Sporting Draws Their First Preseason Game

Out in Arizona, Sporting KC got their preseason started as they took on the Columbus Crew at the Reach 11 park in Phoenix Arizona. The game was divided into 3 30 minute periods. KC played 3 different teams in the 3 periods, each team had a mix of returning players and trialists and rookies on the team. KC opened the scoring in the first period as Jack Jewsbury raced onto a nice through ball and slotted the ball home. The team didn't state who it was that provided the through ball to Jewsbury, even though it was a nicely played ball. Watching the highlights, it looks like it's either Sheldon Bateau or trialist 3.

The team had 6 unknown trialists play in the game that were labeled Trialist 1 through 6. If it was trialist 3 that played Jewsbury the ball, it could potentially be Travis Bowen, the brother of Chivas USA forward, Tristan Bowen. Wizards forward, Kei Kamara tweeted a pick of Bowen in a set with a bunch of the younger players. Columbus equalized later in the first period off an Eddie Gaven corner was headed in by trialist Alex Fraga.

In the second period, the Wizards primary forward line was on the field as Omar Bravo, Teal Bunbury and Kamara were on the field. Early in the second period, KC grabbed the lead again as Bunbury fed Kamara and he fired the ball home to give KC a 2-1 lead. In the third period, Columbus equalized from the penalty spot through Robbie Rogers, giving Columbus the draw in the game.

There were a few absences from the team of those known players and trialists that were in camp. Of players under contract, Shavar Thomas, Luke Sassano, and Ryan Smith were the only ones not to get playing time. Smith is still in KC rehabbing his injury, Sassano also is likely not fully recovered yet to play in the game either, so the only real question is Thomas. One draft pick, Michel Mravec did not play in the game either. There's been no announcement that he's been released yet, but who knows as the team has not released a full preseason roster. Of the trialists, there was no mention Calum Butcher, Julio Cesar Santos, or Omar Colley. Colley is the only one that's not a big surprise as the latest word was that he was still having visa issues. With Butcher and Santos being mentioned by Robb Heineman and on the team's website it's unlikely that the team would with hold their names in the write ups as they name Adda Djeziri and other trialists.

It appears that Thomas was doing fitness work, while Mravec and Butcher had injuries and Colley wasn't quite ready to play. And Thad is saying that Trialist 1 was in fact Santos.

One final trialist that we got 100% confirmation on now, is Franklin Salas, the Ecuadorian striker. Word out of Ecuador was that he was signed while Peter Vermes said he was coming in on trial. Either way, he is in camp now and will be interesting to see if he makes the team.

There's not a lot you can take from the first preseason game, but it's great to see the team back in action. Here are the highlights.