The Sporting Kansas City Academy U-19s and U-17s have spent the last five days competing at the 2017 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase, locking horns with some of the nation's best youth teams at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
Led by head coach Jon Parry, the Sporting KC U-19s (7-3-1, 22 points) jumped to the summit of the Frontier Division standings after posting one win, one draw and one loss between Thursday and Sunday. The Sporting KC U-17s (5-5-1, 16 points) took two defeats on either side of an entertaining draw and now occupy fourth place in the Frontier Division table.
The annual Winter Showcase was 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 started twice for the U-17 MNT, captaining the side to a 1-1 draw against Brazil in Sunday's tournament finale.
Thursday, Nov. 30
Sporting KC U-19s 1-3 Montreal Impact
A slow start on Thursday saw the Sporting KC U-19s fall behind 2-0 as Montreal’s Vincent Lamy bagged a first-half brace. The U-19s responded positively after the restart, however, and cut the deficit in half on 72 minutes when Karson Kendall scored his first goal of the campaign. Yet the search for an equalizer was effectively thwarted six minutes from full time as Tristano Fasulo restored Montreal’s two-goal advantage.
Friday, Dec. 1
Sporting KC U-17s 1-2 LA Galaxy
The Sporting KC U-17s wasted little time drawing first blood against their fellow MLS counterparts. Gabe Findley carved a pocket of space at the top of the box and rifled a shot into the corner to give his side a seventh-minute lead. The scoreline would remain the same for more than an hour before the Galaxy staged a rally, pulling level in the 73rd minute through Lucas Gonzalez. The dying embers included scoring opportunities for both sides, and LA was ultimately rewarded in the 90th minute when Nestor Molina finished off an incisive attack to secure the victory.
Sporting KC U-19s 2-2 Philadelphia Union
Sean Karani’s fourth goal of the season vaulted the U-19s ahead early in the first half of an exciting, back-and-forth affair. Philadelphia replied on the cusp of halftime when Darius Lewis fired into the roof of the net after racing onto a long ball over the top. An unpredictable ebb and flow carried into the second period, and the Union surged in front on a 73rd-minute strike from Issa Rayyan. Sporting KC pushed for an equalizer in the late stages, unleashing a barrage of shots on the Philadelphia goal, but it wasn’t until the 90th minute that the U-19s manufactured their deserved breakthrough. Roman Knox and Sebastian Cruz combined intricately before playing wide to Grayson Barber, whose cross was prodded over the goal line by Wilson Harris to rescue a 2-2 draw.
Saturday, Dec. 2
Sporting KC U17s 2-2 Real So Cal
While the U-19s used Saturday for rest and recovery, the U-17s took the field for their second straight game against a California foe. Real So Cal landed the first pucn on the half-hour mark when Anthony Matthew Mercado directed a corner kick past goalkeeper Grant Calvert. Just minutes after intermission, Sporting KC roared back with two goals in as many minutes from as Findley ignited an offensive explosion. His cross in the 47th minute was tucked away by Tyler Freeman, and his aggressive run into the box drew Sporting KC a penalty kick shortly thereafter. Jahon Rad promptly stepped to the spot and buried the penalty, tallying his sixth goal of the campaign. Not to be undone, Real So Cal battled back and leveled terms in the 84th minute through Ethan Benham.
Sunday, Dec. 3
Sporting KC U19s 4-2 Indiana Fire
The steady flow of goals poured into Sunday morning as the U-19s emerged victorious in a six-goal thriller against the Indiana Fire. Karani did well to force a turnover, drive into the box and unleash a rocket into the back of the net in just the sixth minute. Cruz and Camilo Benitez were involved in the second goal just past the half-hour mark, penetrating the defense and forcing a goalkeeper save before Harris hammered home the rebound. Sporting KC ascended into cruise control seven minutes into the second half when Harris notched his second off an impressive feed from Dontell Gilyard. Down but not out, Indiana amplified the drama with two goals in quick succession as David Ejeh and Vladimir Jokic made it 3-2 with 20 minutes to go, but Benitez sealed the triumph after racing onto Mario Magana’s through ball and slotting low into corner.
Monday, Dec. 4
Sporting KC U-17s 1-4 Philadelphia Union
Sporting KC's Winter Showcase finale began ominously as Philadelphia went up 1-0 within six minutes through Shanyder Borgelin. The Union nearly doubled their advantage a few moments later, but an excellent stop from Max Trejo kept the deficit at one. That save looked all the more important in the 26th minute when Sporting KC knotted things up on Freeman's second goal in as many games. Philadelphia reclaimed control seven minutes later on a Matt Myers strike and built a 4-1 cushion by the full-time whistle to secure the win.
