The Sporting Kansas City Academy U-17s and U-19s are set to compete at the 2017 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase, running Thursday through Monday at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
The 2017 Winter Showcase features elite U-17 and U-19 academy clubs from across the country, spanning more than 200 matches over five days. The annual event will be held in conjunction with the 2017 Nike International Friendlies, a round-robin competition featuring the United States, Brazil, England and Netherlands U-17 national teams. Sporting KC's 15-year-old homegrown player Gianluca Busio will represent the U.S. at the Nike International Friendlies later this week.
The Sporting KC U-17s and U-19s will play three games apiece, all of which against teams from other geographically-based Development Academy divisions. Led by head coach Rumbani Munthali, the U-17s will face LA Galaxy, Real So Cal and the Philadelphia Union. U-19 head coach Jon Parry will lead his team against the Montreal Impact, Philadelphia Union and Indiana Fire.
Sporting KC’s Winter Showcase schedule is listed below, including opponents’ regular season records in their respective Development Academy divisions.
Sporting KC U-17 Winter Showcase Schedule
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Time (CT)</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
Friday, Dec. 1 |
10am |
LA Galaxy (5-3-3) |
Saturday, Dec. 2 |
9am |
Real So Cal (6-4-2) |
Monday, Dec. 4 |
10:15am |
Philadelphia Union (6-2-4) |
Sporting KC U-19 Winter Showcase Schedule
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Time (CT)</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
Thursday, Nov. 30 |
12pm |
Montreal Impact (8-0-2) |
Friday, Dec. 1 |
12pm |
Philadelphia Union (8-2-1) |
Sunday, Dec. 3 |
8am |
Indiana Fire (4-0-5) |
The Sporting KC U-17s currently occupy third place in the Frontier Division with a 5-3-0 record. Midfielder Jahon Rad (five goals) and forward Gabe Findley (four goals) lead the team in scoring, while goalkeeper Grant Calvert has three clean sheets. U-17 defender Mitch Eise was named to the USA's preliminary 24-player roster for the Nike International Friendlies but was not selected to the final 20-man roster, thus making him available for Sporting KC at the Winter Showcase.
The Sporting KC U-19s are off to a similarly strong start, going 6-2-0 as the second-place team in the Frontier Division. The club tops the division with 26 goals scored, including a team-leading eight from forward Wilson Harris. Midfielders Roman Knox (four goals), Sebastian Cruz (three goals) and Sean Karani (three goals) have also provided an offensive punch throughout the 2017-18 campaign. The U-19s will be without a gifted attacker in Busio, who will compete for the U.S. U-17s at the Nike International Friendlies.
