The Sporting Kansas City Academy U-14s earned a fourth-place finish at the prestigious Copa Rayados Internacional tournament last week in The Woodlands, Texas, advancing further in the U-15 age group than any other American club at this year’s competition.
Led by head coach Rumba Munthali, the Sporting KC U-14s played six games in five days between Wednesday and Sunday, finishing atop Group C with a 3-0-1 record before falling in the semifinal and third-place matches against Mexican opposition. The spirited performance included group stage victories over Santos Laguna, Houston Dynamo and Queretaro as well as a last-gasp draw against Inter Monterrey that proved decisive in Sporting KC’s advancement to the Gold Division semifinals.