Union Academy team falls to Pumas in GA Cup

A second half goal for Pumas lifted the Mexican club’s youth team past the Philadelphia Union Academy in the second match of Generation adidas Cup group play on Sunday.

The 1-0 loss combined with a 1-0 win for Pumas over Colorado Rapids in the other Group C match on Sunday eliminated the Union from the Premier Division competition of the U17 tournament.

The Union will face group leader FC Tokyo in the final match on Tuesday at 11 a.m. The Union have one point after two matches, the Rapids two, Pumas four, and FC Tokyo five.

The starting XI for the Union on Sunday included two U18 defenders in left back Matthew Real and captain Mark McKenzie and recent U18 team additions Anthony Fontana and Josue Monge in midfield. The rest of the lineup featured U16 players Kalil ElMedkhar, Justin McMaster, Darius Lewis, Kurtis Orrson, Patrick Murphy, Ben Ofeimu, and Carlos dos Santos.

Issa Rayyan, Justin Bloyou, Omar Ayala, Seth Kuhn, and Evan Godfrey came off the bench in the second half.

The Union will play two more consolation matches after Tuesday's match before returning home from Frisco and resuming their U.S. Development Academy schedule with games against PA Classics in Manheim on April 3.