The Sporting Kansas City Academy U-16s and U-18s raced out to fantastic starts at the 2017 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs on Westfield, Ind. on Thursday.
The U-16s kicked off the afternoon with a 4-1 victory over Everton FC Westchester (N.Y.), using a brace from Gianluca Busio to build a two-goal halftime lead before Cameron Duke and Ryan Fessler struck late to seal the result. Coupled with a 1-1 draw between Pateadores (Calif.) and Weston FC (Fla.), Sporting Kansas City sits alone atop Group E with upcoming matches against Pateadores on Saturday and Weston FC on Monday. Both contests will kick off at 1:30 p.m. CT with live updates available via @SKCAcademy on Twitter.
The U-18s enjoyed a runaway triumph of their own, dispatching FC Boston Bolts by a 5-2 scoreline to move atop Group B at their age level. Camilo Benitez fired Sporting KC ahead after just two minutes, and although the Bolts drew level through Gabriel Meireles, Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal and Grayson Barber scored twice within two minutes just after the half-hour mark to give head coach Jon Parry’s men a comfortable cushion.
The Bolts grabbed one back shortly after halftime, but Kamal’s second goal in the 58th minute all but clinched the three points. Leroy Enzugusi added an insurance strike in the 73rd minute to pad Sporting KC’s goal differential — a factor that could prove decisive if the club is tied for first place when the group stage ends on Monday.
The U-18s now face two formidable opponents to round out Group B action, facing LA Galaxy on Saturday and No. 1 overall seed Atlanta United FC on Monday. @SKCAcademy will provide in-game updates on Twitter, with both matches set to kick off at 4:30 p.m. CT.
The 2017 Development Academy Playoffs split 32 clubs at each age level into eight groups of four. The group stage will send every first-place finisher to the Development Academy quarterfinals, with four single-elimination matches to be played between July 5-7. The final four teams at the U-18 and U-16 levels will then advance to the Development Academy Championships on July 14 and 16 at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, California.
2017 Development Academy Playoffs: U-17/18 Group B
- Sporting KC 5-2 FC Boston Bolts
Thursday, June 22, 4:30 p.m. CT - Sporting KC vs. LA Galaxy
Saturday, June 24, 4:30 p.m. CT - Sporting KC vs. Atlanta United FC
Monday, June 26, 4:30 p.m. CT
<strong>Team</strong> |
<b>PTS</b> |
<b>W-L-T</b> |
<strong>GF</strong> |
<strong>GA</strong> |
<strong>GD</strong> |
Sporting Kansas City |
3 |
1-0-0 |
5 |
2 |
+3 |
Atlanta United FC |
1 |
0-0-1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
LA Galaxy |
1 |
0-0-1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
FC Boston Bolts |
0 |
0-1-0 |
2 |
5 |
-3 |
2017 Development Academy Playoffs: U-15/16 Group E
- Sporting KC 4-1 Everton FC Westchester
Thursday, June 22, 1:30 p.m. CT - Sporting KC vs. Pateadores
Saturday, June 24, 1:30 p.m. CT - Sporting KC vs. Weston FC
Monday, June 26, 1:30 p.m. CT
<strong>Team</strong> |
<b>PTS</b> |
<b>W-L-T</b> |
<strong>GF</strong> |
<strong>GA</strong> |
<strong>GD</strong> |
Sporting Kansas City |
3 |
1-0-0 |
4 |
1 |
+3 |
Pateadores (Calif.) |
1 |
0-0-1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Weston FC (Fla.) |
1 |
0-0-1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Everton FC Westchester (N.Y.) |
0 |
0-1-0 |
1 |
4 |
-3 |
