The Seattle Sounders Academy U17s are having a historic run in this year’s GA Cup. Since the addition of international teams to the tournament the Sounders have only played in the top division — known now as the Champions division — once before. In 2014 they did not advance to the knockout round, finishing third in a group which included the New York Red Bulls, the Colorado Rapids and Flamengo.
They have blown past that result and will now face the Premier League’s West Ham United in the semifinals. The Sounders are the only non-European side left with La Liga’s Valencia CF and Prva HNL’s GNK Dinamo Zagreb facing off in the tournament’s other semifinal.