MLS Next U17: Sonny G Academy beat the Houston Dynamo in PKs

<p>The 2026-2027 MLS Next season is officially underway, and between now and June, the top boys' teams in the country will go against each other week in, week out, fighting for victories on the field.</p>   <p>Prep Soccer Texas continues to follow the league in the Lone Star State, providing the best coverage in the region, with match recaps, performance recaps, photo galleries, and social media posts that highlight the hard work and impressive talent of local players.</p>   <p>On Saturday, we were at Houston Sports Park, where the [program_tooltip program_id='283657' first='Houston' last='Dynamo'] hosted [program_tooltip program_id='349106' first='Sonny' last='G Academy'] in a U17 match. After a 2-2 tie in 90 minutes of action, Sonny G triumphed 4-1 in the penalty kick shootout. </p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><strong>[program_tooltip program_id='283657' first='Houston' last='Dynamo'] U16 vs. [program_tooltip program_id='349106' first='Sonny' last='G Academy'] U17 - <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2026/09/mls-next-u17-houston-dynamo-vs-sonny-g-academy-photos/">Photos</a></strong></li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd1iW0OFHqU/?img_index=1 </div></figure>   <p>Sonny G scored first in the tenth minute of play, when midfielder Ivan Moreno picked up the rebound from a free-kick shot and tapped the ball into the back of the net. The Dynamo evened the score right before the halftime break with midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='295566' first='Gideon' last='Gomez'], who beat a defender inside the box and fired a low driven shot into the corner.</p>   <p>In the 75th minute, defender Luke Korzen found midfielder Jayden Nguyen behind the backline and he sent the ball into the back of the net with a left-footed shot to put Sonny G ahead again. The Dynamo continued to fight for an equalizer and tied it with substitute forward [player_tooltip player_id='295569' first='Kenzynton' last='Pierre'] during stoppage time, but the visitors prevailed 4-1 in the shootout to take the win.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players of the Match</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Moreno scored Sonny G's first goal in the match and was an important piece in their midfield. He played with great energy, covering a lot of ground and making a solid impact on both sides of the ball. Moreno was excellent at following up on a free-kick shot to score his team's first goal, as he managed to remain onside and showed calm in front of the goal to send the ball into the back of the net with a first-time shot. The midfielder also showed nice quality on the ball, moving it intelligently and successfully dribbling it upfield.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddy_LW4zIbV/ </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Korzen anchored Sonny G's backline and was very solid at the heart of their defensive system. Playing as a right-sided center back, he was very firm at winning duels and made some important stops inside and around the penalty box. Korzen also showed superior mobility, appearing in great spots to cover his teammates and defending well in space. The center back's quality on the ball was invaluable in the team's buildup and allowed him to deliver the assist in the team's second goal by playing a nice low pass through the center of the Dynamo's defense.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/09/2J4A0002_46716a.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-412104" /></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Boswell did a great job between the posts and helped Sonny G survive some moments of intense pressure. He displayed nice athleticism in goal and made the most of his positioning and agility to make some impressive saves, showing incredible reflexes and technique. Boswell also did well in the air, navigating the penalty box well and making strong moves to the ball to claim or punch crosses. His outstanding passing range was of great help for Sonny G as it allowed them to play long out of the back and bypass the Dynamo's press.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/09/2J4A0014.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-412109" /></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Nery was Sonny G's most dangerous attacking player in the match. He spent more time on the right side of their attack and was a constant threat to the Dynamo's backline with his pace and excellent decision-making. Nery was very direct when in possession and showed solid dribbling skills to beat defenders 1v1 out wide. He did a great job of creating chances for his teammates with accurate crosses and passes, and also had some good shots on goal of his own.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/09/2J4A0026.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-412114" /></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Gomez scored the Dynamo's first goal in the match and was an important offensive player for them, helping them penetrate Sonny G's defensive system with his highly technical game. He played as an attacking midfielder, but appeared in different areas of the field to get on the ball and make plays. Gomez used his dribbling skills and close control to beat defenders and create space and made some good plays in the final third, drifting mostly to the right side. He was very efficient and calm in his goal, beating a defender in a tight space inside the box before firing a well-placed shot into the back of the net.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/09/2J4A0070_0d0149.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-412132" /></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The most defensive player in the Dynamo's midfield, Cartagena delivered intensity and a strong presence in the center of the field for them. He did a good job of shielding the team's backline, covered a lot of ground and managed to recover the ball on many occasions with his firm and well-timed tackles. Cartagena also appeared well when in possession, moving the ball quickly and intelligently, looking mostly to get it to the team's wide players.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/09/2J4A0064.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-412128" /></figure>

The 2026-2027 MLS Next season is officially underway, and between now and June, the top boys' teams in the country will go against each other week in, week out, fighting for victories on the field.