The Real Salt Lake Academy U17s put on another dominant performance in its second match of MLS NEXT Flex with another 4-0 win, this time over Sporting Kansas City. The U17s now only need a win, or a draw, in its final match of the competition to secure the top spot and their group and its automatic qualification spot in MLS NEXT Cup.
The commanding attack was led by RSL Homegrowns Jude Wellings and Axel Kei with Wellings netting his first goal of the tournament and Kei finding the back of the net three times for his first hat trick of MLS NEXT Flex. Goalkeeper Blake Kelly continued to put on a clinic on the defensive end, earning his second clean sheet of the competition.
Kei opened the scoring clinic for the U17s with Wellings following his lead to get to an early 2-0 lead. Kei proved to be unstoppable as the match progressed, netting two more goals to secure the hat trick and bring his total to four goals thus far in the tournament. The second-straight 4-0 win gave the RSL Academy the three points needed to sit on top of the group after matchday two.
Up next: The U17s will play its final match of MLS NEXT Flex on Tuesday, May 17 at 8:45 a.m. MT against second-place St. Louis City SC. A win or draw will punch the team’s ticket to MLS NEXT Cup starting on June 25.
