The groups are now set for the Champions Division at the 2017-18 GA Cup Finals at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, where the Sporting KC Academy U-17's will open the competition against Spanish giants Real Madrid before taking on Brazil's Atletico Paranaense and fellow MLS academy New York City FC.
vs. Real Madrid (Spain) at 6:15 p.m. CT on Friday, March 23
vs. Atletico Paranaense (Brazil) at 2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 25
vs. New York City FC (USA) at 2:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, March 27
Led by head coach Rumba Munthali, the Sporting KC Academy U-17's secured a berth in the Champions Division at the GA Cup Finals with a first-place finish in the West qualifying region.
<strong>Team</strong> |
<strong>Pts</strong> |
<strong>W</strong> |
<strong>L</strong> |
<strong>D (PK Wins)</strong> |
<strong>GF</strong> |
<strong>GA</strong> |
Sporting KC |
12 |
3 |
1 |
2 (1) |
12 |
8 |
LA Galaxy |
11 |
3 |
2 |
1 (1) |
13 |
8 |
Portland Timbers |
11 |
3 |
2 |
1 (1) |
7 |
6 |
Seattle Sounders |
10 |
2 |
1 |
3 (1) |
12 |
6 |
Real Salt Lake |
10 |
3 |
2 |
1 (1) |
10 |
6 |
San Jose Earthquakes |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
21 |
New York City FC finished runners-up in the East qualifying region with a 5-1-0 record, suffering their lone loss against group winners Atlanta United. The NYCFC U-17's are currently in third place in the 2017-18 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season with a 9-3-4 record and are led by forwards Sal Rasizzi (10 goals for U-17's) and Gio Reyna (7 goals for U-19's). NYCFC returns to the GA Cup Finals as the reigning Premier Division champions, lifting last year's trophy by dispatching Tigres UANL, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, Saprissa and Pumas UNAM.
Real Madrid's famed "La Fabrica" (the factory) has produced many of the team's biggest stars, including Raul and Iker Casillas, for a club which won five major trophies last year (FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, La Liga and Spanish Super Cup) and prevailed in a penalty shootout against the MLS All-Stars at Soldier Field. The Real Madrid U-17's participated in the 2016-17 GA Cup Finals, finishing in ninth place with victories over Atlanta United, Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) and Real Salt Lake.
Atletico Paranaense, whose stadium hosted four matches during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, return to the GA Cup Finals after winning the Premier Division in 2016 with victories over Monterrey, Pumas UNAM, D.C. United, Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake. The club, past champions of Brazil's Serie A and runners-up in the Copa Libertadores, have a formal affiliation with Orlando City SC and are a past partner of FC Dallas, to whom they loaned MLS MVP David Ferreira.
The Generation adidas Cup was founded in 2007, when Sporting KC finished runners-up of the inaugural edition, to emphasize player development while providing elite competition for MLS academies. Since then, the competition has built prestige as a premier youth tournament featuring the best clubs from around the world.
Recent winners of the Champions Division at the GA Cup Finals include Argentina's River Plate (2015-2017) and England's Stoke City FC (2014).
Follow the Sporting KC AcademyonTwitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat (skcacademy) for all the latest information on the club's five youth development teams.
