Generation adidas Cup: Atlanta United U18s knock out Inter Milan | OneFootball

By Travis Clark

The knockout round of the 2025 Generation adidas Cup kicked off Wednesday with the Round of 16.

The first-ever Girls Division also began, as the Girls Academy All-Star teams competed against European opposition.

Here’s a rundown of how things shook out in the Championship Bracket, bringing us closer to crowning winners.

Under-16

Both the Columbus Crew and LA Galaxy looked strong in knockout wins over MLS counterparts. The clubs advanced via 3-0 victories, with LA defeating Nashville SC and Columbus beating the San Jose Earthquakes.

The Galaxy used a second-half flurry of goals to win. Aaron Medina, Giovanni Salazar and Alexis Mondragon powered the attack, all scoring after the break.

CF Montréal, who defeated Barça Residency Academy 2-1, await the Galaxy on Thursday in the quarterfinals. Eloi Breton bagged a first-half brace for the Canadian side.

Nashville SC vs. LA Galaxy | Generation adidas Cup Highlights – U16 Round of 16

Prince Forfor played a central role in Columbus’ victory, scoring goals in the 24th and 30th minutes to put the Crew up 2-0. Jamil Danjaji added a third, securing a quarterfinal meeting with PSV Eindhoven. The Dutch side knocked out LAFC, 3-1.

Charlotte FC secured a big upset, beating the Philadelphia Union in a penalty shootout. Keegan Kerr scored in the 44th minute for Charlotte, though the lead lasted just 11 minutes, thanks to an equalizer from the Union’s Olatimoni Gbalajobi. Charlotte ultimately triumphed 4-3 in the shootout after a 1-1 draw.

Next up for Charlotte is a clash with Real Salt Lake. Thanks to a second-half goal from Rowan Martin, RSL advanced to the quarterfinals courtesy of a 1-0 win against Japanese side FC Tokyo.

Austin FC round out the quarterfinalists from the U16 age group. The defense locked down an early 1-0 lead against Vancouver Whitecaps FC across the 60 minutes, after forward Jacob Peale scored the winning goal. Austin will take on Belgium's KRC Genk, who beat the Portland Timbers, 2-1.

Portland Timbers vs. KRC Genk | Generation adidas Cup Highlights – U16 Round of 16

Under-18

After a torrid run through the Group Stage, Inter Milan looked like contenders for the older age group. Atlanta United had other ideas, however.

The Five Stripes eliminated the Serie A side on penalty kicks, winning 4-3 in the wake of a 0-0 draw. Kaiden Moore scored the winner from the spot, and Jonathan Ransom came up clutch in goal.

Atlanta United vs. Inter Milan | Generation adidas Cup Highlights – U18 Round of 16

Three other games were settled by penalty kicks, and Sockers FC advanced thanks to a 5-4 shootout win over FC Dallas after a 0-0 draw. Up next for the Chicagoland MLS NEXT side is a matchup with Santos Laguna. The Mexican squad beat Inter Miami, 2-0.

No goals were scored between Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC, with the former winning 3-1 from the spot. The Portland Timbers drew 1-1 with LA Galaxy, and the Timbers progressed with a 5-4 shootout win.

A second-half goal from Grant Gilmore was enough to secure a 1-0 triumph for the Colorado Rapids against the New York Red Bulls. His 47th-minute tally propelled Colorado to the quarterfinals.

One goal also decided the matchup between Orlando City SC and St. Louis CITY SC, as Justin Ellis struck in a 1-0 victory. Next up, Orlando meet Real Salt Lake in the quarterfinals.

Girls Division

Both Girls Academy All-Star teams notched wins on the first day of play in the Girls Division.

The Red Team topped Manchester City by a 3-1 score, with goals coming from Bristol Kersh, Molly McGuire and Karolina Bodyziak.

It was a strong attacking showing for the Blue Team as well. Reece Hoffman, Blake Landry, Kendall Conway and Ashley Scott pushed the GA squad to a four-goal advantage in the game’s first 40 minutes against Bayern Munich. While the German side scored twice, the Blue Team held on for a 4-2 win.

Girls Academy Red vs. Manchester City FC | Generation adidas Cup Highlights – U18