ECNL BOYS: XF Academy Makes History with Inaugural Super Cup Championship

Staff Writer
5 days ago
3 min read

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Following a grueling gauntlet of regional qualifiers and a high-stakes semifinal round, XF Academy (Crossfire) has officially been crowned the first-ever ECNL Boys Super Cup Champion. The Washington-based powerhouse defeated Legends FC 5-1 on Saturday, adding another prestigious trophy to a cabinet that already holds the West Coast Super Cup title.

The victory serves as a massive momentum builder for XF Academy as they look toward the summer playoffs, continuing a dominant run that saw the club win a record four National Championships last season.

A Relentless Response

The championship match began with an early scare for XF Academy. In the 9th minute, Legends FC’s Arda Aliyazicioglu found the back of the net to give the Southern California side a 1-0 lead. However, the deficit lasted only sixty seconds.

XF Academy’s Ian Kim leveled the score in the 10th minute, sparking an offensive explosion. Moments later, Aaron Leon rifled a shot from the top of the box to give XF a 2-1 lead. The flurry continued through the first half as Eashan Patel and Lincoln Choi added goals, sending XF Academy into the locker room with a commanding 4-1 cushion.

"This is how we roll at Crossfire," said Patel after the match. "We went down in the semis early too, but we never gave up. We knew we could come back and that’s exactly what we did."

Leon and Khorrami Take Home Individual Honors

XF Academy secured the 5-1 result in the second half behind a disciplined defensive low block and a second goal from Aaron Leon. For his brace in the final and his game-winning heroics in Friday's semifinal, Leon was named Man of the Match.

"This is a blessing," Leon said. "We keep raking as a team and hopefully we can go back-to-back-to-back with Crossfire and get another National Championship."

Between the pipes, XF Academy’s Zachary Khorrami was awarded the Golden Glove. Khorrami, who was instrumental in keeping Legends FC at bay during their second-half push, credited the unit in front of him for the honor, stating that his defense has been "class for years."

Coach’s Corner: Building the Crossfire Legacy

For Head Coach Leo Maric—the reigning ECNL Boys Coach of the Year—winning the inaugural edition of the tournament is a testament to the club's culture.

"It's a huge achievement for this team," Maric said. "Winning the championship in the first year of the ECNL Boys Super Cup Championship is great for Crossfire."

Third Place Game: Concorde Fire Platinum Claims Bronze

In the consolation match, Concorde Fire Platinum (East Coast Super Cup Champions) took on Dallas Texans Academy (Central Super Cup Champions).

Concorde Fire took a 2-0 lead into the half behind strikes from Jonas Heiler and Emmanuel Amede. While Dallas Texans pulled one back via an Ethan Diaz penalty in the 55th minute, Amede secured the 3-1 win with his second goal of the day late in the match.

Final Standings: ECNL Boys Super Cup

Position	Club	Region
1st (Champions)	XF Academy	West Coast
2nd	Legends FC	West Coast
3rd	Concorde Fire Platinum	East Coast
4th	Dallas Texans Academy	Central