Preview: SKC II 2023 season – How to watch
Gameday 1 at Colorado Rapids 2 – How to watch
MLS NEXT Pro: Game 1
Date: Sunday 26 March 2023
Kickoff: 8pm CT
Location: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
Watch: MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app
Sporting Kansas City II opens its 2023MLS NEXT Pro season on Sunday with a road game at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado against the Colorado Rapids 2. The game starts at 8:00 p.m. CT and can be viewed via the MLS Season Pass be viewed on the Apple TV.
Sporting KC second team has been renewed with a big change in the whole roster. “I’m happy where we are, we had a good pre-season,” said SKCII head coach Benny Feilhaber. “I think the guys we brought in this year are just very good players. I think we have a very good group, a group that can compete in this league and even more, a group where some of them can play as first-team players at the end of the season.”
The goal is to get them into the first team at some point. – Bargainer
When asked why he thinks this team is better than last season, Feilhaber replied: “We started building the 2022 team in January 2022, we started building the 2023 team in October 2022 , so we had a much better search in terms of scouting, in recruiting. I think we did a much better job building the team.”
“Now it’s about the coaching part,” Feilhaber continues. “We’ve been able to bring some really good players here who we think have a very big advantage and now it’s about making the best player out of each of those guys.”
Feilhaber said of the players in the squad: “The quality of this team is as high day and night as it was last year. My goal is that, unlike last year when we couldn’t get anyone into the first team, in a year’s time we’ll not only be talking about new players in the second team, but also about the guys who left the second team for the first team.”
Forward Bakary Bagayoko, midfielder Josh Coan and defender Jahon Rad are three players who contributed a lot to last season’s version and have returned.
Some new faces who are expected to play well are the two Parisians Amadou Traore and Diedie Traore. Amadou created numerous chances on the left wing and scored twice last season. The one behind Amadou has size, speed and desire to get ahead.
Other players for fans to keep an eye on are forward Pau Vidal, Yesion Mejia, midfielder Ethan Bryant and defender Nassim Mekideche.
player path
In addition to returning former SKC Academy players Coby Jones and Mikey Lenis, a trio of former Academy products have returned to Kansas City from college. Mo Abualnadi, Sebastian Cruz and Enzo Mauriz signed during the off-season and are now back with the organization and training right next to where they grew up at the academy.
“What we’re doing really well now is keeping track of our academy players going to college, how they’re developing in college and how they’re developing. Enzo, Mo and Seba are guys who have stayed a bit under the radar,” explained Feilhaber. “Especially a guy like Seba who went to Cal State Fullerton. Mo didn’t play that many minutes in Pitt this year and Enzo obviously did very well in Kentucky.”
Feilhaber and the rest of the staff followed these players and other academy graduates through college.
“I went to the academy here for a year and a half and then left for three years to go to college,” said Enzo Mauriz. “I’ve always been in touch with them and I knew the facilities, knew that the people here know what the environment is like, how great it is here. I just knew that coming back here would always be a possible opportunity for me. Last year we had a great year in Kentucky and the coach reached out to me. He said, “Hey, we want you, we want you to come back, and I just knew coming back here was the best place for me to grow, continue my career and start my professional career.”
Sebastian Cruz repeated these statements. “I was also an academy product here and played in college for three years. After my third year, I really felt like I was ready to move on to the next level. The quality, everything is at the highest level. I love this club. Ever since I left I have always loved this club and it was a no-brainer to come back for sure.”
academy player
Sporting Kansas City II added three Sporting Kansas City Academy players to MLS NEXT Pro amateur contracts: defenseman Leo Christiano, defenseman Nati Clarke and goaltender Matthew Hudson. There will probably be more in the coming weeks.
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