It’s safe to say that several weeks, months, even years from now, the Sporting Kansas City Academy will look back on the first weekend of June 2018 as a crowning breakthrough for the program.
Look no further than Sporting KC’s 4-1 dismantling of Minnesota United FC on Sunday night at Children’s Mercy Park. Three Academy products — one forward, one midfielder and one defender — made significant contributions to a victory that lifted Manager Peter Vermes’ men back to the top of the Western Conference.
Daniel Salloi, a rapidly improving 21-year-old who joined the Sporting KC Academy in 2014 and signed as a Homegrown in 2016, curled home a long-range stunner to give his side a lead in the ninth minute.