The Sporting Kansas City Academy U-16s fell to the Real Salt Lake AZ U-16s by a 3-0 scoreline on Thursday afternoon inside Children’s Mercy Park, drawing a close to the club’s admirable run in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs at the quarterfinal stage.
The first competitive Sporting Kansas City Academy match ever played at Children’s Mercy Park also marked the U-16s’ first ever appearance in the Development Academy quarterfinals. Real Salt Lake AZ put their stamp on the momentous occasion with the victory, scoring twice in the first half before adding a third in the final minutes.
Thursday’s defeat brings an end to the Sporting KC Academy’s 2016-17 campaign. The U.S. Soccer Development Academy will revamp its age divisions beginning next season, with Sporting KC competing at the U-19, U-17 and U-15 levels in the Frontier Division of the Central Conference. The 2017-18 season will kick off Sept. 9 when Sporting KC faces the Colorado Rapids in a tripleheader.
