HERRIMAN - The U19 Utah Celtic FC MLS NEXT team finished the team's youth soccer careers the only way they know how on Sunday afternoon...as Champions.
The 07/08 boys completed their first MLS NEXT Academy season in style, winning the MLS NEXT Cup 5-0 against St Louis Development Academy in front of an electric home crowd at Zions Bank Stadium to close the Inaugural Academy Division Season. Local supporters and MLS NEXT staff were blown away by the performance, so much so that the boys swept the individual awards. Brooks Barker took him the Golden Boot as well as Cup MVP while Axel Antonio Lopez took home the Defensive Player of the Tournament Award.
In the match, Utah Celtic struggled to find quality chances in the first half, but a corner opened the floodgates when Ben Bradley poked the ball in the back of the net off a corner in the 56th minute. Just a few minutes later, Brooks Barker went viral once again when he went airborne and finished a bicycle kick to double the advantage in the 63rd minute.
From there it was all Celtic, with Corbin Gardner adding a third in the 72nd minute, while Patrick Stevenson added a brace with goals in the 79' and 90'+4' to complete the 5-0 win. The win sealed the boys fourth straight national title after previously winning three straight USYS National Titles.
Photo by Tyler Staten, courtesy of MLS NEXT
The route wasn't always easy, as the team had to come from behind in the Round of 32 and Round of 16 to advance to the quarterfinals, where they squeezed past a tough FC Delco team. They then gave up a late 2-0 lead against a tough St. Louis Scott Gallagher side in the semifinals, but Sam Parker's heroics in penalties carried the boys into the final, where the boys put on a dazzling display up front while the backline expertly snuffed out any chance for St Louis DA. Sam Parker was untested all afternoon, and hardly had to move thanks to the work by his backline.
Photo by Tyler Staten, courtesy of MLS NEXT
The first three goal scorers have been at Utah Celtic for the majority of their playing careers, as have the majority of their squad who have bought into the long-term development mindset. We're proud of the boys and all the success they've had and brought to the club, and wish them well in their next ventures in life! Congrats boys!
Photo by Tyler Staten, courtesy of MLS NEXT