Benny Feilhaber and Des Moines Menace to Play Against Sporting KC II

In 2024, only eight Major League Soccer teams competed in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Sporting Kansas City made it all the way to the finals before falling to LAFC. For 2025, the league doubled the numbers to 16 MLS teams. However, Sporting KC were left on the outside looking in.

In their place, SKC II are set to take the field. That makes them one of 10 teams from MLS Next Pro to compete against the 16 MLS clubs, along with numerous other teams from the USL Championship, USL League One, USL League Two and all the other levels of soccer in America.

Because Sporting KC II are in the third division, they will enter the competition in round one. For that match-up, they drew USL2’s Des Moines Menace. The teams will meet in Kansas City at Swope Park on March 19th at 6:30 PM CT.

Des Moines is an interesting team because in the 2024 version of the competition, they pulled many MLS veterans out of retirement to fill their team. Among them, future Sporting KC legend and current coach, Roger Espinoza. The first retired player to join Des Moines last year was Sacha Kljestan (read the story of how that came about).

Who is Des Moines Bringing in 2025?

As if the title didn’t give it away, the most interesting move is signing Benny Feilhaber. And that’s for a multitude of reasons. First, Benny was the coach of Sporting KC II the last three seasons. Beyond that, he’s on the wall at Children’s Mercy Park as a club legend for Sporting Kansas City.

Now he’ll take the field against his former team. However, it’s not even the first time that has happened. Last weekend, he subbed into a Sporting KC II preseason game as a “guest player” for UMKC in a 4-3 win over Sporting’s second team.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Thad Bell (@thad_photo)

As Des Moines keep making announcements, they also release “skill ratings” for their players. Benny got zero soccer balls for running, something I doubt he’d dispute as he was often quoted saying how much he hates to run.

The @SportingKC fans may recognize this new addition to the Open Cup squad… pic.twitter.com/M4tRF59MaE

— Des Moines Menace (@MenaceSoccer94) March 7, 2025

Feilhaber won’t be doing it alone against SKC II. Sacha Kljestan is back, and he’s brought several former New York Red Bulls players with him. He’s joined by the recently retired midfielder Dax McCarty and striker Bradley Wright Phillips. Basically, the entire Apple TV MLS broadcast crew.

The Des Moines Menace seem likely to announce another player today as well. (Update 12:16 PM — Ozzie Alonso was added. 2nd Update 3/9/2025: Matt Hedges signed too.) 

In 2024, there were other veterans on the team and players with a connection to SKC II. Leroy Enzugusi scored in the Union Omaha game and Lucas Rosa played extensively, both former SKC II players. Other MLS veterans included Tesho Akindele and A.J. DeLaGarza.

Who is On Sporting KC II’s Roster?

The lower divisions of American soccer are known for their high player turnover. After the 2024 season, only four players on pro contracts returned for the II’s: Nati Clarke, Maouloune Goumballe, Medgy Alexandre and Cielo Tschantret.

With SKC II’s season set to start today (SKC II vs. Dynamo 2 preview), they’ve made a bunch of signings in the last two weeks. Six players who were on trial signed a week ago Friday. On Thursday, the team announced former SKC Academy player Shane Donovan signed his first professional contract.

Then on Friday, six more players on amateur deals joined, including three who played for the team in 2024. The familiar names from last year are goalkeeper Jacob Molinaro, defender Leo Christiano and midfielder Johann Ortiz, all three who were featured with the first team in preseason. The new names to SKC II fans are defenders Nate Young and Zane Wantland along with midfielder Carter Derksen.

Of course, players from the first team are regularly loaned down to SKC II for minutes. However, during the US Open Cup, only players on the supplemental roster can be sent on loan. That could mean familiar faces like Homegrown signings Ian James, Jack Kortkamp and Jacob Bartlett could be loaned down. Barlett has started every MLS game this year so far, so he may not be available for a loan.

If Sporting KC II pull off the victory over Des Moines, despite the Iowa squad being in a lower division, it would surely be seen as an upset considering their star-studded lineup.

The KC Soccer Journal will bring you more on the US Open Cup as the game approaches.