Sporting Kansas City's U-15s earned their spot in the GA Cup Premier Bracket Finals with an incredible 12-11 win in penalties after 14 rounds of kicks from the spot with the Colorado Rapids at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. After outlasting the Rapids in the shootout following a 1-1 end to regulation, Sporting will compete for the Premier Bracket crown, facing the Chicago Fire on the final day of the 2024 GA Cup.
Kickoff for tomorrow's final is set for 9 a.m. CT, on Field 1 at IMG Academy and will stream live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV as the two midwest MLS clubs compete in the first-ever Premier Bracket championship.
New to GA Cup in 2024, the Premier Bracket gives teams a competitive bracket to play in after the group stage. Sporting's U-15s Group Stage journey featured a hard-fought 2-1 win sandwiched by defeats to San Jose Earthquakes and Necaxa. They have rebounded in bracket play, rattling off three wins including two in kicks from the spot.
The U-15s, led by head coach Luis Pacheco, bounced back from the group stages earlier in the week and won three straight knockout matches. Opening up bracket play, they avenged their MLS NEXT Fest defeat to D.C. United by way of a 1-0 win in the Round of 16. Highlighted by a brilliant second half performance and stout defensive effort, the U-15s secured their spot in the Quarters with a clean sheet.
The next day, they sank MLS NEXT side Weston FC in penalties after a goalless regulation. With two saves in the shootout, Sporting advanced to the semis with a 4-3 win in kicks from the spot. Needing another shootout victory against Colorado Rapids, the boys clutched up again, outlasting Colorado through 14 rounds.
The group will face the Chicago Fire at the IMG Soccer Stadium on Sunday morning to close out a busy and exciting week of GA Cup action.
First Name | Last Name |
Eman | Alicic |
Santino | Barbarena |
Jesus | Enriquez |
Jack | Francka |
Sergio | Garcia |
Alex | Gemeinhardt |
Kashan | Hines |
Justin | Jones |
Colin | Kyser |
Mays | Landers |
Bryden | Liem |
Colin | Lysinger |
Ben | Nylund |
Chinelo | Robinson |
Austin | Thompson |
Joel | Ward |
Baron | Williams |
Sutton | Williams |
Sporting fans can follow the final day of the Sporting KC Academy's GA Cup by following @SKCAcademy on X and Instagram. Both will feature score updates, starting XIs from both the U-15s Premier Bracket final as well as the U-17s last showcase match.
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About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer -- celebrating its 29th season in 2024 -- features 30 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, including a new expansion team in San Diego that will debut in 2025. All MLS, Leagues Cup, and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches can be watched through MLS Season Pass, available on the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com. MLS Season Pass features the most expansive and accessible lineup of programming ever for MLS fans. For more information about MLS, visit mlssoccer.com. For more information about the Apple TV app, visit apple.com/apple-tv-app.
