The Sporting Kansas City U-19s earned a 3-1 victory over the Dallas Texans on Saturday at the University of Tulsa, improving to 4-2-0 (12 points) in the 2017-18 U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
Fifteen-year-old Gianluca Busio, who signed a Homegrown Player contract with the Sporting KC senior team in August, fired the U-19s ahead with a superb free kick midway through the first half. Not long later, Dawson Lee's long ball over the top was coolly finished by Wilson Harris to double the lead.
Goalkeeper Alex Wons was called into action early in the second period, producing a superb save to keep Dallas off the scoresheet, but the Texans would cut the deficit in half in the 65th minute on a strike from Edward Bass. Sporting KC wasted no time restoring their two-score cushion, however, as Mason Visconti set up Harris for his second goal of the afternoon and his team-leading seventh of the season.
The U-19 victory was the third match of a tripleheader between Sporting KC and the Dallas Texans in Tulsa, with the first two decisions going in favor of the Texas club. The Sporting KC U-15s (1-5-0, 3 points) kicked off the day with a 4-2 defeat, receiving second-half goals from Cooper Forcellini and Blake Barrick. The Sporting KC U-17s (3-3-0, 9 points) suffered an identical result, falling 4-2 despite goals in either half from Kevin Andrews and Mitch Eise.
The Sporting KC Academy continues its 2017-18 U.S. Soccer Development Academy campaign on Saturday with a tripleheader against Real Colorado at Fort Hays State University Soccer Stadium in Hays, Kansas. The U-15s will kick off at noon CT, followed by the U-17s at 2:30 p.m. and the U-19s at 5 p.m. Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter for live updates this weekend and throughout the Academy season.
U-13s and U-14s compete at Development Academy Showcase
While the three oldest Academy teams were competing in Tulsa, the Sporting KC U-13s and U-14s headed to Frisco, Texas for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Central Regional Showcase. Both clubs played three matches in the space of two days against other elite Academy sides throughout the region.
The U-14s, pictured below, took losses to Columbus Crew SC and Sockers FC before playing the Chicago Fire to a 2-2 draw in their tournament finale. The U-13s also fell to Sockers FC and tied Chicago 2-2, but closed strong with a 1-0 victory over Minnesota United FC.
