Commerce City, Colorado - The KCW Juniors program began Friday in the first-ever SUM U-17 Cup with a hard-fought 1-1 tie against Chivas USA's U-17 squad. A second-half goal by substitute Neil Tally gave the KCS Juniors a point and gave the Lenexa resident the first-ever goal in team history.
Chivas took an early lead in the 20th minute on a well-taken opportunity. A Chivas forward made a perfectly timed run behind the KCW Juniors defense as his midfielder lofted a ball behind the Juniors' back line. As the ball bounced, the forward looked prepared to bring the ball down and work his way toward the goal. At the last moment, however, he struck the ball on the half volley into the upper right corner with a powerful, perfectly placed shot.
The Juniors picked up the pace after halftime, taking 12 shots to Chivas' 4 after intermission. In the game, the Juniors also held a 9-4 lead in corner kicks earned. A 68th minute substitution paid dividends for the KCW Juniors immediately as forward Neil Tally of St. Thomas Aquinas scored off a well-taken free kick in the 70th minute. The U-17s play 80-minute matches.
The Juniors were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal. Substitute midfielder Aaron Appel took the restart, hitting Tally at the back post for a line-drive header past the Chivas goalkeeper.
Kansas City kept up the pressure, hitting the post twice and the crossbar once before the end of the match and also having a 1-on-1 breakaway snuffed in the waning moments. The next match of the SUM Cup is Saturday at 6 p.m. CT against Red Bull New York.
KCW Juniors U-17 Line-Up: Christian Krueger, Laeth Hamil (Luke Snyder 61), Danny Cunningham, Fernando Galvan (Pete Nechvatal 41), Aaron Cobb (Austin Trees 61), Jeremy Wassmer (Neil Tally 68), Alex Smith (Aaron Appel 50), Taylor Knoll (Mohammad Ramahi 41), Christian Duke, Kevin Ellis, Ethan Bauer (Patrick Foglio 41)
Substitutes Not Used: Kyle Martin (GK), Zane Christenson
