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 Three FC Milwaukee girls teams will head to the Elite Clubs National League National Championships later this month in Aurora, Colo., with all three playing for placement spots between fifth and 24th in their respective Challenge B divisions.
But the Nationals were very close to having teams play for a national championship and a promotion spot.
Their Under-18 side finished ninth in the 26-team Challenge A Division, in which the top eight teams qualify for nationals.
It came down to the final match of the season, with KCFC Intensity playing at the Minnesota Thunder Academy on June 19 needing a win to claim the final berth in the playoff field. The Kansas side cruised to a 6-1 victory to qualify and keep the Nationals (5-3-1) at home – only the eight teams vying for the title play at nationals in the Under-18 competition.
FC Milwaukee got a bit of revenge on KCFC, however, coming from behind to post a 2-1 victory in the semifinals of the U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Championships on Tuesday in Appleton. The Nationals went on to win the regional title and qualify for the USYS nationals, which are July 27 to 31 in Phoenix.
Meanwhile, the FC Milwaukee Under-16 team tied for fourth in the 26-team Challenge B Division.
The top two teams in B divisions earn automatic promotion to the Challenge A Division for the next season, while the third- and fourth-place sides play off against the 23rd- and 24th-placed teams from the Challenge A Division for two more spots in the top flight. Finishers No. 25 and 26 are automatically relegated to Challenge B for the next season.
The Nationals, though, were edged out by South Carolina club CESA Premier for the final playoff berth. The teams both finished 7-2-3 and didn't meet head to head, so it went to the third tiebreaker: CESA Premier had a plus-10 goal differential while FC Milwaukee's was plus-4. Coincidentally, the two teams also scored the same number of goals.
ECNL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Aurora Sports Complex, Aurora, Colo.
Under-17
FC Milwaukee (6-3-3, tied for sixth in Challenge B Division)
July 14: Freestate SA (Md.), 7 p.m.
July 15: Washington Premier, 5 p.m.
July 16: Neusport FC (Nev.), 7 p.m.
Under-16
FC Milwaukee (7-2-3, tied for fourth in Challenge B Division)
July 14: FC Dallas, 1 p.m.
July 15: Albertson Fury Challenge (N.Y.), 1 p.m.
July 16: Washington Premier, 1 p.m.
Under-15
FC Milwaukee (1-8-3, tied for 24th in Challenge B Division)
July 14: Virginia Rush, 11 a.m.
July 15: Birmingham United (Ala.), 9 a.m.
July 16: Utah Avalanche United, 9 a.m.
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