Connect with us

Sporting KC

Sporting KC Open their 2025 Preseason with a Loss

Sporting Kansas City started their 2025 preseason. We’ve got the lineups, who didn’t play and the ultimately result from Florida.

Published

on

Sorry to Afrifa for picking his image, but KC played his old team FIU. | Credit: Thad Bell

The 2025 preseason kicked off today in Miami when Sporting Kansas City played a 60-minute game against Florida International University (FIU), the alma mater of Stephen Afrifa. It’s the first of a six-game preseason slate that runs through February 12th against the USL Championship’s Las Vegas Lights. In between these two lower tiered opponents, Sporting KC play four MLS teams: the Chicago Fire, Charlotte FC, New York City FC and Minnesota United.

The games weren’t streamed live to the public (though there may be footage released later, and we’ll update the story if so) and the only updates were available through the Sporting KC Communications Twitter account.

So full warning, not much can be taken from 60 minutes of soccer, available only through Tweets, against a college team.

The Lineups

Probably the thing people anticipate the most is who is playing and where. But as you can see by the mix of guys likely to be starters versus backups, not a ton can be gleamed other than the team is likely in a 4-3-3.

The most notable part from the first lineup is Erik Thommy playing on the wing. I suspect the right based on the order things are typed in, but again, let’s not get carried away. It’s notable because the team has a lack of midfielders but still pushed him wide. I suspect that’s where Vermes projects him long-term, particularly if the team gets their Designated Player #10 over the line in the coming weeks.

More could be pulled from the second lineup. Most importantly, something we all know, this team needs to sign players. With only 21 players signed and two entirely different 11 players taking the field, they literally only have 17 field players to fill 20 spots (plus 3 GKs). It was inevitable others would be needed. Only five of the players in the second lineup are actually on first team contracts. Jack Kortkamp, Ian James, Tim Leibold, Nemanja Radoja and Alenis Vargas.

The average age of the contracted players in the second lineup was just 23 years old, even though it included two of the oldest guys on the team (Radoja, Leibold).

Side Note: It’s been pointed out elsewhere, but this team is very young suddenly. The four oldest players are all currently 31 (In order oldest to youngest: Radoja, Shelton, Rosero, Leibold). Erik Thommy is the only other player that’s even 30. As of today, the average age is just 24.95.

The players not signed are trialist Jan Jurcec, first round pick Jansen Miller, last year’s second round pick (who returned to college) Dyson Clapier, Homegrown and former SKC II player Sebastian Cruz, Johann Ortiz, who is committed to college in the fall out of the SKC Academy and Cielo Tschantret who is signed with the second team and also from the Academy.

The second lineup had Sebastian Cruz at center forward. While he played some false nine in a pinch for Benny Feilhaber’s SKC II last year, he’s definitely best suited in the midfield or out wide. Jan Jurcec was at right back, which aligns with the tiniest bit of research we’ve done on the player.

#SportingKC trialist, Jan Jurcec may be looked as a right back by the team based on these highlights. Primarily playing fullback/wingback, mostly on the right (but he pops up on the left).You rarely see a good highlight package for defenders but this is well done. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mWk…

Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2025-01-14T22:20:35.176Z

Who Didn’t Play?

The team was missing a few of their rostered players from the two lineups that took the field. William Agada wasn’t featured in either lineup but is currently expected to be the starting center forward. Dany Rosero, who ended his 2024 season slightly early with surgery, wasn’t featured.

Daniel Salloi, who is at least in contention to be the starting left winger, missed out. Memo Rodriguez and backup goalkeeper Ryan Schewe also didn’t play. I suspect we’ll hear some guys are dealing with minor injuries and they are being precautious. Hopefully it’s nothing more. As for Schewe, maybe the plan was to only play two keepers instead of three 20-minute shifts like we’ve seen in prior years.

The Result

It is preseason and results don’t necessarily matter. Particularly with missing players and a secondary lineup that mostly featured non-professionals. Then again, FIU had an entire lineup of non-professionals.

That said, you’d still hope KC could find a win, even with only 60 minutes of time to player.

The highlights of the game, if you can call reading a tweet a highlight, started with new signing Mason Toye getting in one-on-one with the FIU keeper who made the save.

Five minutes later, Erik Thommy put a shot just over the bar.

The game entered the half tied at 0-0. The second 30 minutes got off to an inauspicious start as FIU scored on a header to take a 1-0 lead.

Trialist Jan Jurcec made a pass to Sebastian Cruz but his shot was saved.

And that was all that made the list of tweets. Sporting KC ultimately lost 1-0.

A loss, even in preseason, will leave a sour taste in the mouths of many. It just puts the pressure on Mike Burns to get deals over the line even more. He’s made it clear he won’t make panic signings, but any signing can’t come soon enough for some.


Sporting Kansas City play again next Saturday, this time against the Chicago Fire. Gregg Berhalter is their new coach, and they’ve recently started discussions about signing Neymar. It could be interesting (though I doubt it happens, and no way is he in preseason in a week).

That game is at 11:00 AM Central Time on January 25th.

I've been covering Kansas City soccer since 2014, including Sporting Kansas City, the KC Current, SKC II and more. I'm based out of Kansas City, MO, but got my start covering SKC while writing from Phoenix, AZ.

Recent Comments

KC Soccer Journal in your Inbox!

Be the first to know when news breaks, sign up to get all of our posts sent directly to your inbox.

Facebook

Follow us on Twitter