Newtown Pride FC has won the inaugural edition of The Soccer Tournament, defeating SLC FC 2-0 in the $1 million winner-take-all final.
The 7v7 tournament featured 32 teams from eight different countries, with plenty of big names involved.
But it was Newtown Pride, an amateur club based in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, who took home the title featuring a team filled predominantly with players from the Major Arena Soccer League.
Newtown lost its first game of the tournament before bouncing back to win its final two group games. In the knockout phase the team got past the DMV Diplomats, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Sneaky Fox FC before its victory in the final.
SLC FC, filled with players from the Canadian Futsal National Team and League1 Ontario, opted to sit back and absorb pressure in the final, looking to hit Newtown on the break.
But Newtown grew increasingly threatening in the second half. With five minutes left to play, the pressure finally told. Gabriel Costa worked his way into prime shooting range and riffled a low drive to make it 1-0.
What a strike to give Newtown Pride FC the lead!
đź“ş: @TST7v7 on CNBC pic.twitter.com/JxMfil5mkq
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) June 4, 2023
The game entered Target Score Time at 1-0, with Newtown needing one goal to win and SLC needing two.
Newtown continued to pressure and Kelvin Nunes would eventually score the $1 million goal after some intricate passing in the box.
KELVIN NUNES SCORES THE $1 MILLION GOAL!!!!@NewtownPrideFC IS YOUR TST 2023 CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!@Ally pic.twitter.com/JE9CSanFO0
— TST (@TST7v7) June 4, 2023
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