For the first time since Jim Curtin led a U17 team to the 2012 Generation adidas Cup crown, the Philadelphia Union Academy lifted a trophy on Saturday in Costa Rica.
A 2-1 win in the 18,000-seat Estadio Alejandro Merera Soto capped off a dominant run of games for the Union in the Concacaf Under-13 Champions League in Costa Rica. Twenty-two goals for, three against. Six games, six wins.
“The biggest joy comes in watching the boys’ faces,” head coach Phil Karn said. “They put a lot of hard work into last year, starting out as U13 players, learning 11v11 and to see it end like this with me as their coach for me is such a fitting finale.