MLS Next Cup Playoffs: Preview - GFI U19

<p>After over nine months of action, the MLS Next season is about to come to an end soon as the MLS Next Cup Playoffs will take place in Nashville, Tennessee, from June 14-22, determining the league's 2025 champions.</p>   <p>The playoffs will feature 32 teams in the U15, U16, U17 and U19 age groups, reuniting MLS academies and other teams that compete in the league and rewarding those who got the best results during the season.</p>   <p>The state of Texas will be represented in all four age groups, with teams from [program_tooltip program_id='283612' first='Austin' last='FC'], [program_tooltip program_id='283648' first='FC' last='Dallas'], Global Football Innovation (GFI) Academy and the [program_tooltip program_id='283657' first='Houston' last='Dynamo'] making the trip to Tennessee to compete for the title.</p>   <p>In the days leading up to the tournament, we're previewing the Texas teams qualified for the MLS Next Cup playoffs:</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">GFI U19</h2>   <p>Representing the [program_tooltip program_id='283654' first='Global' last='Football Innovation Academy'] (GFI) out of Houston, the team ranked third in the Frontier Conference during MLS Next league play, amassing 27 points, with nine wins and three losses. They secured their spot in Nashville at the MLS Next Flex event and are set to play against GA Cup winners Orlando City SC, in Tennessee.</p>   <p>Ross Versari and Elmer Rosas are the goalkeepers in the GFI squad. Sam Switzer, Joshua Lynch and Jonathan Chezes take up the outside back spots. Daniel Celis, Nicolas Ramos, Pablo Martinez and Edilson Merlos are the main options at center back. In central midfield, GFI have Ander Gonzalez, [player_tooltip player_id='278593' first='Andres' last='Cayama'], Sebastian Faudoa, [player_tooltip player_id='90220' first='Gael' last='Gonzalez'] and Marcelo Ojeda. [player_tooltip player_id='56106' first='Kortay' last='Koc'], Anthony Garcia and Luis Martinez offer width as wide attackers, with Daniel Menyoli playing the striker role for the team.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Players</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">GFI's starting goalkeeper Versari is very technical and reliable between the posts. He's known in the Houston area for his shot-stopping ability, which combines excellent length and great reflexes in goal. Because of that, his success rate in 1v1 situations is extremely high. His distribution out of the back is also elite, as his teammates not only feel comfortable giving him the ball, but also rely on the goalkeeper to connect long passes into the attacking half. The captain of his high school team, Versari is also a respected leader in the team, keeping her teammates engaged and alert on the backline.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubpf-cSLWgs </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">A state champion with Klein Cain, Celis is a key piece in GFI's defensive system. Standing at 6'2", he's very physical and knows how to use it to dominate opponents inside the box, but the center back also does well when he has to defend in space, displaying good mobility and timing his tackles extremely well. A lefty, he has excellent passing range and is very comfortable at driving the ball forward, being occasionally used at the left back spot as well. Very strong in the air, Celis is an offensive weapon in set pieces, doing a good job of losing his defenders and heading the ball with power and precision. </p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUEkrTKBWyc </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">An intelligent and ball-dominant midfielder, Ojeda rejoined GFI a few weeks ago after playing for FC Fuenlabrada in Spain over the last months. His return strengthened the team's midfield, especially when it comes to keeping the ball and creating chances. Very smooth and smart in possession, Ojeda gets a lot of touches every match and typically makes the most of each of them, moving the ball with great efficiency. He moves the field very intelligently, looking for the ball and is very dangerous in possession, being capable of beating opponents off the dribble and engaging in quick combination plays through the center of the field. Ojeda also has a good presence in the final third, appearing in great spots to finish chances and doing it very well.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE1-WitDjr8 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">A talented playmaker, Garcia brings tremendous dribbling ability and unpredictability to GFI's offense. A lefty, he likes to play as an inverted wide midfielder on the right, where he has endless possibilities with how he attacks opposing backlines. Garcia is very difficult to stop when isolated in 1v1 situations because he has elite dribbling skills and is capable of executing his moves very quickly, giving opposing defenders a very limited time window to tackle without fouling him. He's also very dangerous when he brings the ball inside from the right because he's skilled enough to find attackers with through balls and to fire curled shots to goal from outside the box.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2025/02/2J4A0322.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-278532" /></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">GFI' striker Meyoli does a great job of operating as the focal point of the team's offense, converting chances at a good rate and offering endless options for the team's playmakers. Although he's not very tall, the striker does excellent holdup play, keeping opponents in his back and connecting quick passes. He's a very mobile and dynamic forward too, keeping a high energy level up and consistently making runs behind the opposing backline and using his pace to beat them for the ball. Capable of finishing efficiently with either foot, Menyoli also does a great job with his movement inside the box, always creating angles for his teammates to pass him the ball and excelling at getting to the end of crosses.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YjRrQt0RGw </div></figure>

After over nine months of action, the MLS Next season is about to come to an end soon as the MLS Next Cup Playoffs will take place in Nashville, Tennessee, from June 14-22, determining the league's 2025 champions.