The Sporting Kansas City Academy U18's were drawn into Group F on Wednesday -- alongside the Chicago Fire, New York Red Bulls and Blau Weiss Gottschee (NYC) -- ahead of the 2014/15 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs from June 23-26 at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.
2014/15 USSDA Records and Standings
New York Red Bulls (#4 seed): 19-4-3, 1st place in East Conference's Atlantic Division
Chicago Fire (#15 seed): 14-4-9, 1st place in Central Conference's Mid-America Division
Blau Weiss Gottschee (#20 seed): 13-8-5, 2nd place in East Conference's Northeast Division
Sporting KC (wildcard #4): 14-8-5, 5th place in Central Conference's Frontier Division
The New York Red Bulls scored 96 goals -- most in the East Conference -- and are led by Peruvian forward Juan Sebastian Sanchez with 16 goals in 18 games played. Before heading to Tulsa this fall, Sanchez has appeared in seven matches for NY Red Bulls II in the USL this season.
The group's top scorer, however, will be Chicago Fire forward and Michigan State signee Ryan Sierakowski with 21 goals in 27 games. The 17-year-old joined the U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team last October alongside Sanchez for a nine-day training camp in California. Other US U18's in Group F include Marcello Borges (New York Red Bulls), Kyle Duncan (New York Red Bulls), Mauricio Pineda (Chicago Fire) and Cameron Lindley (Chicago Fire).
Sporting Kansas City's lone meeting with a Group F counterpart this season came on Dec. 2 in a 2-1 loss to Blau Weiss Gottschee during the Winter Showcase in Florida. BW Gottschee is an official affiliate of New York City FC (MLS) and will enter the playoffs without captain Nick Montgomery due to a broken foot suffered last weekend.
Sporting KC U18's USSDA Playoffs Schedule
June 23 vs. Chicago Fire (12pm)
June 24 vs. New York Red Bulls (12pm)
June 26 vs. Blau Weiss Gottschee (9am)
Led by head coach Istvan Urbanyi, the Sporting Kansas City U18's will be one of 32 teams at the annual U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs later this month. The top finisher from each of the eight playoffs groups will qualify for the Development Academy Knockouts, where teams are matched up for a single-elimination game at the site of the higher seed. Knockout stage winners then advance to the Academy Championships on July 16 (semifinals) and July 18 (third place and final) at U.S. Soccer's National Training Center in Carson, California.
Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter and Instagram for all the latest Sporting Kansas City Academy updates. Additionally, fans can follow the U.S. Soccer Development Academy on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
