said in a statement. "We think he's got a lot of good qualities that can fit into our team. Everything from his commitment to being a team player, to his work ethic out on the field, to a guy that lives and breathes for club that he plays for. We're excited that we're able to finally secure him and add a player of his caliber to our organization."

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...ignated-player

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Sporting KC terminates naming rights deal with Livestrong


Amidst the fallout from the doping scandal surrounding disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, the stadium naming rights deal between Sporting Kansas City and the Livestrong Foundation, the anti-cancer nonprofit founded by Armstrong, is set to end well short of the planned six-year agreement.

Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman released a statement on SKC's website Tuesday evening detailing the team's ongoing support of the Livestrong Foundation until Tuesday morning, explained the nature of the the rift between the two parties and announced the immediate termination of the agreement.

"This morning we were disappointed to learn LIVESTRONG is utilizing aggressive tactics designed to force us into an unsatisfactory arrangement," the end of Heineman's statement reads. "We willingly admit we were not expecting the foundation to treat a partner in this manner. Even more surprising is that LIVESTRONG would take this action in the midst of a significant transitional phase for their organization.

"Our faith and trust in this partnership have been permanently damaged; therefore we are terminating our agreement with LIVESTRONG, effectively immediately. As a result of this decision, our stadium will now be referred to as Sporting Park. While we are ending this relationship, our support of the fight against cancer will endure. We look forward to introducing new initiatives to assist these efforts in Kansas City."

Sporting's official website now refers to the stadium simply as 'Sporting Park,' while an early photograph suggests the signage at the stadium reading 'Livestrong Sporting Park' has been turned off.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...eal-livestrong

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The Shirt Off Their Backs
Sporting KC announce Ivy Funds as jersey sponsor


was a long time coming, but Sporting Kansas City finally have their first-ever jersey sponsor.

The club announced immediately prior to its first pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft that it had signed a multi-year deal with Kansas City-area asset management firm Ivy Funds, which will see the company's logo prominently displayed on the front of Sporting's jerseys.

"They offer us everything we wanted, with the key attribute being local," Sporting KC CEO Robb Heineman said in a statement. "Local was always the thing that was going to be most important to us in a jersey sponsor and then innovation. Ivy Funds has proven that they're an innovator in their field. We wanted something that connected to our community in a large way and that's exactly what this relationship is going to allow us to do."

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...deal-ivy-funds

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Sporting's partnership with Orlando a "no-lose situation"


the affiliation agreement between Sporting Kansas City and Orlando City FC, each got the partner it most wanted.

The two sides announced the agreement on Wednesday, hours after MLS and the third-tier USL Pro announced a deal to allow such partnerships and to have MLS Reserve teams play against USL Pro competition during the regular season.

“We like what they do as an organization,” Sporting manager Peter Vermes told MLSsoccer.com by telephone. “We like that they're motivated to try to come into MLS. We like the way they play. It has similar characteristics to the way that we try to play. So it fits from a business perspective as well as a technical perspective. This is the club that we wanted to do the partnership with.”

Orlando City coach Adrian Heath echoed Vermes' sentiments, but from his own club's perspective.

“I don't think that we could have picked a better, more progressive – on and off the field – club to partner up with,” Heath said by telephone. “I think I speak for everybody within our organization: We're incredibly impressed with everything about Sporting. From our view, it's a no-lose situation.”

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...lose-situation

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2013 SPORTING KANSAS CITY PRIMARY JERSEY (FRONT)




2013 SPORTING KANSAS CITY PRIMARY JERSEY (BACK)



http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...two-state-club

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2013 Depth Chart: Sporting Kansas City