After three games in the Pacific Northwest, the U17 MNT polished off its swing with a 1-1-1 record. The team opened with a scoreless draw against the Sounders’ U18 side, followed with a 3-2 win over the Portland Pilots and then finished with a 3-2 loss against a mix of Portland Timbers reserve and academy players.
Given that the games came against older competition, it’s hard to bemoan the team’s play, especially considering the dearth of chances it created. Here’s a look at a few of the larger talking points that came out of the week.
Orrin Gaines had a breakout week
Gaines has been bouncing around the YNT discussion for a while now, but given that he didn’t receive a call-up to the residency program in Bradenton, Gaines had to make do with creating waves on more of a regional scale with his Central Texas club side Lonestar SC. He was named to one of the Development Academy’s U16 showcase teams at the winter showcase in December, and his swift recent ascension culminated in a call-up for the U17 PacNW tour.
