Toronto FC at Sporting Kansas City
Saturday, July 23, 2011 – 7:30 p.m. CT
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park | Kansas City, Kansas
English TV: KSMO
Spanish TV: Time Warner Cable Channel 5
Spanish Radio: La Gran D 1340 AM
Following a 0-0 draw with Newcastle United FC of the Barclays Premier League on Wednesday, Sporting Kansas City will host Toronto FC on Saturday at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT with live TV coverage on KSMO-TV beginning at 7:00 p.m CT. Saturday’s match is presented by Panasonic.
Sporting Kansas City leads the all-time series against Toronto FC with a record of 4-3-4 since the series began in 2007. Three of those wins have come at home, where Sporting Kansas City holds a 3-1-1 advantage over Toronto FC.
This is the second meeting between the two sides in 2011. On June 4th, the two sides squared off at BMO Field in Toronto for Sporting Kansas City’s final match before the grand opening of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. Goalkeeper Eric Kronberg made three saves for Sporting Kansas City to earn his first career shutout in the 0-0 draw.
Toronto FC (3-10-9), currently sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, enter Saturday night’s contest coming off of a 1-0 loss at home to FC Dallas on Wednesday. The loss for Toronto FC was their fifth in their last six matches.
Toronto FC could be without the attacking trio of Designated Player Julian de Guzman, Terry Dunfield and Maicon Santos. De Guzman has seen recent swelling in his left knee, while Santos is struggling with a right hamstring strain. Dunfield iscurrently suffering from an abdominal strain as all three are listed as questionable for the match.
For Sporting Kansas City, captain Davy Arnaud will be out after undergoing successful sports hernia surgery earlier this month. Midfielder Craig Rocastle is still rehabbing his right knee following a sprain suffered while playing for Grenada at this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup. Korede Aiyegbusi will also be unavailable after suffering a jaw contusion in Sporting Kansas City’s 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire on Tuesday in the 2011 MLS Reserve League.
Tickets for the match are still available, and can be purchased online here or at the LIVESTRONG Sporting Park box offices. Fans are encouraged to arrive to LIVESTRONG Sporting Park as early as possible on Saturday and may bring one, 20-ounce or smaller, sealed bottle of water into the stadium. Attendants will remove and keep the bottle’s cap at the stadium gates.
Prior to the match, ‘Hermon Mehari’ will perform in the Sprint Plaza as part of the Live at LSP concert series. Additionally, there will be free post-game concert for fans in attendance featuring Scott Silletta and ‘Happy Go Lovely’. There will also be a postgame party in the Members Club featuring a performance from DJ Mike Scott.
KSMO-TV will air a 30-minute pre-game show hosted by play-by-play announcer Callum Williams, in addition to the weekly soccer show on KSMO, ‘Off the Pitch’ with Sporting Kansas City, on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. CT.
Visit SportingKC.com for more information on Saturday’s match, including parking information at www.SportingKC.com/parking.