On the Rise: FA Euro’s 2010s Make Their Mark
FA Euro in Montréal. Photography: Raphaël Mutombo.
Cold wind, a demanding away fixture and a one-goal lead to protect. FA Euro New York’s 2010 MLS NEXT Homegrown team met that challenge in Montréal with the discipline and determination of a group growing in confidence.
Zachary Thompson supplied the decisive goal in the 1–0 win over CF Montréal on November 7. Around that finish was a collective performance: players protecting space, working for one another and staying organized through the final whistle.
For a team with ambitions to compete among the country’s best, performances like this are meaningful steps. The 2010s are giving that ambition substance through their results and their ability to find a way through difficult games.
The results behind the rise
As of November 8, FA Euro leads the official U17 Empire FLEX table with nine points from three matches: three wins, no draws and no defeats. In the separate Northeast league table, the team stands fourth with 11 points from six matches, recording three wins, two draws and one loss.
That league record includes an 8–0 opening victory over Seacoast United, a 1–0 win against Valeo Futbol Club and a 2–1 away success at NEFC. Together, those performances show a group learning to handle different demands: creating chances, protecting narrow advantages and earning results away from home.
The victory in Montréal added another test of that development. In cold and windy conditions, FA Euro needed a clear plan and the commitment to carry it out.
Matchday moments in Montréal. Photography: Raphaël Mutombo.
The maturity to adapt
FA Euro sat a little deeper than usual, kept the spaces through midfield compact and waited for opportunities to recover possession as Montréal committed players forward. The team won the ball repeatedly in those areas, and the decisive goal grew from that approach.
Possession was harder to sustain than usual. The first half brought fewer secure passing sequences, and although FA Euro gained a better foothold after the break, the players still had to work through periods when the ball would not settle.
Their defensive organization held. The team stayed connected, limited openings and fought to protect its lead. According to the club’s match account, Montréal was restricted to half chances and did not produce a meaningful shot on target.
That ability to adapt matters. The 2010s recognized what the match required and committed to it together, delivering a clean sheet and a valuable away win.
Inside the dressing room in Montréal. Photography: Raphaël Mutombo.
A team taking shape
Raphaël Mutombo’s photographs offer a closer look at the group behind the result: the team together before play, the intensity of the action and the focus inside the dressing room. They capture a weekend that tested both the players’ football and their resolve.
Those shared experiences are part of how a team develops. A difficult trip gives players the chance to put preparation into practice, take responsibility for one another and build confidence from a performance they have earned.
The ambition keeps growing
FA Euro’s 2010s are taking aim at the national stage. Leading their FLEX table and winning at CF Montréal provide strong encouragement as they work toward competing consistently with the best youth teams in the country.
There is still room to grow, particularly in sustaining possession and controlling longer stretches of a match. The progress already made gives the group a foundation to build on, while the demands of MLS NEXT will continue to test it.
In Montréal, Thompson’s finish and a united team performance made the difference. The next step is to carry those standards forward, one training session and one match at a time.
Photography: Raphaël Mutombo. Standings checked November 8, 2026. League and FLEX are separate competitions.
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