Sporting Kansas City's U-19s will host Indios Denver FC at Swope Soccer Village on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT in the UPSL Playoffs Round of 16. The Sporting KC U-19s punched their ticket to the Round of 16 after defeating Arkansas Legacy in the OK-AR Regional semifinals on Nov. 18 at Swope Soccer Village.
Led by head coach Lee Tschantret, in his first year with the Sporting KC Academy, the U-19s earned eight straight results in their first eight matches of regular season play. They cruised to a league title with an 8-1-1 record, scoring 39 goals and conceding just eight. After opening the campaign with a 1-1 road draw at Side FC, the squad rattled off seven straight wins, including a 3-1 win over Tulsa Athletic, Sporting Kansas City's 2023 US Open Cup Third Round opponent.
In the playoffs, Sporting took down Arkansas Legacy 2-1 in a thrilling match at Children's Mercy Victory Field. After first half goals from Guy Michaeli and Geremi Onentia, Sporting KC's defense withheld Arkansas' persistent attack in the second to earn a spot in the Round of 32. A forfeit put Sporting KC's U-19s through to the Round of 16.Â
Featuring a well-balanced attack, the SKC U-19s led the OK-AR division with 39 goals from 12 different goal scorers. Their rock-solid defense's eight goals allowed were also the fewest in the division with the backline keeping three clean sheets in the regular season.
The winner of this match will advance to the UPSL Quarterfinals set for January 20. The 2023 UPSL National Finals will take place February 2-4 in Irvine, California where the final four teams will face off in the semifinals and finals. Fans can track the U-19s UPSL playoff journey by following @SKCAcademy on Twitter and Instagram.
About United Premier Soccer League
The UPSL was formed in 2011 and occupies the unofficial fourth tier of US Soccer. Across its Premier, Division 1 and Women's leagues there are more than 400 teams competing nationwide. The UPSL is now the largest Pro Development League in North America and is a National Affiliate member of the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). Each UPSL team is individually owned and operated. UPSL teams are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Rounds through the league’s affiliation with USSF.
More information about UPSL can be found at www.upsl.com or by following the league on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
