WESTFIELD, Indiana - The U.S. Soccer Development Academy U14 Showcase kicked off on Friday under some stormy clouds. The wet conditions of the morning eventually gave way to a warm afternoon, but the tumultuous weather did not damper the level of play from the youngest age group in the Academy. 

There were a number of quality games from the first day. Below is a recap of the games that TopDrawerSoccer watched from the Grand Sports Campus. 

Weston FC 1-0 PDA

Weston FC started the game with an unrelenting high pressure style and it only took PDA 20 seconds to recognize it. That did not stop Weston though. The Florida team was brilliant on the day with a high line of confrontation that did not allow PDA much time on the ball at any spot on the field. 

With control of where the game was being played, Weston generated the early chances. In the opening 15 minutes, PDA cleared a chance from the six-yard line after a Weston winger broke through the PDA defense and tried to lay it off from a trailing runner. 

In the 25th minutes, PDA forward Zach Riviere cleared a shot off the line with his head, which kept the teams on level terms despite Weston’s dominance in possession. 

The half time break helped PDA gain a bit of composure with the ball and enjoy some positive movements going forward. 

However, Weston found the game-winner shortly into the second half. Center back Jake Walker side-volleyed home a shot from near the top of the box that zipped into the upper corner of the net for the lone goal of the game. Walker’s technique on the goal was slightly better than his dead fish celebration after it hit the net. 

Weston tried to add to the lead throughout the second half, but the PDA defense did well to keep the Florida team from running away with the game. PDA had some chances going forward, but nothing really troubled Nicolas Defreitas-Hansen’s goal. 

Weston FC returns to action tomorrow against Continental FC Delco. PDA looks to bounce back with a game against FC Dallas. 

Chivas USA 5-1 Chicago Fire

It was 1-1 at half, and then Chivas USA reached a level that Chicago Fire could not match. The Southern California squad, which is in it’s swan song this weekend, scored the first goal of the game in the seventh minute. 

Jorge Hernandez intercepted a poorly played pass from a Chicago Fire defense. Hernandez played it off to Efrain Alvarez, who drove at the defense before slipping it into the path of Cesar Rivera, who slotted it home. 

Chivas USA had a few other chances in the opening half, including an effort from Ulysses Llanez, which hit off the post, but none of the other chances managed to sneak past the goal line. 

Chicago Fire’s coaching staff made a positional adjustment in the 30th minute where the coaches reorganized the defense and added some athleticism to the midfield. The switch paid dividends immediately. 

Fire scored its lone goal of the game in the 36th minute when Brandon Rivera hit a perfect cross to the far post, which Joshua Penn nodded into the opposite corner of the net to put the teams on equal terms right before half. 

Chivas USA came out of the second half with a renewed focus and determination. Llanez really set the tone in the second half. The talented winger struck the game-winner on a well-placed volley in the 49th minute. 

Two minutes later, Llanez cleared a Chicago Fire shot off the line. And then, he pulled off a sublime meg near the Chivas USA bench that took some of the wind out of the sails of the Chicago Fire players. 

Chivas USA put the game to bed in the 53rd minute when Carlos Anguiano headed home a corner kick that Chicago Fire failed to clear. 

In the 64th minute, Chivas USA added to the lead when Misael Becerra scored his 23rd goal of the season. Chicago Fire was punished for a poor free kick and Chivas USA went directly to Becerra who beat his defender and then the goalkeeper before making it 4-1. 

On the ensuing restart, Chivas USA stole one of Chicago Fire’s first passes and went straight to goal. Alex Mendez played it into Hernandez for his finish, which made the score 5-1. 

It was a convincing show from head coach Brian Kleiban and his squad against one of the best U14 teams in the Academy. 

Seattle Sounders 2-1 Colorado Rapids 

Samuel Catherall scored twice in the first half and Sounders held onto a 2-1 win over Colorado Rapids in one of the afternoon games from Grand Park Sports Campus. 

Sounders had the better run of play in the first half thanks to a swift moving midfield and a plethora of options out wide. 

Center forward Max Weinberg did well in the hold-up play from the opening minutes, but he could not put his cleat on the ball for the final touch in the box. 

The Masked Man, Catherall, scored the first goal of the game in the 25th minute when he split the gap between the left back and the left center back. Cathedral showed great composure in tucking his chance away. 

He added his second shortly before half time off of a set piece. Omar Carrillo delivered the ball to the far post. Center back Khai Brisco nodded it down for an easy tap-in from Catherall. 

Colorado Rapids answered back with a goal in the second half, but could not muster an equalizer. 

Check out all of the scores from Day One.