The Sporting Kansas City Academy U-16s have punched their ticket to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs for the first time ever.
A hard-fought 2-2 draw against Weston FC on Monday was enough for Sporting KC to finish atop Group E and clinch progression to the single-game quarterfinals, which will take place July 6 at the sites of the four highest-seeded teams still alive.
Sporting KC's quarterfinal opponent will be confirmed in the near future. The four quarterfinal winners will move on to the Development Academy Championships, set for July 14 and 16 at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, California.
U.S. youth international Gianluca Busio fired the U-16s into an early lead with a sublime, left-footed strike in the fifth minute. Floridian club Weston FC responded positively, as Jose Rivas equalized seven minutes later before bagging his brace just a minute into the second half. Abdu Kikhia, who assisted Busio's excellent opener, turned scorer in the the 49th minute by latching onto a pass from Collin Innes and finishing first-time to restore parity. Busio, Mason Visconti and Cameron Duke all came close to finding the game-winner, but a 2-2 stalemate would be enough for Sporting KC to cement their status as Group E winners.
While the U-16s turn their attention to the quarterfinals on July 6, the Sporting KC U-18s will draw the curtains on another successful season. The U-18s came from behind to tie No. 1 overall seed Atlanta United 1-1 on Monday to finish third in Group B, narrowly missing out on a second straight trip to the Development Academy quarterfinals.
Atlanta United drew first blood in the 50th minute through Laurent Kissiedou, but Sporting KC would control proceedings over the final half-hour, finding a deserved equalizer in second-half stoppage time from Leroy Enzugusi.
The 2017 Development Academy Playoffs split 32 clubs at each age level into eight groups of four. The group stage, which ran from Thursday to Monday at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, sent every first-place finisher to the Development Academy quarterfinals.
2017 Development Academy Playoffs: U-15/16 Group E
- Sporting KC 4-1 Everton FC Westchester
Thursday, June 22 - Sporting KC 3-1 Pateadores
Saturday, June 24 - Sporting KC 2-2 Weston FC
Monday, June 26
<strong>Team</strong> |
<strong>PTS</strong> |
<strong>W-L-T</strong> |
<strong>GF</strong> |
<strong>GA</strong> |
<strong>GD</strong> |
Sporting Kansas City |
7 |
2-0-1 |
9 |
4 |
+5 |
Weston FC (Fla.) |
5 |
1-0-2 |
4 |
3 |
+1 |
Pateadores FC (Calif.) |
4 |
1-1-1 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
Everton FC Westchester (N.Y.) |
0 |
0-3-0 |
1 |
7 |
-6 |
2017 Development Academy Playoffs: U-17/18 Group B
- Sporting KC 5-2 FC Boston Bolts
Thursday, June 22 - Sporting KC 0-1 LA Galaxy
Saturday, June 24 - Sporting KC 1-1 Atlanta United FC
Monday, June 26
<strong>Team</strong> |
<strong>PTS</strong> |
<strong>W-L-T</strong> |
<strong>GF</strong> |
<strong>GA</strong> |
<strong>GD</strong> |
LA Galaxy |
7 |
2-0-1 |
5 |
2 |
+3 |
Atlanta United FC |
5 |
1-0-2 |
3 |
2 |
+1 |
Sporting Kansas City |
4 |
1-1-1 |
6 |
4 |
+2 |
FC Boston Bolts |
0 |
0-3-0 |
3 |
9 |
-6 |
