MLS Next Cup Texas Team Preview: Capital City SC U17

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p id="block-620b6a9e-c4d4-4a8f-9b44-6bbee92730fa">The culminating event of the 2025-2026 MLS Next season is coming up shortly, as the MLS Next Cup is set to take place at the Regional Athletics Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah from May 23-31.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p id="block-483e7add-75e1-4b05-a213-86ca6370602a">The playoffs will reunite the best teams from the regular season, with 32 sides that qualified either via the MLS Next Flex event or league play in the Homegrown Division competing in a single elimination format in Utah.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p id="block-d2161841-3dc6-41f6-9bcc-28f383300632">Fifteen teams from the state of Texas will be in contention for the titles after achieving significant results in their seasons. We're now previewing each of them:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[program_tooltip program_id='283624' first='Capital' last='City SC'] U17</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>How did they qualify?</strong> [program_tooltip program_id='283624' first='Capital' last='City SC'] qualified for the playoffs through the League pathway, finishing first in the Frontier Division. They won all eight of their matches, beating Albion SC Colorado 1-0, [program_tooltip program_id='283648' first='FC' last='Dallas'] 3-0, [program_tooltip program_id='321473' first='AC' last='River'] 3-1, GFI Academy 4-2, Tulsa Greenwood SC 3-0, IDEA Toros 3-0, [program_tooltip program_id='283658' first='Houston' last='Rangers'] 4-0 and [program_tooltip program_id='283311' first='Dallas' last='Texans'] 2-1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What is their squad like?</strong> Robert MacFarland is the goalkeeper in Capital City's roster. Jose Martinez, Chase Anson and Orlando Garcia occupy the outside back spots for them. In central defense, the team from Austin has Caleb Doane, Ty Rouen and Sebastian Pineda. The midfield options are [player_tooltip player_id='286481' first='Uziel' last='Lara Quintana'], Adin Memic, Aiden Rashid and Marcelo Perez. Leading the line for them are [player_tooltip player_id='338125' first='Kike' last='De La Cruz'], Christian Rojas, Diego Carbajal, Kevin Espinoza, Shaheed Oliver and Jorge Rivera.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who do they play in the first round of the playoffs?</strong> California's City SC Southwest on May 24, at 10:15 AM MT.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Caleb Doane","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Lake Travis","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='283624' first='Capital' last='City SC']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a0cc3601c590"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Doane is a center back with Capital City. He forms a strong duo with Ty Rouen, as the two helped the team register five clean sheets in eight league matches. Doane has good size, which helps him win duels and defend the penalty box efficiently, but he also has solid mobility to defend in space and does a good job of keeping up with opponents. The center back has good quality and vision in possession and plays an important role in their buildup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Marcelo Perez","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"St. Dominic Savio Catholic","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='283624' first='Capital' last='City SC']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a0cc3601c694"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Perez is one of the main playmakers in Capital City's roster. He plays mostly as a number 10, but moves freely in the attacking half, making the most of his freedom to get the ball in good spots. Perez is very quick and technical on the ball, consistently beating opponents to create space and taking the ball forward. He has great vision to deliver final passes and also shows up inside the penalty box to finish chances. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":356303,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0136_4c533b.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-356303" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kevin Espinoza","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"John Connally","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='283624' first='Capital' last='City SC']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a0cc3601c7aa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Espinoza is a forward with Capital City. He can play as a winger or more centrally and is at his best when used on the left, where he can take the ball inside to his preferred right foot. Very quick and creative, Espinoza uses his quality on the ball to beat defenders off the dribble and create chances for himself and his teammates. He also has solid finishing skills and is very disciplined with how he drops back to support the defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":356302,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0126_653fea.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-356302" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->