BRADENTON, Fla. -- In the latest edition of one the best rivalries in youth soccer history, Nationals Blue defeated Tophat Gold 2-1 to win the U16 Champions Cup trophy. It marked the fifth successive final that the two have competed in as the Michigan side avenges their loss in last summer’s national final and takes a 4-1 series lead.

But in the early stages of the first half, it looked like Tophat was destined to make it two titles in a row, especially when McKenzie Godfrey raced through on a clever Eliza Barber through ball and found Sydney Snow to make it 1-0 less than ten minutes into the match. It was a rare opening in a contest where it was apparent from kickoff that both teams knew each other as well as they knew themselves.

Nationals would not have to wait long for an equalizer as Ava Landstra reacted quickest to volley home a loose ball following a corner. The remainder of the half fell into a cagey pattern, with both sides locking in defensively to prevent any mistakes. For Tophat, the trio of Kassey Dzenis, Kennedy Kelly, and Annemarie Adefisan proved formidable in limiting looks for the crafty Lily Jeakle, while for Nationals, Landstra and McKenna Clouston did well to deny further service to Godrey as Kayla Butki proved to be an effective 1-v-1 defender against Snow on the left wing.

That pattern continued in the second half as neither team seemed willing to gamble and open the space the other might need to win the match. Games like that often require a world-class intervention to win it and upstepped Clouston with one of the best goals in GA history. On the left side of the pitch, about 25 yards from the goal, the center midfielder unleased a swerving knuckleball that arrowed past Alexia-Mae Goodman and into the top corner. It was a strike fitting of winning a final.

With the lead secured in the 65th minute, Nationals Blue settled into a defensive posture, limiting Tophat to few looks on goal on route to a third straight Champions Cup trophy, becoming the second team in GA history to do so after Cincinnati United 07 accomplished the same the day before.

MVP: McKenna Clouston, Nationals Blue