The Sporting Kansas City U15s went a perfect 3-0 at the inaugural MLS NEXT Flex tournament at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, MD this past weekend, earning a spot in the 2022 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs. The Sporting U15s are one of the top 32 teams in their age group and will look to bring home the MLS NEXT Cup title in Frisco, Texas from June 25 to July 3.
Kicking off the tournament at 12 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 14, Sporting's U15s handled New York Soccer Club soundly, defeating the east coast side 3-1. Johann Ortiz gave Sporting the early lead in the 15th minute, but a response right out of halftime from New York pulled the match level. Anthony Jin provided a spark for Sporting, answering with a goal of his own in the 48th. Carter Derksen gave Sporting a two-goal lead in the 54th which they kept until the final whistle.
Sunday, May 15 the U15s faced Santa Barbara SC at 11:30 a.m. CT. After falling behind early, Ortiz netted his second goal of the tournament in the 31st to level the match, and Leo Christiano scored his first goal of the tournament on the other side of halftime to propel Sporting to a 2-1 victory.
Sitting atop Group L heading into the final match of MLS NEXT Flex, the U15s just needed to take a point against Weston FC to punch their tickets to the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs. Tuesday morning, Christiano and the U15s woke up feeling dangerous, with the forward firing home in the third minute and the 54th minute to give the team their third consecutive victory.
Christiano, the Sporting U15s and the rest of the Sporting KC Academy will wrap up the MLS NEXT regular season with matches against the FC Dallas Academy this Saturday at the Swope Soccer Village. Fans can track the Sporting KC Academy's performances by following @SKCAcademy on Twitter. More information on the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs, including a schedule of matches, will be shared at a later date. For more information on MLS NEXT, please visit https://www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext.
Last Name |
First Name |
|---|---|
Almanza |
Samuel |
Barren |
Beau |
Christiano |
Leo |
Cunningham |
Alex |
Cupini |
Alessandro |
Derksen |
Carter |
Donovan |
Shane |
Fannin |
Kaleb |
Hamouda |
Ramiz |
Herber |
Beau |
Jin |
Anthony |
Kortkamp |
Jack |
Lopez |
Miguel |
Lor |
Troy |
Lozano |
Ronald |
Ortiz |
Johann |
Wantland |
Zane |
Wormington |
Trajan |
About MLS NEXT
MLS NEXT is a new paradigm for player development, launched in 2020 to transform youth soccer in North America. Founded on a collaborative approach to governance and a commitment to innovation, MLS NEXT players have access to the highest level of competition, training and personal development opportunities that will prepare them for their futures, both in soccer and in life. Membership for the 2021-22 season includes 133 clubs, 598 teams and over 12,000 players across the U.S. and Canada. Official partners of MLS NEXT include adidas and Carolina Online at the University of South Carolina. For more information about MLS NEXT, visit www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext
