Minnesota prepares to meet familiar foes Sporting Kansas City for the second time this season on Saturday. The two midwestern rivals closely connected, despite the heated matchups on the pitch.

Bernardo Anor played the 2015 season with Sporting KC and was then loaned out to Minnesota in 2016. 

Ike Opara and Sam Cronin were teammates at Wake Forest in 2007 and 2008. 

Kevin Ellis and Dom Dwyer were loaned from Sporting KC to Orlando City in 2013, where they played with Kevin Molino and were coached by Adrian Heath. Orlando won the USL Championship that season. 

Benny Feilhaber played with Bobby Shuttleworth in 2011 and 2012 on the New England Revolution. 

Seth Sinovic and Brent Kallman were teammates at Creighton University in 2009. Sinovic later played with Shuttleworth from 2010 to 2011 with the Revolution. 

Cameron Iwasa played with Miguel Ibarra in 2011 while attending UC-Irvine. Iwasa then teamed up with Patrick McLain in 2015 with Sacramento Republic. 

Tim Melia and McLain tended goal for Chivas USA in 2012 and 2013. 

Cameron Porter and Johan Venegas spent 2015 and 2016 as teammates on Montreal Impact. 

Peter Vermes and Manny Lagos were teammates on the New York/New Jersey Metrostars for the inaugural MLS season in 1996. Lagos played the 1997 season on the Metrostars with current Sporting KC Assistant Coach Kerry Zavagnin.