Sporting Kansas City Academy midfielder Jonathan Munoz has joined the U.s. Under-16 Boys’ National Team for the IMG Cup: Boys Invitational, taking place Dec. 17-19 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Munoz is one of 23 players born in 2001 or later who will compete in the United States’ final tournament of 2016.
Led by head coach Shaun Tsakiris, the U.S. will prepare for this weekend’s competition with a friendly versus Clearwater Chargers U-17/18 tonight at 6 p.m. CT. The U-16 BNT will then begin IMG Cup play as part of the U-17 Blue division. Munoz and the U.S. will then play three matches in as many days, with the IMG Cup U-17 Blue Division champion determined based on point accumulation in the round-robin format.
U.S. U-16 BNT SCHEDULE AT IMG CUP
<strong>DATE</strong> |
<strong>TIME (CT)</strong> |
<strong>OPPONENT</strong> |
Saturday, Dec. 17 |
10:30 a.m. |
Next Gen USA Showcase Select |
Sunday, Dec. 18 |
10:30 a.m. |
FC Florida Prep Academy |
Monday, Dec. 19 |
8:45 a.m. |
Miramar United Elite FC |
The 15-year-old Munoz — a native of Olathe, Kansas — is one of nine players making his U.S. National Team debut. The IMG Cup will be the U-16s’ first competitive showcase since October’s Val de Marne Tournament, where Sporting KC Academy defender Cameron Duke earned two starts.
Munoz has started 11 of 13 matches for the Sporting KC U-16s during the 2016-17 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season, scoring one goal. He also competed at the 2016 Generation adidas Cup in October, making two appearances and converting a penalty kick in a shootout win over the Chicago Fire at Swope Soccer Village. Munoz becomes the eighth Sporting KC Academy player to have trained this fall with various U.S. youth national teams.
SKC ACADEMY: U.S. YNT PARTICIPATION - FALL 2016
<strong>U.S. YNT</strong> |
<strong>PLAYER</strong> |
<strong>POSITION</strong> |
<strong>HOMETOWN</strong> |
U-14s |
Tyler Freeman<br>
Tommy Williams |
Midfielder<br>
Goalkeeper |
Shawnee, KS<br>
Roeland Park, KS |
U-15s |
Gianluca Busio |
Midfielder |
Greensboro, NC |
U-16s |
Cameron Duke<br>
Jonathan Munoz |
Defender<br>
Midfielder |
Olathe, KS<br>
Olathe, KS |
U-17s |
Jaylin Lindsey<br>
Mason Visconti |
Defender<br>
Forward |
Charlotte, NC<br>
Lee's Summit, MO |
U-19s |
Felipe Hernandez |
Midfielder |
Nashville, TN |
U.S. U-16 Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicolas Defreitas-Hansen (Weston FC; Southwest Ranches, Fla.), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake AZ; Casa Grande, Ariz.)
DEFENDERS (6): Julian Araujo (Santa Barbara Soccer Club; Lompoc, Calif.), George Bello (Atlanta United FC; Douglasville, Ga.), Nico Benalcazar (NYCFC; Wilton, Conn.), Edward Berumen (Sacramento Republic FC; Salida, Calif.), John Hilton (LA Galaxy; Long Beach, Calif.), Leonardo Sepulveda (LA Galaxy; Corona, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Sebastian Berhalter (Crew SC Academy; Westerville, Ohio), Taylor Booth (Real Salt Lake AZ; Eden, Utah), Oscar Cervantes (LA Premier FC; Indio, Calif.), Justin Haak (NYCFC, Brooklyn, N.Y.), Nelson Martinez (DC United; Woodbridge, Va.), Jonathan Munoz (Sporting Kansas City; Olathe, Kan.), Marcelo Palomino (Houston Dynamo; Houston, Texas), Indiana Vassilev (IMG Academy; Savannah, Ga.)
FORWARDS (7): Everson Amaya (D.C. United; Alexandria, Va.), Azriel Gonzalez (Seattle Sounders FC; Renton, Wash.), Cameron Harper (Pateadores; Newport Beach, Calif.), Ben Ortiz (La Roca; Orem, Utah), Axel Picazo (Philadelphia Union; Round Rock, Texas), Bryan Reynolds (FC Dallas; Little Elm, Texas), Gabe Segal (Bethesda SC; Bethesda, Md.)
