MATCH INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, July 1, 2017
Kickoff: 4 p.m. (Pacific)
Location: Children’s Mercy Park (Kanas City, Kan.)
Forecast: Partly cloudy, 85 degrees
Referee: Alan Kelly
Assistant Referees: Matthew Nelson, Andrew Bigelow Fourth Official: Juan Guzman
National TV: ESPN
Talent: Adrian Healey (play-by-play), Alejandro Moreno (analyst)
English Radio: 750 The Game (KXTG 750 AM, 102.9 FM)
Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Ross Smith (analyst), Fletcher Johnson (host)
Spanish Radio: La GranD (KGGD 93.5 FM, 1150 AM)
Talent: Josue del Castillo (play-by-play), Oscar Ramos (analyst)
MATCH PREVIEW
The Portland Timbers will hit the road this weekend for an away match against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, July 1. Beginning at 4 p.m. (Pacific), the match against Sporting Kansas City will be nationally televised on ESPN with local radio broadcasts on 750 AM/102.9 FM The Game (English) and La GranD 1150 AM/93.5 FM (Spanish). The Timbers enter Saturday’s match coming off a 2-2 draw against Seattle Sounders FC on June 25, with forward Fanendo Adi and midfielder Dairon Asprilla each scoring in the draw. Adi’s finish marked his 50th in league play since joining the league in 2014. The top team in the Western Conference with 30 points, Sporting KC ventures into Saturday’s match unbeaten in its last four matches (2-0-2) in league play, most recently coming off a 2-1 win against the LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center on June 24.
LAST MATCH RECAP
The Portland Timbers drew Cascadia-rival Seattle Sounders FC 2-2 before a sold-out crowd of 21,144 fans at Providence Park on June 26. Forward Fanendo Adi scored his 50th league goal in the match against Sounders FC, while mid- fielder Dairon Asprilla recorded his second goal of the season.
LAST TIME VS. SPORTING KC
The Portland Timbers fell 1-0 to Sporting Kansas City before a sold-out crowd of 21,144 fans at Providence Park on April 15, suffering their first home defeat of the season.
ALL-TIME SERIES NOTES
Saturday’s match marks the 12th regular-season contest between the two teams since the start of the 2011 MLS campaign. The Timbers are 1-1-1 in their last three matches played in Kansas City, Kan. In the most recent meeting between the two teams in Kansas City, Sporting KC managed to take a 3-0 win, before Portland rebounded with a 1-0 victory the following weekend in Portland. Staturday’s match is the second contest between Portland and Sporting KC in 2017, with Kansas City taking a 1-0 win behind a Dom Dwyer finish at Providence Park on April 15.
SCOUTING SPORTING KC
Sporting Kansas City enters Saturday’s match after playing a midweek Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match against the Houston Dynamo on June 28, taking a 2-0 win in Houston. The top team in the Western Conference with 30 points, Sporting KC ventures into Saturday’s match unbeaten in its last four matches (2-0-2) in league play, most recently coming off a 2-1 win against the LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center on June 24.
