Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
Struggling to recreate his form from a year ago, C.J. Sapong has been thrown a lifeline by Sporting Kansas City
In a bid to help him rediscover his scoring touch, Sporting KC announced on Thursday that Sapong has been sent on-loan to Orlando City SC in USL-Pro. Homegrown product Kevin Ellis has also been sent to Orlando in the deal.
Sapong, who scored nine goals in 2012, has scored just one goal and recorded one assist in 14 games this season, including nine starts. The James Madison product has hardly played since the start of May (five appearances out of ten games) and hasn’t seen any action since receiving a red card in the second half of Sporting KC’s 2-2 draw with FC Dallas.
Ellis, in his third season since joining the professional ranks, has found playing time hard to come by even though he started his first MLS game in the 1-1 draw against Vancouver on July 3. Both Ellis and Sapong are eligible to feature for Orlando City when they face the Charleston Battery on Thursday night.
Since signing a partnership agreement last January, Sporting KC has loaned six players in total to Orlando City, the MLS club recently recalling forward Dom Dwyer who scored 15 times in 13 matches and waiving Yann Songo’o. Ellis and Sapong join Christian Duke and Jon Kempin as Sporting KC loan players on the Orlando City roster.
—–
What do you think of this news? Surprised to see Sapong loaned away? Where do you see his future at Sporting KC?
Share your thoughts below.