GA Cup qualifying concludes today in Utah

Topping Group C is within reach for both the Philadelphia Union U15 and U17 teams as they head into the final day of Generation adidas Cup qualifying today in Utah.

The U15 team will need a win over the New York Red Bulls and help from DC United in their game against the hosts to get the top spot in the group and advance to the finals in Texas.

The U17s will advance either way, but a win over the Red Bulls would guarantee a top division in the GA Cup finals in Texas in April. The top two teams in the group advance to Division 1 for the finals.

Defender Anton Sorensen, forward Caden Stafford and defender Jackson Gilman scored for the Union U17s in their second game of the weekend on Saturday but were unable to hold off DC United’s attack in a 3-3 draw. The Union picked up a point from the draw thanks to Gilman’s late equalizer but lost out on another point with a loss in the shootout.

The U15 game on Friday with DC United was another high-scoring affair that resulted in a 4-3 win for the Union. Gael Medrano had a brace and Dylan Lacey and Dom Dubon both added goals in the win.

They’ll need a win by a favorable scoreline over the Red Bulls today and some help from DC United in their game against RSL to advance to the finals. They are three points back of the Red Bulls for the top spot in the group and a point behind RSL.

The tiebreaker (after wins and head-to-head) is goal differential. The Union is tied with RSL on goal differential and two back of the Red Bulls. They have an advantage over both teams with the fourth tiebreaker (goals for), having outscored RSL by three and the Red Bull by five through the first five games. The Red Bulls won the previous meeting between the two teams in the competition 2-1 back in October.