The Town FC’s seven-on-seven squad has found early success in The Soccer Tournament, preparing it for a pivotal knockout stage.

CARY, N.C. — Faced against European powerhouses in The Soccer Tournament’s group stage, The Town FC didn’t fold under pressure.

The Town FC (2-1) led Group E with 10 total goals, taking wins over German clubs Borussia Dortmund (1-2) and FC Bayern (0-3) to clinch second place in the table. The Town FC’s lone loss came against Dueling For Lincoln FC (3-0) in a thrilling 3-2 nail-biter.

Midfielder Sonny Guadarrama — a 37-year-old veteran who has played in a variety of professional soccer leagues — led The Town FC with four goals during group play. His scoring figures have also placed him toward the top of the tournament’s scoring leaderboard.

“We talked about just going out and competing no matter who we’re playing against,” said head coach Mani Salimpour. “I couldn’t be more proud of these guys.”

The Town FC will now advance to the knockout stage, which will begin with 32 teams. The eventual winner will be awarded a $1 million prize, so the stakes will be elevated in a winner-take-all environment.

The Town FC will face Gracie FC (2-1) in the Round of 32, another team that found offensive success in its first three games, recording 13 goals. Gracie FC’s Amadou Tangara co-leads all tournament goalkeepers with 23 saves, so The Town FC will aim to continue its offensive barrage despite facing a top ball-stopper.

The Town FC will take on Gracie FC at 6:45 a.m. PST, with a bid to the Round of 16 on the line. A win for The Town FC would match it up with either Nani FC (3-0) or Sneaky Fox FC (1-2), pending match results.