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Brazil’s SAF Botafogo and MLS Academy Side Philadelphia Union to Meet in Sunday’s 2026 Gordon Jago Super Group Final
- 18 hours ago
- 3 min read
FRISCO, Texas (Friday, Apr. 3) – The 2026 Dallas Cup presented by Coca-Cola featured a pair of Gordon Jago Super Group semifinal matches on Friday evening at Toyota Stadium, setting the stage for Sunday’s Super Group final between defending champions SAF Botafogo (BRA) and MLS academy side Philadelphia Union (USA).
Gordon Jago Super Group Final
Toyota Stadium
Sunday, April 5 at 1:30 p.m.
SAF Botafogo (BRA) vs. Philadelphia Union (USA) Tickets on sale now at www.dallascup.org
Super Group Semifinal #1 - SAF Botafogo vs. St. Louis CITY SC
The first semifinal of the evening kicked off at 5:00 p.m., as defending champions SAF Botafogo (BRA) faced MLS academy side St. Louis CITY SC (USA). Goalkeepers Matheus Lima and Brady Cochrane each made key saves to keep the match scoreless until the 35th minute, when Botafogo’s Samuel Alves broke the deadlock.
Off a set piece, Ivan Molina delivered a well-weighted cross into the box that found a leaping Alves, who headed home his third goal of the tournament to put the defending champions in front, 1-0.
The Brazilian side carried that advantage into the halftime break.
In the second half, Botafogo again proved dangerous on set pieces. Following a corner kick, Molina delivered another ball into the box, and after a scramble in front of goal, Marcelo MaurÃcio capitalized to double the lead.
The final whistle confirmed a 2-0 victory for SAF Botafogo, as the defending champions became the first side to punch their ticket to Sunday’s Gordon Jago Super Group final.
Photos: Jose Negrete (@negretehighlights)
Super Group Semifinal #2 - Philadelphia Union vs. CF Monterrey
The second Gordon Jago Super Group semifinal between Mexico’s CF Monterrey (MEX) and MLS academy side Philadelphia Union (USA) capped the evening at Toyota Stadium.
In a tightly contested first half, both sides created dangerous moments in the attacking third, but neither could break through as the match remained scoreless at halftime.
The breakthrough came in the 61st minute for the Philadelphia Union. After a long ball played over the top, the Rayados goalkeeper came off his line to intercept but could only punch it clear into the path of the onrushing Nehan Hasan, who chipped a finish from outside the box into the empty net to give the Union a 1-0 lead.
Rayados found the equalizer in the 74th minute. Following a strong run down the wing, a cross was driven across the box and found Guillermo Samaniego unmarked near the top of the box, where he slotted a finish into the left side of the net to level the match.
Locked at 1-1, the final whistle at the end of regulation sent the match into two 10-minute periods of extra time in search of a winner. Despite the additional time, neither side was able to find a breakthrough, and the semifinal was ultimately decided from the penalty spot.
In the penalty shootout, Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Alex Smith made a crucial save to help secure the victory, sending the MLS academy side through to face SAF Botafogo in Sunday’s Gordon Jago Super Group final.
Championship action continues this weekend at the 2026 Dallas Cup presented by Coca-Cola. On Saturday, sixteen champions will be crowned across various divisions. At Toyota Stadium, titles will be decided in the U16–U19 girls divisions and the U16-U17 boys division, while next door at Toyota Soccer Center, championship matches will be played in the boys and girls U10–U14 divisions. On Sunday, April 5, the tournament concludes with the final three championship matches, as champions are crowned in the boys' U18, U19, and U19 Gordon Jago Super Group divisions.
Fans and teams alike can learn more about the tournament by visiting www.DallasCup.org or following us on social media @dallascup.