10 MLS teams announced for Desert Cup, Friendlies

Posted Nov 24, 2015

Dylan Smith
TucsonSentinel.com

Ten Major League Soccer teams will join FC Tucson in the 2016 Desert Cup and Desert Friendlies matches, along with U.S. National Team soccer stars such as Clint Dempsey, Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando. The fifth year of the preseason event will be in late January and early February.

Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers, Sporting Kansas City, Houston Dynamo, San Jose Earthquakes, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, New England Revolution, Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids and Sporting Kansas City will take part in the matches, along with the local side and USL team Swope Park Rangers, league officials announced Tuesday.

The Desert Friendlies spring training sessions and matches will run Jan. 24-Feb. 12, and will feature the Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers, Sporting Kansas City, Houston Dynamo, San Jose Earthquakes and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

The FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup will be held Feb. 17-27, featuring the New England Revolution, Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids and 2015 U.S. Open Cup champs Sporting Kansas City. Swope Park Rangers and FC Tucson will round out the tournament field.

Making appearances on the Tucson pitch will be forward Clint Dempsey (Sounders), defender Matt Besler (Sporting), midfielder Kyle Beckerman (Salt Lake), goalkeeper Nick Rimando (Salt Lake), midfielder Darlington Nagbe (Timbers), defender DeMarcus Beasley (Dynamo), striker Chris Wondolowski (Earthquakes) and midfielder Lee Nguyen (Revs).

Tickets are available at FCTucson.com.

Desert Friendlies

Feb. 3, 2016

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 5 p.m., Grandstand Field (3x45min)
Portland Timbers vs. Houston Dynamo, 6 p.m., North Stadium

Feb. 6

Houston Dynamo vs. NE Revolution, 4:30 p.m., North Stadium
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, FC 5 p.m., Grandstand Field
Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders, FC 7 p.m., North Stadium

Desert Diamond Cup

Feb. 17

Game #1, 5:30 p.m., Kino North Stadium
Game #2, 6 p.m., Kino North Grandstand
Game #3, 8 p.m., Kino North Stadium

Feb. 20

Game #4, 5:30 p.m., Kino North Stadium
Game #5, 6 p.m., Kino North Grandstand
Game #6, 8 p.m., Kino North Stadium

Feb. 24

Game #7, 5:30 p.m., Kino North Stadium
Game #8, 6 p.m.,, Kino North Grandstand
Game #9, 8 p.m.,, Kino North Stadium

Feb. 27

Game #10, 5:30 p.m., 5th Place v. 6th Place, Kino North Stadium
Game #11, 6 p.m., 3rd Place v. 4th place, Kino North Grandstand
Game #12, 8 p.m., 1st Place v. 2nd Place, Kino North Stadium

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