Newtown Pride FC takes home $1M cash prize after winning The Soccer Tournament as players dedicate victory to the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting
- Newtown defeated Canadian side SLC FC 2-0 to win the inaugural tournament prize
- The winning goalscorer honored the children who died in the 2012 massacre
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In a tournament featuring teams such as West Ham United, Borussia Dortmund and Wrexham, it was Newtown Pride FC who took home the $1 million cash prize in the inaugural edition of The Soccer Tournament.
The little-known football team from a small town in Connecticut’s southwestern corner injected joy — and money — into the state and into their city after defeating Canada’s SLC FC 2-0.
Playing in the village of Sandy Hook, Newtown Pride took a 1-0 lead just before the end of the second half and then grabbed a second goal to seal the win.
The first goal was scored from distance through former MLS Next Pro midfielder Gabriel Costa.
Then, with ex-USL player Drew Ruggles on the ball, he flicked a no-look, backheel pass over to Kelvin Nunes – who took it around the keeper and tapped in to win the top prize.
Kelvin Nunes (L) scored the winning goal of the tournament for Newtown Pride against Canadian side SLC FC
Nunes (77) scored the winning goal in the first event of The Soccer Tournament
The Pride are the first ever winners of the 7v7 tournament with West Ham & Wrexham
On the road from Newtown to the finals, they reached the knockouts after defeating teams such as Borussia Dortmund in the group stage and then defeating Hapoel Tel Aviv and an MLS legend team known as Sneaky Fox FC.
Following the festivities, Nunes expressed his joy at the victory, while also acknowledging the children killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre.
“I’m just really happy and it means a lot to me,” Nunes said. “This team deserves [it] this team has a great history. And we play for [the] children who died in Newtown.
“So the history of this team deserves such a really good championship. And the last goal was great. That’s not just for money. That is amazing. I’m just really happy.’
Nunes was also named MVP of the tournament – with six goals during the competition.
Afterwards, Nunes paid tribute to the 26 people killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting
Newtown won a $1 million prize, which they say will be donated in part to a scholarship fund
The club announced prior to the game that a portion of their winnings would go to the Newtown Pride FC Scholarship Fund at the Newtown Community Center.
Newtown Pride has won the Connecticut Soccer League championship nine times in its history and was crowned National Amateur Cup champion in 2019.
That victory should have given them the chance to qualify for the US Open Cup, but that tournament was canceled in both 2020 and 2021, preventing them from participating.
This 2019 National Amateur Cup win marked them as the first Connecticut victors since 1967.