Mountain WFC U-16 Boys have reached the USL Super Y-League North American final after winning their semifinal clash on Monday afternoon.
Les Krivak's youngsters made it four wins out of four when they defeated California's CZ Elite Soccer 1-0. Striker Matthias Kempe converted a Mountain corner to secure a place in the final for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and BCSA affiliate team. It is the first time in four years that a Whitecaps team have reached a Super Y-League North American final. In 2004, the Whitecaps U-13 Boys team were crowned champions. Mountain will now face TSF Academy in Tuesday's final, with the kickoff set for 8:30 a.m. PT in Tampa, Florida.
"It was a great win by the U-16 Boys," Mountain WFC technical director Hubert Busby Jr. told whitecapsfc.com. "In these tournaments, you have to have certain things go your way, as well as make your own luck. They did the right things at the right time against a very good team today and got a result. The first half could have gone both ways, but in the second half, coach Krivak made some adjustments and the team showed they were the better side."
TSF Academy also come into Tuesday's final with a 100 per cent record at the finals. The New Jersey outfit finished top of Group A before defeating Kendall SC of Miami, Florida, in their semifinal clash. "I definitely think that the two most consistent teams are in the U-16 Boys final," Busby said. "I think tomorrow's final will come down to who plays well on the day."
Mountain also had the chance of reaching the U-14 Boys final, but Andrea Agnoloni's side ran into a fine team from California Odyssey SC, as they fell to a 3-0 defeat. In fact, there was a chance of an all-British Columbia final after Abbotsford Mariners had reached the other semi. Unfortunately for the Fraser Valley team, New Jersey's Players Development Academy proved too strong, as they also recorded a 3-0 result. "You have to take your hat off to the better team in Cal Odyssey," Busby said of Mountain's defeat. "They have players playing together 11 months of the year, and you have to give them credit for showing those strengths against our team today."
As for the remaining BC teams at the finals, Monday was their last opportunity to end the North American finals on a high note by claiming a result in their respective consolation matches. A full summary of Monday's games are listed below.
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Click here for our Day One report.
Click here for our Day Two report.
Click here for our Day Three report.
COASTAL WFC
U-13 Girls 1-2 Diablo FC
Coastal ended a tough weekend at the finals by falling 2-1 to California's Diablo FC in their consolation contest.
U-14 Girls 2-0 Kalamazoo Kingdom
After losing their first two matches at the finals, Coastal rebounded to finish the tournament with two straight wins, as they defeated Michigan's Kalamazoo Kingdom 2-0 on Monday afternoon.
U-15 Girls 1-2 Cleveland Internationals
Coastal were shut out of the win column in Florida, with Colin Elmes' side losing 2-1 to Cleveland Internationals in Monday's consolation match.
U-16 Girls 0-1 TKO Premier SC
Coastal's tournament ended in defeat, as they fell 1-0 to TKO Premier SC from Kalamazoo, Michigan.
MOUNTAIN WFC
U-13 Boys 2-0 Quickstrike FC
Mountain completed their campaign on a winning note after defeating New York State's Quickstrike FC 2-0 on Monday morning. Nicholas Leonard and Juan Acosta scored the decisive goals for Darren Rath's side.
U-14 Boys 0-3 California Odyssey SC
Just one win away from the final, Mountain ran into a fine California Odyssey side in Monday's semifinal, as they succumbed to a 3-0 defeat.
U-15 Boys 1-2 Parsippany SC
Mountain's trip to Florida ended in disappointing fashion, as New Jersey's Parsippany SC claimed a 2-1 victory. Vishal Sharma scored Mountain's lone goal.
U-16 Boys 1-0 CZ Elite Soccer
Striker Matthias Kempe headed home a Mountain corner to give Les Krivak's side their fourth-straight win, as they overcame CZ Elite Soccer 1-0 in Monday's semifinal.
U-16 Girls 2-2 Washington Freedom
Despite Amy Lawrence and Kate Steele giving Mountain a 2-0 lead at halftime, Washington Freedom fought back to earn a 2-2 draw in their final match of the tournament.
SURREY WFC
U-14 Boys 2-0 Kalamazoo Kingdom
Goals by Amrit Hothi and Jude Madu gave Surrey a 2-0 win over Michigan's Kalamazoo Kingdom, as they ended their first-ever trip to the finals in positive fashion.
ABBOTSFORD MARINERS
U-14 Boys 0-3 Players Development Academy
The Mariners came one victory short of reaching the North American final after falling 3-0 to New Jersey's Players Development Academy.
U-15 Boys 2-3 Diablo FC
Abbotsford lost a five-goal thriller to Concord, California's Diablo FC in their consolation match on Monday.
U-16 Boys 2-0 Fort Wayne Fever
The Mariners ended their tournament in positive fashion by claiming a 2-0 victory over Indiana's Fort Wayne Fever.
