Toronto FC Academy beat Philadelphia Union 9-8 on penalties to win the Consolation Final at the Generation adidas U-17 Cup on Sunday. The teams were tied 3-3 after regulation after the Young Reds roared back to cut a two-goal deficit in Frisco, Texas.

“As per the norm for this dynamic, comical and intense group,” said Academy director and head coach Stuart Neely, “they dominated the early stages with regular 10-12 passing sequences in build-up play that ended with a corner or strike at goal, rarely was it a loss in possession.”

Against the run of play, Philadelphia countered at the 13th minute and stunned Toronto to take a 1-0 lead, leaving them with an empty feeling.

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[inlinenode:7538]The Reds battled and clawed their way back and began to dominate the play again, but lacked that little creativity in the final third. Almost on the stroke of halftime, poor defending again inside the box left a Union player free and a great strike beat Quillan Roberts for 2-0 to Philadelphia. The keeper had no chance of making the save.

With temperatures reaching 38C (102F), the Academy regrouped and a pair of fresh legs in Stephen Almeida and Sergio Camargo entered the fray. It made a difference immediately.

Two minutes into the second half, Toronto mounted an attacking play that rivaled the winning goal against New York Red Bulls earlier in the tournament. A 15-pass sequence concluded when Almeida fed Omari Morris, which was followed up by Camargo’s dummy for Jordan Hamilton to bury a right-footed shot past the Union keeper to make it 2-1, pulling Toronto back in to the action.

The Young Reds then pressed high and had three opportunities, but Morris missed a touch and later blasted another shot over the bar, and Camargo struck one just outside the post. It was a fast and furious 10 minute flurry for the Academy.

Similar to the start of the first half, Philadelphia withstood the Toronto barrage and again mounted a counter, heading straight down the park and taking a third goal that would sink most teams at 3-1.

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Toronto remained unbowed. They were infuriated with conceding and the tempo increased. Camargo, with a first half rest, and Morris had energy to burn. At the 58th minute Morris picked up the ball on the flank and cut inside, drawing two defenders before slotting a ball to Camargo. Without hesitation, the attacking midfielder slammed the ball past the keeper to make it 3-2.

“The ebb and flow to the match was tiring just to observe,” joked Neely. From this point Toronto gained momentum, greater possession and launched waves of attacks moving to a 3-4-3 to find an equalizer.

Almeida regularly broke down the right flank and sent in crosses that created scoring chances that were blocked in front of goal or tipped by the keeper.

Toronto was throwing everything they had inside the opposition box and it seemed a third goal would be a matter of time. Camargo struck a long shot just over the bar at the 65th minute, this was followed by a handball in the box that was overlooked, and a shot that landed behind the line after hitting the crossbar also wasn’t given in the Reds’ favour.

Toronto received an additional attacking boost in Michael Petrasso, who was cleared to play 20 minutes in this match and would feature crucially during the penalty shootout.

[inlinenode:7539]Reds still looking to level, found it at the 89th minute from Dylan Carreiro. The 16-year old was instrumental in the defending and attacking shapes as Toronto transformed. Carreiro got on to the end of a Josh Penello pass before cutting inside, beating his defender and cleanly running at the back four. From 25-yards, he served a laser strike to the hearts of the Union, catching the keeper standing as the ball smashed into the roof of the net for a 3-3 finish.

The next Union touch was the final one of regulation, leading straight to penalties as per tournament rules.

Both teams hit their five shots from the spot, prompting Neely to remark that on this day, “no keeper could have stopped the quality of the penalties.”

Roberts (the TFC keeper), Morris, Camargo, Carreiro and Petrasso all took their chances and the shootout went to sudden death. The clubs continued to match each other - Pennello, Nathan Kelsey and Dakar Charles all converted - until Philadelphia’s ninth shot missed the goal. This set up Jay Chapman to send the Union keeper the wrong way and hand TFC the 9-8 triumph.  

It was an emotional comeback from players that Neely believes “came here young boys and are leaving young men.”

“No-one could expect anything more than what the young reds served us with so far this tournament. One of the lads said it best today asking, ‘coach, we play delicious football, don’t we?’ Well, it can’t be argued, they do play delicious football. A worthy opponent today in Philadelphia Union, it must be said who hit us for three goals, forcing our boys to leave everything they had on the field today. And they did just that.”

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In winning the Consolation Final, Toronto finishes fifth in the prestigious, 16-team youth tournament. The top four group winners (Chivas, D.C., Los Angeles and Dallas) automatically made it to the semifinals, from which Los Angeles Galaxy prevailed as champions by beating FC Dallas 2-0 in the last match of the competition.

Toronto won four of five matches at Frisco, their only loss was a 1-0 defeat to Chivas USA in group play. The Goats finished third, beating D.C. United 6-0.

The U17s will fly home Monday August 1 for a quick rest as many of the players face St. Catharines Roma Wolves in Canadian Soccer League action. That match will take place this coming Wednesday in St. Catharines.