# 2014 Sporting Kansas City season

The 2014 Sporting Kansas City season was the nineteenth season of the team's existence in Major League Soccer and the fourth year played under the Sporting Kansas City moniker.
Sporting Kansas City entered the season in the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League championship stage for the first time in franchise history.
Sporting Kansas City also entered the season as the defending MLS Cup champion, after beating Real Salt Lake in PKs in the MLS Cup 2013.

## Squad
### First team roster

As of August 17, 2014.
| No. | Position | Player | Nation |
| 1 | GK | Eric Kronberg | United States |
| 2 | DF | Erik Palmer-Brown (HGP) | United States |
| 3 | DF | Ike Opara | United States |
| 4 | DF | Kevin Ellis (HGP) | United States |
| 5 | DF | Matt Besler (Captain & DP) | United States |
| 6 | MF | Paulo Nagamura | Brazil |
| 7 | DF | Chance Myers | United States |
| 8 | MF | Graham Zusi (DP) | United States |
| 9 | MF | Antonio Dovale | Spain |
| 10 | MF | Benny Feilhaber | United States |
| 11 | MF | Sal Zizzo | United States |
| 12 | MF | Mikey Lopez (GA) | United States |
| 13 | DF | Lawrence Olum | Kenya |
| 14 | FW | Dom Dwyer | England |
| 15 | DF | Seth Sinovic | United States |
| 16 | FW | Claudio Bieler (DP) | Argentina |
| 17 | FW | C. J. Sapong | United States |
| 18 | MF | Victor Muñoz | Spain |
| 20 | MF | Jorge Claros | Honduras |
| 21 | GK | Jon Kempin (HGP) | United States |
| 22 | FW | Soony Saad | Lebanon |
| 24 | MF | Michael Kafari | Ghana |
| 25 | MF | Christian Duke | United States |
| 30 | GK | Andy Gruenebaum | United States |
| 37 | MF | Jacob Peterson | United States |
| 40 | DF | Igor Julião (on loan from Fluminense) | Brazil |
| 78 | DF | Aurélien Collin | France |

## Player movement
### In

| Date | Player | Position | Previous club | Fee/notes |
| December 13, 2013 | Sal Zizzo | MF | Portland Timbers | Trade for Allocation Money |
| December 16, 2013 | Andy Gruenebaum | GK | Columbus Crew | Trade for 2016 MLS SuperDraft Pick |
| February 13, 2014 | Jimmy Medranda | MF | Deportivo Pereira | Fee |
| March 4, 2014 | Alex Martinez | MF | NCSU | 2014 MLS SuperDraft Selection |
| March 11, 2014 | Antonio Rodríguez Dovale | MF | Celta de Vigo | Free |
| April 1, 2014 | Victor Muñoz | MF | D.C. United | Free |
| July 8, 2014 | Michael Kafari | MF | Charleston Battery | Free |
| July 16, 2014 | Jorge Claros | MF | C.D. Motagua | Free |
| July 16, 2014 | Martin Steuble | MF | FC Wil 1900 | Free |
| August 13, 2014 | Tim Melia | GK | Chivas USA | League Pool Call-up |

### Out

| Pos. | Player | New club | Fee/notes | Date |
| GK | Jimmy Nielsen | Oklahoma City Energy FC Coach | Retired from playing | December 9, 2013 |
| DF | Kyle Miller | Oklahoma City Energy FC | Waived | December 12, 2013 |
| DF | Brendan Ruiz | | Waived | December 12, 2013 |
| DF | Federico Bessone | Millwall | Released (Out of contract) | January 2, 2014 |
| FW | Teal Bunbury | New England Revolution | Trade for first round 2015 MLS SuperDraft pick and allocation money | February 19, 2013 |
| DF | Josh Gardner | | Waived | March 25, 2014 |
| DF | Mechack Jerome | Montreal Impact | Waived | March 31, 2014 |
| MF | Oriol Rosell | Sporting Clube de Portugal | Fee | June 3, 2014 |
| MF | Alex Martinez | Orange County Blues FC | Waived | June 30, 2014 |
| MF | Peterson Joseph | | Mutually Terminated | August 11, 2014 |
| GK | Tim Melia | Sporting Kansas City | League Pool Call-up Ended | September 3, 2014 |

### Loans
#### In

| No. | Pos. | Player | Loaned from | Start | End | Source |
| 40 | DF | Igor Julião | Fluminense FC | April 4, 2014 | December 31, 2014 | |

#### Out

| No. | Pos. | Player | Loaned to | Start | End |
| 12 | MF | Mikey Lopez | Orlando City Soccer Club | March 17, 2014 | June 30, 2014 |
| 21 | GK | Jon Kempin | Oklahoma City Energy FC | March 17, 2014 | July 9, 2014 |
| 25 | MF | Christian Duke | Oklahoma City Energy FC | March 17, 2014 | June 4, 2014 |
| 4 | DF | Kevin Ellis | Oklahoma City Energy FC | April 21, 2014 | May 16, 2014 |

## Competitions
### Match results

Win  Tie  Loss

### Preseason
#### Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic

Kickoff times are in CST (UTC-06) unless shown otherwise

### Major League Soccer
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Seattle Sounders FC (S) | 34 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 65 | 50 | +15 | 64 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 2 | LA Galaxy (C) | 34 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 69 | 37 | +32 | 61 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 3 | D.C. United | 34 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 52 | 37 | +15 | 59 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 4 | Real Salt Lake | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 54 | 39 | +15 | 56 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 5 | New England Revolution | 34 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 51 | 46 | +5 | 55 | |
| 6 | FC Dallas | 34 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 55 | 45 | +10 | 54 | |
| 7 | Columbus Crew | 34 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 52 | 42 | +10 | 52 | |
| 8 | New York Red Bulls | 34 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 55 | 50 | +5 | 50 | |
| 9 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 42 | 40 | +2 | 50 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 10 | Sporting Kansas City | 34 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 48 | 41 | +7 | 49 | |
| 11 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 61 | 52 | +9 | 49 | |
| 12 | Philadelphia Union | 34 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 51 | 51 | 0 | 42 | |
| 13 | Toronto FC | 34 | 11 | 15 | 8 | 44 | 54 | −10 | 41 | |
| 14 | Houston Dynamo | 34 | 11 | 17 | 6 | 39 | 58 | −19 | 39 | |
| 15 | Chicago Fire | 34 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 41 | 51 | −10 | 36 | |
| 16 | Chivas USA | 34 | 9 | 19 | 6 | 29 | 61 | −32 | 33 | |
| 17 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 8 | 18 | 8 | 43 | 62 | −19 | 32 | |
| 18 | San Jose Earthquakes | 34 | 6 | 16 | 12 | 35 | 50 | −15 | 30 | |
| 19 | Montreal Impact | 34 | 6 | 18 | 10 | 38 | 58 | −20 | 28 | |

#### Eastern Conference standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | D.C. United | 34 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 52 | 37 | +15 | 59 | MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 2 | New England Revolution | 34 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 51 | 37 | +14 | 55 | MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 3 | Columbus Crew SC | 34 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 52 | 42 | +10 | 52 | MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 4 | New York Red Bulls | 34 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 55 | 50 | +5 | 50 | MLS Cup Knockout round |
| 5 | Sporting Kansas City | 34 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 48 | 41 | +7 | 49 | MLS Cup Knockout round |
| 6 | Philadelphia Union | 34 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 51 | 51 | 0 | 42 | |
| 7 | Toronto FC | 34 | 11 | 15 | 8 | 44 | 54 | −10 | 41 | |
| 8 | Houston Dynamo | 34 | 11 | 17 | 6 | 39 | 58 | −19 | 39 | |
| 9 | Chicago Fire | 34 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 41 | 51 | −10 | 36 | |
| 10 | Montreal Impact | 34 | 6 | 18 | 10 | 38 | 58 | −20 | 28 | |

#### Regular season

Kickoff times are in CDT (UTC-05) unless shown otherwise

#### MLS Cup Playoffs
##### Bracket

| Knockout | Knockout | Knockout | Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference finals | Conference finals | Conference finals | Conference finals | Conference finals | MLS Cup | MLS Cup | MLS Cup |
| | | | E1 | D.C. United | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| E4 | New York Red Bulls | 2 | E4 | New York Red Bulls | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| E5 | Sporting Kansas City | 1 | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E4 | New York Red Bulls | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | |
| | | | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E2 | New England Revolution | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | |
| | | | E2 | New England Revolution | 4 | 3 | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | E3 | Columbus Crew | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | E2 | New England Revolution | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | W2 | LA Galaxy (a.e.t.) | 2 |
| | | | W1 | Seattle Sounders FC (a) | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| W4 | FC Dallas | 2 | W4 | FC Dallas | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W1 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | |
| | | | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W2 | LA Galaxy (a) | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | |
| | | | W2 | LA Galaxy | 0 | 5 | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | W3 | Real Salt Lake | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | |

##### Results
### CONCACAF Champions League
#### CONCACAF Champions League (2013–14)

Advanced from Group stage

#### Championship Stage

In the championship stage, the eight teams play a single-elimination tournament. Each tie is played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. The away goals rule is used if the aggregate score is level after normal time of the second leg, but not after extra time, and so a tie is decided by penalty shoot-out if the aggregate score is level after extra time of the second leg.

##### Bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 6 | LA Galaxy | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Tijuana | 0 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Tijuana | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | Tijuana | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Cruz Azul | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| 7 | Sporting Kansas City | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Cruz Azul | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| 2 | Cruz Azul | 0 | 5 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Cruz Azul | 0 | 5 | 5 | | | | | | 2 | Cruz Azul (a) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Toluca | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | Alajuelense | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Toluca | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | Árabe Unido | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Árabe Unido | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Alajuelense | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 1 | Toluca | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| 8 | San Jose Earthquakes | 1 | 1 | 2 (4) | 1 | Toluca | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| 1 | Toluca (p) | 1 | 1 | 2 (5) | | | | | | | | | | |

##### Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Sporting Kansas City | 5–2 | Cruz Azul | 1–0 | 1–5 |
Cruz Azul won 5–2 on aggregate.

#### CONCACAF Champions League (2014–15)
##### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Saprissa | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 7 | Advance to championship stage |
| 2 | Sporting Kansas City | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 7 | |
| 3 | Real Estelí | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 2 | |
* 1 2 Saprissa finished ahead of Sporting Kansas City based on head-to-head away goals scored (1–0).

### U.S. Open Cup

| Fourth Round June 11–18 | Fourth Round June 11–18 | Fourth Round June 11–18 | Fifth Round June 24–25 | Fifth Round June 24–25 | Fifth Round June 24–25 | Quarterfinals July 8–9 | Quarterfinals July 8–9 | Quarterfinals July 8–9 | | Semifinals Aug 12–13 | Semifinals Aug 12–13 | Semifinals Aug 12–13 | | Final Sep 16 | Final Sep 16 | Final Sep 16 |
| NASL | Carolina RailHawks | 1(3) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | Chivas USA | 1(2) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | Chivas USA | 1(2) | NASL | Carolina RailHawks (aet) | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | MLS | LA Galaxy | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| USLP | Arizona United SC | 1 | MLS | LA Galaxy | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | LA Galaxy | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | LA Galaxy | 2 | | | | NASL | Carolina RailHawks | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | MLS | FC Dallas | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | Houston Dynamo | 1 | | | | | | | MLS | FC Dallas | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| PDL | Laredo Heat | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| PDL | Laredo Heat | 0 | MLS | Houston Dynamo | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | MLS | FC Dallas | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | FC Dallas | 2 | MLS | FC Dallas | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NASL | San Antonio Scorpions | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NASL | San Antonio Scorpions | 0 | | | | | | | | MLS | FC Dallas | 1(3) | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | MLS | Philadelphia Union | 1(4) | | | | |
| MLS | Philadelphia Union (aet) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | MLS | Philadelphia Union | 1(4) | | | | |
| USLP | Harrisburg City Islanders | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| USLP | Harrisburg City Islanders | 1 | MLS | Philadelphia Union (aet) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | NASL | New York Cosmos | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NASL | New York Cosmos | 3 | NASL | New York Cosmos | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | New York Red Bulls | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | New York Red Bulls | 0 | | | | MLS | Philadelphia Union | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | MLS | New England Revolution | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| USLP | Richmond Kickers | 2 | | | | | | | MLS | New England Revolution | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | New England Revolution | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | New England Revolution | 3 | MLS | New England Revolution | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | USLP | Rochester Rhinos | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| USLP | Rochester Rhinos | 1 | USLP | Rochester Rhinos | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | D.C. United | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | D.C. United | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | MLS | Philadelphia Union | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MLS | Seattle Sounders FC (aet) | 3 |
| MLS | Seattle Sounders FC | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MLS | Seattle Sounders FC (aet) | 3 |
| USASA | PSA Elite | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| USASA | PSA Elite | 0 | MLS | Seattle Sounders FC | 1(4) | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | MLS | San Jose Earthquakes | 1(1) | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | San Jose Earthquakes | 2 | MLS | San Jose Earthquakes | 1(1) | | | | | | | | | | | |
| USLP | Sacramento Republic | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| USLP | Sacramento Republic | 1 | | | | MLS | Seattle Sounders FC (aet) | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | MLS | Portland Timbers | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | Sporting Kansas City | 2 | | | | | | | MLS | Portland Timbers | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| NASL | Minnesota United FC | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NASL | Minnesota United FC | 0 | MLS | Sporting Kansas City | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | MLS | Portland Timbers | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | Portland Timbers | 3 | MLS | Portland Timbers | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| PDL | Orlando City U-23 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| PDL | Orlando City U-23 | 0 | | | | | | | | MLS | Seattle Sounders FC | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | MLS | Chicago Fire | 0 | | | | |
| MLS | Colorado Rapids | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | MLS | Chicago Fire | 0 | | | | |
| USLP | Orlando City | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| USLP | Orlando City | 2 | MLS | Colorado Rapids | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | NASL | Atlanta Silverbacks | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NASL | Atlanta Silverbacks | 2 | NASL | Atlanta Silverbacks | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | Real Salt Lake | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | Real Salt Lake | 1 | | | | NASL | Atlanta Silverbacks | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | MLS | Chicago Fire | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | Chicago Fire | 2 | | | | | | | MLS | Chicago Fire | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| USLP | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| USLP | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 1 | MLS | Chicago Fire (aet) | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | MLS | Columbus Crew | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MLS | Columbus Crew (aet) | 2 | MLS | Columbus Crew | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NASL | Indy Eleven | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* Host team listed first
* Bold winner