Following the success of several Atlanta United youth at the U-17 FIFA World Cup earlier this month, there was more great news for one of our up-and-coming players. Lagos Kunga, one of the stars of our U-18 age group, made his first appearances – and scored his first competitive goal – for the U.S. U-20 Men's National Team this week. With the team down 3-2 to a strong Ecuador side, Lagos came on in the 73rd minute and helped his team score a late equalizer and earn a well-deserved point. Then again in the knockout stage, with the US cruising past New Zealand, Lagos came on late in the second half and scored a clinical left-footed goal in stoppage time just inside the far post after a nice dribble to make the score 6-0.
ATLUTD.com's Brittany Arnold caught up with Lagos before he left the academy to join his U.S. teammates to talk about his inclusion in the roster:
Meanwhile, one of our younger players is taking steps to solidify his own future with the US National team. Alejandro De Villena from the U-13s group was called up to the first Boys' National Team Futures Camp of 2017. The training camp, which is made up of players born in 2002 or 2003, is a four-day boot camp evaluating the best talent in the country, and formulated around highlighting and enhancing each player's unique talents.
A quick update on a former Atlanta United Academy player, now realizing his dream with the senior team. Andrew Carleton made his MLS debut earlier this month, coming on for the final moments of the senior team's 4-1 win over the Houston Dynamo. To say the crowd was excited to see one of their own was an understatement.
Atlanta United's U-12 team finished up their US Developmental Academy season with two wins against United Futbol Academy. Caleb Drabek's hat trick and a brace each for Nathan Richmond and Justin McLean were the highlights, with an aggregate score of 11-1 over the course of the double-header to wrap up the season.
Now the focus turns to the postseason, with several age groups hoping to show just how much they've learned this year. The U-14s will play in the USDA Showcase in Westfield, Indiana from June 20th – 23rd, and the U-16s and U-18s will compete in their end-of-season playoffs in Indiana later that same week. Official schedules and matchups have not been released, but stay tuned to ATLUTD.com for all the latest updates.
