Sporting Kansas City Academy and Sporting KC II forward Kashan Hines was named MLS NEXT Rising Star of Matchday 7 on April 20 after scoring the game-winning goal in SKC II’s victory over Whitecaps FC 2 at Victory Field.
The recognition comes as Hines, a U-18 player for Sporting KC, made a significant impact by coming off the bench in the 62nd minute and netting his first professional goal nearly forty minutes later. This decisive play secured Sporting KC II their first win of the season.
During Sunday’s match, SKC II fell behind early in the second half but managed to equalize through Missael Rodriguez in the 71st minute. After Vancouver quickly regained the lead, Zamir Loyo Reynaga scored his first professional goal to level the score again late in regulation. In stoppage time, Hines received a pass from Carter Derksen inside the box and converted under pressure to clinch all three points for his team.
Hines joined Sporting Kansas City Academy in spring 2023 and debuted at the Patterson Cup with Sporting’s U-14s. He contributed to Sporting’s U-15s finishing second in the GA Cup Premier Bracket in 2024 and scored during that year’s MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs for the U-17s. He made his professional debut as a substitute on August 8, 2025, against Austin FC II and has since started three times for SKC II.
Sporting KC II will continue their four-match home stand on Sunday with a game against Houston Dynamo 2 at Victory Field. The match will be available via streaming on OneFootball app, with tickets offered through SeatGeek.com.
