Sporting Kansas City travels to take on defending MLS Cup winners in critical first leg clash
(October 27, 2011) – Sporting Kansas City will face the Colorado Rapids in the first leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at 6:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, Oct. 30 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids, the defending MLS Cup champions, defeated the Columbus Crew by a 1-0 scoreline tonight at home to advance out of the Wild Card round of the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Sunday’s match will be broadcast nationally on FOX Soccer, with a radio broadcast available courtesy of Sports Radio 810 WHB.
The two sides played to two 1-1 draws during the 2011 regular season. The first, contested at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on May 28, marked the start of a club record 14-match unbeaten streak for Sporting Kansas City. The two clubs met again at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on July 6, where Conor Casey’s first half strike was cancelled out by an equalizer from Graham Zusi in the 62nd minute.
This will be the fourth time the two sides have met in the postseason, and the first since 2003 when Sporting Kansas City advanced past the Rapids en route to the Western Conference Finals. Sporting Kansas City have yet to win away to Colorado in postseason play.
For a complete guide to Sporting Kansas City’s playoff history, statistics and other important team information, please reference their 2011 postseason media guide.
Sporting Kansas City will host a watch party in the Members’ Club of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park for fans to see Sunday’s match. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m. CT and Nick Wright of 610 Sports Radio will emcee the event. Visit Sporting Kansas City’s official Facebook page for more details.
Prior to departing for the first leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Sporting Kansas City will hold their final training session at the Sporting Club Training Center in Swope Park on Friday. Training will begin at 10 a.m. CT and media are encouraged to attend for photo, video and interview opportunities immediately after training.
As part of the build-up to Sunday’s match, Manager Peter Vermes and forward Kei Kamara will be taking part in a teleconference hosted by MLS Communications beginning tomorrow at 11 a.m. CT to preview the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Vermes and Kamara are expected to join the conference call at approximately 12 p.m. CT.
Who: Each team’s speakers will be available for approximately 25 minutes in the following order:
