Starting XI is a biweekly series on SportingKC.com that highlights 11 of the biggest storylines and news updates from Sporting Kansas City, MLS and soccer around the globe. Click here to visit the Starting XI archive.
1. Pon de Replay
Sporting Kansas City raised the curtains on its 2017 Desert Diamond Cup campaign Wednesday in Tucson, battling the Colorado Rapids to a 1-1 draw. Swope Park Rangers defender Amer Didic nodded Sporting KC into the lead, but Colorado levelled late thanks to a penalty that was awarded through Video Assistant Referee technology — the first implementation of VAR since the initiative began this offseason.