The Sporting Kansas City Academy wrapped up their participation in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase on Wednesday. The under-16's and under-18's each competed in three matches at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
The U-18's opened the showcase on Saturday with a 1-0 loss to a familiar MLS foe in the New England Revolution Academy. Sporting Kansas City kept the Northeast Division's Revs scoreless until midway through the second half. After conceding, Sporting KC were unable to level the match before the final whistle.
The U-18's next met Mid-America Division's Crew Soccer Academy. Daniel Salloi put the Sporting KC Academy on the board first, heading in a cross from Dom Parry. Crew evened the score just before the halftime intermission and handed Sporting KC their second loss by a one-goal margin in as many games. In the U-18's final match, the team gave up a pair of early goals to New York's BW Gottachee. Dom Parry cut the lead in half just before the break, but the 2-1 scoreline held at full time.
The U-16's also opened tournament play with a defeat, falling 4-2 to the Portland Timbers Academy. Fernando Borges and Dorian Hernandez each notched a goal in the match. The Timbers sit in second place of the Northwest Division with an 8-3-2 record and 26 points. Portland also went 3-0-0 on the weekend, including a 3-0 victory over the Chicago Fire and a 3-1 result against Weston FC.
The U-16's earned the Sporting KC Academy their lone result of the weekend with a 1-1 draw against Columbus. The U-16 Crew team sits in first place of the Mid-America Division and maintains an 11-1-2 record. SKC Academy forward Absalom Solorio notched the second half equalizer, converting a half-volley off a Sporting KC corner kick. In the final match of the weekend, the U-16s fell 3-2 to Strikers FC despite securing a 2-0 advantage to begin the match. Jared Crist scored the game's opening goal, heading in a deflected cross from Paul Whitener. Alex Kaddah doubled the lead by converting a spot kick before the Strikers rallied for three unanswered goals.
Both teams return to Kansas City to train until January when they head to Colorado to face Real Colorado and Colorado Rush. For all the latest, follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter and Instagram.
