Misc Soccer News

Sporting KC II Fights for Final Playoff Spot in MLS NEXT Pro Decision Day Duel with LAFC 2

Sporting KC II signs 21-year-old defender and Academy product Mo Abualnadi

October 4, 2024 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Sporting Kansas City II News Release

Sporting Kansas City II (9-12-6, 35 points) will put a bow on the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season on Sunday when they host LAFC 2 (12-9-6, 45 points) at Children’s Mercy Victory Field in Kansas City, Missouri. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT with a live stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

With one game to go, Sporting KC II is on the outside looking in of the Western Conference playoff picture. The group has two possible routes to make the postseason as listed below.

SKC II win + Real Monarchs 1 or fewer points + Houston Dynamo 2 2 or fewer points + Austin FC II 2 or fewer points

Or

SKC II Shootout Win + Real Monarchs Loss + Houston Dynamo 2 Loss + Austin FC II 1 or Fewer Points + Timbers 2 2 or Fewer Points

(SKC II Wins Tiebreaker over Real Monarch)

Tickets for the finale are on sale at SeatGeek.com for just $10.

Head coach Benny Feilhaber will turn to the potent offense that has fired home 49 goals this season. Leading the charge is midfielder Kamron Habibullah with 11 finishes. The former Vancouver Whitecap has added three assists and became the first player in team history with multiple hat tricks in a season. He last found the back of the net against MNUFC 2 on September 22 in front of the home fans, firing a free kick off the post and in.

Forwards Beto Avila and Maouloune Goumballe rank second on the team in goals with nine each. Avila put his name back in the scoring column last week against North Texas SC when SKC II claimed a point at home from the top overall seed in the league. Goumballe, a rookie out of Indiana University leads the team in games played (26) and starts (24). Only defender Chris Rindov has more minutes played, with the University of Maryland alum logging 2115 minutes.

Midfielder and Swiss Army Knife Sebastian Cruz has been crucial all season long. The SKC Acadmey product has started 20 of 25 appearances playing almost 2000 minutes, scoring four goals and adding a team-best five assists. Ethan Bryant also has a team-high five assists with the second-year SKC II player appearing in 24 matches this year.

The Sporting KC Academy has also seen a stepped-up role in the 2024 campaign. From 2023 to 2024 they contributed nearly double the starts, appearances, minutes, goals and assists exemplifying the commitment to playing the future of Sporting Kansas City. Leo Christiano leads all SKC Academy players in minutes, surpassing 1160 minutes at just 17 years old….

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