It will come down to the final match to determine the winner of two of the three groups at the SUM U-17 Cup at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on the final day of group play Monday.
In Group B, FC Dallas will face off with the Kansas City Wizards needing just a tie to lock up the group title and advance to Wednesday's semifinals. The young Hoops have six points from their first two group games, having beaten the New York Red Bulls 2-1 on Friday and Chivas USA 1-0 on Saturday.
The Wizards, meanwhile, sit on four points from a 1-1 draw with Chivas and a 2-0 victory against the Red Bulls. Chivas and the Red Bulls are out of the running for one of the four semifinal spots, and they'll meet in a consolation match Monday.
Group C features the other top-of-the-table showdown on tap for Monday. The Chicago Fire and Los Angeles Galaxy are tied atop the group with four points each. The Fire tied Houston Dynamo 3-3 on opening day and then routed the Colorado Rapids' B team 3-0 on Saturday.
The Galaxy also beat Colorado B, claiming a 3-2 win on Friday before drawing with Dynamo 2-2 on Saturday. Dynamo actually have an outside shot at claiming the group title. Currently sitting on two points, Dynamo need to beat Colorado B by more than three goals on Monday and hope that the Fire and Galaxy tie.
The qualification permutations are a bit trickier for Group A.
D.C. United lead the group with four points, having beaten the Rapids' A team 3-1 on Friday and played to a 2-2 draw Saturday with the Columbus Crew. They could lock up the group by beating Real Salt Lake on Monday. RSL are effectively eliminated, with zero points after falling to the Crew 2-1 and then losing 2-0 to Colorado A.
The Crew, with four points, and the Rapids, with three, face off Monday looking to take advantage if United slip up. A draw would be enough for the Crew if United fall Monday, but the Rapids would need a victory.
The three group winners will advance to the semifinals, as will the best second place team. The semis will take place on Tuesday, with the final being played on the Dick's Sporting Goods Park stadium field on Thursday, the morning of the 2007 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game.
The champion will take home the SUM U-17 Cup and earns the opportunity to participate in the 2008 Torneo Quixote in Spain, which will feature some of the top youth teams in the world.
Saturday was a busy day off the field, as well. Team head coaches attended the first of a series of seminars led by MLS Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Todd Durbin and Technical Director of Player Programs Alfonso Mondelo.
The seminar served to develop the league's youth initiative by getting feedback on the SUM U-17 Cup, briefing coaches on MLS initiatives to support each MLS youth program, sharing findings from extensive conversations with leading youth systems from South America, and allowing coaches to share their experience in building youth programs under a complex U.S. youth structure.
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
