FRISCO, Texas – CF Montréal Academy’s U15 team earned qualification to the 2023 MLS NEXT Cup final on Thursday following a 2-2 (5-4) semifinal penalty shootout win against Strikers FC, in Frisco, Texas.
Trailing by a goal at halftime, head coach Esteban Landazabal's team scored back-to-back goals two minutes apart. Owen Graham-Roache netted the equalizer from a corner kick (63’) before an Eliott Germain-Aubrey penalty kick gave Montreal the lead. Strikers FC then drew level 10 minutes later to force a penalty shootout.
The U15s will now face the New York Red Bulls’ academy in the final this Saturday at 11:30am EDT at Toyota Stadium. The match will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass.
Having earned playoff qualification following the regular season as the 31s seed out of 32, the Academy players have reached the MLS NEXT Cup final for the first time in Club history. They are also the lowest seeded team to ever qualify for the final.
“We are, for the first time in the Academy's history, in a position to win the championship,” said U15 head coach Esteban Landazabal. “This is a collective achievement by everyone: the players, the staff, but also the whole Club and the families who followed us from Montreal. This is a source of great pride. We have a day off on Friday to recover before playing the final on Saturday morning and trying to raise the cup.”
“It is an indescribable feeling,” said Armand Kadiamba, scorer of the winning penalty. “I'm proud to be part of this incredible group who will be playing in the Academy's first final. We're going to give it our all to bring the cup back to Montreal.”
