Sporting KC knows its first three games of the 2021 MLS season. Here’s how it unfolds
Sporting Kansas City learned the particular for its first three games of the season Wednesday afternoon, an opening slate that will send the club on the road to play the New York Red Bulls April 17.
Kansas City’s home opener will be against Orlando City on April 23. Then it’s at Real Salt Lake on May 1.
“We’re excited about that, looking forward to it,” KC coach Peter Vermes said. “I think for our guys, for our staff, for everyone, we’re built around schedules and always looking for that consistency and knowing what’s coming up next.”
Kansas City’s season opener against New York, which kicks off at 12:30 p.m. CT, will be the first time the two MLS charter members open the season together at New York. The game will also be broadcast on national TV.
The fixture perhaps couldn’t happen fast enough for MLS, with 2020 being the first season in league history in which those two teams didn’t square off in league play. Each has won 21 games and tied 14 against the other.
The fixture presents an opportunity for Kansas City to extend its MLS-best streak of 14 season openers won, dating to the team’s inaugural 1996 season. KC is 14-7-4 in week 1 matchups.
Kansas City’s second game of the season, against Orlando in its home opener, is a chance to avenge a 2-1 loss suffered at home against Orlando in 2020. A quick three-minute double sunk Kansas City on that occasion, with new team captain Johnny Russell scoring the consolation goal for KC.
Sporting will then have a seven-day rest before traveling to Sandy, Utah, to play Real Salt Lake in the latest edition of one of MLS’s fiercest rivalries.
Kansas City most recently defeated Salt Lake on Decision Day 2020, winning 2-0 in a blizzard to clinch the top spot in the Western Conference. That victory also snapped a seven-game winless streak at Salt Lake.
Sporting KC arrived in Orlando last week for warm-weather training camp. The club’s first game of the preseason is against Phoenix Rising on Saturday at 12 p.m. CT.
This story was originally published March 10, 2021 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Sporting KC knows its first three games of the 2021 MLS season. Here’s how it unfolds."