Start Fast, Finish Strong

After a 1-1 draw against Oregon Premier FC in the team's first group game, defending U15 Champions Legends FC faced off against Florida Kraze in the second Group L match for each side. 

The fireworks started early, as just two minutes into the match, reigning U15 National Player of the Year Kingston Rojas put Legends FC ahead 1-0. Legends goalkeeper launched a ball past midfield, landing right at Rojas' feet. He then split the Kraze backline and slipped a shot into the bottom left corner of the net for the score. 

Following the quick goal, the two teams settled into the match, with both earning quality chances. Legends nearly made it 2-0 with pristine passing in the box, but put a shot wide, while Kraze forced a diving save by the Legends FC keeper in the 20th minute. They kept going blow for blow with each other, but the first half ended with Legends up 1-0. 

Minutes into the second half, Kraze knotted the game at 1-1. FKK earned a free kick just outside the top right corner of the 18-yard box, and midfielder Giovani Noubissie-Nameni stepped up to play the restart. Noubissie-Nameni sent a banger into the top right corner of the net, pulling FKK even with Legends with nearly an entire second half to go. 

In the 55th minute, FKK had a prime opportunity to take the lead. The Kraze attack had been fouled in the box, and Massinissa Arbani stepped up to take the penalty. On the whistle, he took a shot low to the left side of the net, but pushed it too far, sending the ball wide. 

Legends countered with a penalty of their own in the 70th minute. After being fouled in the box trying to split the defense, Rojas blasted a shot that hit the right post. The rebound came out to Noah Ito, who put his shot over the crossbar. 

Just two minutes later though, Legends got another opportunity. Midfielder Lucas Spoeistra drove into the box, drawing the FKK defenders over before slipping a pass into the middle. An initial shot was saved, but Anderson Leon was there to loft a shot just under the crossbar for the 2-1 lead. 

Now armed with the lead, Legends FC withstood the ramped-up Kraze attack, and walked away with three points at the final whistle. 

"We needed that win, because a draw or even a loss would have made advancing very difficult," Rojas said. "Now we need to carry that over into our next game and keep that intensity. We want to go back-to-back, and we need to keep that mentality. Everyone else is here to beat us, and we don't want to give them that satisfaction." 

U13 Testimonials 

"This is THE level. This is my fourth year at ECNL Boys National Playoffs and every year it's gotten better and better. The level of competition, the event, everything. We love being in San Diego and we love being in Seattle. The two locations are fantastic. And the experience is great. Yesterday our U13s watched three different U18/19 games go to PKs, and they even celebrated with a club they had never met before. That's what the ECNL is all about. It's a great experience for them, and for the coaches too, being able to learn from other coaches around the league. It's just incredible." - Chris Green, Cleveland Force U13 Head Coach

"Everything is top class: facilities, atmosphere, referees, playing surface. It's a privilege and we're really blessed to be here. This year we've had all six boys teams make it, and being able to share that experience with the U18/19s all the way down to the U13s is really special. Here at playoffs, you have great teams, top class coaching, it really is the pinnacle of youth soccer." - Enoch Gidudu, Seattle United U13 Assistant Coach

"The atmosphere out here is unbelievable. The setup is great and the fields are incredible. The boys are loving it and so are we. We've got our kids hopping in and celebrating with our 09s when they play, and then celebrating with other teams too because the energy is just so high. You see how bad every team wants it out here, that's what our boys have taken from this event so far. The intensity, the energy, the level it takes to be successful at Playoffs. This is the highest level players and clubs want to play at, and we're here in the thick of it. Everything across the board has been really great and we appreciate it all." 

For a full look at the ECNL Boys National Playoffs, including scores, schedules and more, click here.