Starting XI, presented by StorageMart, 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. Late Loss in La La Land
Sporting suffered a last-gasp 2-1 defeat to Los Angeles Football Club on Sunday night in the team’s MLS season opener at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. Krisztian Nemeth gave Sporting (0-1-0, 0 points) an early lead with his third goal in as many matches, but LAFC (1-0-0, 3 points) rallied in the second half behind a 47th-minute strike from Diego Rossi and a 94th-minute winner from substitute Adama Diomande to hand Manager Peter Vermes’ side its first loss in eight trips to the state of California.