The Sporting Kansas City U-18s remained in the hunt for an elusive spot in the USSF Development Academy Playoffs with a 4-1 win over Real Colorado on Saturday at Swope Soccer Village. The team is currently in the 16th spot in the wild card standings (10-8-4), with the top 13 teams earning a berth in the playoffs.
After Real Colorado jumped on the board first in the 23rd minute, Sporting KC responded quickly with goals from Blake Levine (Baker) and West Virginia commit Joey Piatczyc. The home side controlled the second half as Denver commit Cole Stevenson and future UNC Tar Heel Zach Wright each added their 11th goal of the year to secure the victory.
Sporting KC Homegrown defender Erik Palmer-Brown started and played 90 minutes along the backline in his 12th appearance of the year for the Academy side.
The U-18s are currently .03 points per game behind the Columbus Crew U-18s for the final wild card berth. Sporting KC has five matches remaining including four at Swope Soccer Village. Of the five matches left on the schedule, two are against the Houston Dynamo U-18s, one of three teams ahead of Sporting KC in the wild card standings.
The Sporting KC Academy U-16s were also in action on Saturday. Steven Tekesky started in goal and earned the clean sheet as the team battled hard for a 0-0 draw vs. Real Colorado. The shutout was the team’s fifth of the season.
Saturday's matches were the first official matches played by the Sporting KC Academy on the Championship Field at Swope Soccer Village.
