U.S. U-17 MNT to play IMG Academy U-18s in SYL Finals Showcase

TAMPA, Fla. (Via Super Y League) – The caliber of competition taking place at the 2016 North American Super Y League Finals will move up a notch this year with the addition of a Showcase Match between the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team and the IMG Academy U-18 team on Dec. 9.

The match, which will take place at 7:30 p.m. ET at IMG Academy Stadium, will be free to attend for all of the SYL players and families. The friendly will also be one of three games at SYL Finals streamed live by StreamSports, which specializes in sports broadcasts, highlight reels and game film.

The SYL Finals will kick off on Dec. 9, with group-play action being played during five game slots: 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET. Group play will continue on Saturday and Sunday, with semifinals being held on Monday and finals taking place on Tuesday.

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Led by Head Coach John Hackworth, the U.S. U-17s are preparing for the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship between April 21 and May 7. The two finalists in the region’s tournament will qualify for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India, set to begin in September. The official U.S. roster for the SYL Finals Showcase Match will be revealed in the weeks leading up to the event.

The IMG Academy U-18 are currently competing in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy 2016-17 League. Roalex Molina, John (Holland) Rula, Weston Maki and Patrick Cassagnol are among the goal-scorers this campaign.