AC Connecticut defeats Indy Eleven in PKs to win 2025 USL Academy Finals title

BRADENTON, FL – AC Connecticut defeated Indy Eleven 4-2 on penalty kicks, crowning the club as USL Academy Finals champions a year after falling short in the final to the same opponent.

Luca Marinelli saved one and Preston Alessio slotted home the winning kick to deliver the trophy to AC Connecticut after a 1-1 match through extra time.

“It means a lot [to win this title]. Everyone’s pretty passionate here, and we wanted to come for that revenge,” said Marinelli. “We definitely struggled at points, but we struggled together and we also won together.”

“I think it was being here last year and losing,” said AC Connecticut Head Coach Antony Howard on what helped this group get over the hump. “Similar to Indy who had the championship winning mentality, you’ve got to work to that. I think we learned a lot last year and it paid off.”

The game started with a deliberate possession-based style from both teams as they attempted to draw the other out of its shape. AC Connecticut was able to drive more of the attacking play, forcing Indy Eleven Academy Contract goalkeeper Ryan Hunsucker to make two tight saves in the first 35-minute period. In the second half, each team pressed further offensively to force key saves from both keepers and AC Connecticut’s Salvatore Zani rang the crossbar seconds before the final whistle in regulation.

Four minutes into extra time, AC Connecticut moved the ball up on the right wing as they had throughout the game. Michael Asare laid it off for Samuel Carrias, who whipped the ball into the box for it to be headed home by Johan Bermudez for his third goal of the tournament.

“I started the tournament strong. The last two games I hadn’t scored, so I knew my moment was coming again and I’m glad I was able to help the team in the final,” said Bermudez.

Indy Eleven relied on its championship experience to respond after giving up its first goal of the tournament. Within three minutes, the defending champions earned a free kick in their attacking third. Edin Cvorovic lofted the ball right into the six-yard box where Jose Davila knocked it home to level the score.

Extra time winded down with each club using the energy it had left in the tank to find the winner, but the thrilling final was set to be determined from the penalty spot.

One save and a shot off the post combined with goals from Luke Fiscella, Bermudez, Matthias Dick, and Alessio secured the trophy for AC Connecticut after three straight trips to the semifinal or further at USL Academy Finals.

“Every game I thought we got a little bit better and progressed. I think yesterday against Lexington was the first real good performance we put together and we needed to be good today because Indy were very, very good,” said Howard.

AC Connecticut’s road to the title game pitted them against three USL Championship academies – Miami FC, Sporting JAX, and Lexington SC. The team survived a hard-fought match against Miami in the Round of 16, scoring the winner early into extra time. AC Connecticut fell behind 2-0 in the first 20 minutes of the Quarterfinal against JAX but fought back to earn the 3-2 victory. A semifinal clash with high-flying Lexington provided an exciting first half, testing Connecticut’s defensive structure, but the defending Academy Finals runners up booked its spot in the Final with an assertive performance in the second half.

AC Connecticut becomes the fourth club to claim the Academy Finals title in the fifth edition of the tournament.