FRISCO, Texas — As the U18 Development Academy Playoffs plunged into its second day, Finals Week qualifying pictures began crystallizing down the competition's eight groups.

READ: U18 Day 1 Recap | U16 Day 2 Recap

From MLS academies, the New York Red Bulls, Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders all lead or are tied for the lead in their respective groups, while the Dallas Texans lead three MLS academies in Group 6 by a point after a huge 2-0 win over LA Galaxy on Tuesday night.

Here are some of Tuesday's standouts as the U18 playoffs march ever closer to their conclusion. 

New York Red Bulls 3, Chicago Magic 0

The Red Bulls opened the U18 Academy Playoffs with a somewhat surprising 2-2 draw against Strikers FC, which had the fewest regular-season points of any team in Frisco. It was a sluggish start to a group the Red Bulls were expected to win going away.

The Red Bulls rebounded in dominant fashion Tuesday.

Despite taking a scoreless draw into halftime, the Red Bulls banged in three goals in the second half to streak past the Chicago Magic 3-0 to go to the top of Group 4 with four points. Headed into Thursday's final day of U18 group games, the win gives the Red Bulls a one-point lead on Weston FC and the Magic, who are stuck on three apiece. Strikers FC is fourth with one point after two games.

The win gave the Red Bulls the luxury of controlling their own Finals Week fate. With a win over Weston FC on Thursday, the Red Bulls will win their group.

The Red Bulls pressed high out of the box Tuesday, routinely pushing their center backs past midfield and weaving an intricate web of passes around the penalty area. But they couldn't snap off a killer ball to nose ahead, and there were no goals after the opening 45 minutes. Especially in light of a somewhat frustrating opening-round draw, consternation began to mount.

So when midfielder Adam Najem hit the release valve with a goal off a rebound just after the halftime restart, Red Bulls coach Paul O'Donnell could almost hear the audible exhale.

"We always said to keep playing our game, that once we get the first goal we're going to get a second," O'Donnell said. " I think it was just a little bit of the anxiety of that we need to win this game, and we're pushing for that goal. So once we got it, the guys were able to relax a little bit."

Najem's tally about 10 minutes after halftime split the game wide open. About 10 minutes later striker Alex Muyl scored off a penalty he drew himself to double the lead. Haitian Kerlins Georges finished the scoring about five minutes before time when he took a pass from late sub Ethan Decker, took a single touch and then rifled his finish into the roof.

The Red Bulls lost just once in the academy's regular season, and they flew into Frisco burdened with the weight of expectation. After Tuesday's result, they're well on their way to paving their way to Houston and Finals Week.

"I think (Monday) night, we didn't play our game," O'Donnell said. "I didn't think we got into any great rhythm on possession, a couple bad mistakes. We eked out a draw at the end, which kept us alive. I think we played more of our game tonight. We got into more of a flow."

In the other Group 4 match on the night, Weston FC rolled past Strikers FC 6-2.

Seattle Sounders 2, Players Development Academy 2 

The Sounders and PDA battled to an entertaining 2-2 draw in which Seattle got a stoppage time equalizer from Cody Crook to salvage a point. 

Crook's dramatic goal, which came after a frantic scramble about 15 yards out less than a minute before the ref blew for time, was crucial for the Sounders' hopes of advancing to Finals Week. It gave them four points and ties them atop the table with IMG Academy, which beat Real So Cal 3-2 on Tuesday. That sets up a decisive meeting between IMG and Seattle on Thursday. A win from either team in that game will assure passage to Finals Week.

"Sometimes when you tie, sometimes it feels like a loss and sometimes it feels like a win," Sounders coach Richard McCormick said. "Right now for them it feels like a loss on the tie, but for us it feels like a win. We got the point back. To be honest I thought the result was a fair result. There were many points of that game where we controlled it very fun."

PDA came out brightly on Tuesday, and cashmere midfielder Leandro Lemache cracked a shot off the post in the opening five minutes. About five minutes later Alec Neumann finished the job with a cool chip to put PDA up 1-0. The lead wasn't long lived, though, and the Sounders pulled it back 10 minutes later when David Olsen poked home a pinpoint cross from Duncan McCormick.

The game calmed down and was largely played in the middle third until PDA appeared to find the winner 10 minutes from time on a Zach Knudsen goal. But Crook's equalizer salvaged a point and kept the Sounders alive.

In the other Group 2 match of the day, IMG Academy defeated Real So Cal 3-2.

FC Dallas 3, Concorde Fire 0

FC Dallas earned a crucial three points to preserve its hopes at advancing to Finals Week to defend its U18 Academy crown. And FCD did it convincingly.

When paired with Albertson's 4-1 win over the Crew on Tuesday, FCD needs to beat Albertson by a margin of three goals on Thursday to win the group. Based on their attacking form from Tuesday, it would appear they're on their way.

Diego De La Tejera got the scoring started about 25 minutes in with a well-placed ball that curled into the far right netting. FCD kept pressing primarily with breakaways and long balls, and they got another just before the half. Marco Carrizales stung a low sidewinder just inside the right post for a 2-0 lead in the the break. FCD got its third just before the end of the game.

The win slots FC Dallas in second place in Group 3, behind Albertson SC side that defeated Crew Soccer Academy 3-0.

St. Louis Scott Gallagher 2, D.C. United 2

A dramatic and intense game only possible in the atmosphere of the Development Academy playoffs, a late equalizer by Jeffrey Hopson provided a valuable point for St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri, drawing 2-2 with D.C. United. 

D.C. United jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks in large part to Jorge Calix, who set up Denis Najar’s first half opener before scoring a sensational left-footed strike before the break.

Austin Panchot equalized from the penalty spot to cut the deficit to 2-1, and in the second half the Missouri outfit really dialed up the pressure on D.C. As the second half wore on, Gallagher threated through Panchot, winger Mark Segbers and finally snatching the tying goal thanks to Jeffrey Hopson cleaning up a deflected cross in front of goal.

“The more competitive the game, the harder it is to do the things that we’ve trained to do,” head coach Nolan Sheldon said after the game. “We enjoy games like that because it really challenges our players and gives us problems to solve. Unfortunately we didn’t do a good enough job keeping possession, and neutralizing their intensity by keeping the ball.”

Gallagher was able to get the equalizer even after being reduced to ten men in the second half, as D.C. failed to secure a third goal. Nigel Robinson had the best chance on the counter, only to see his shot snuffed by Jacob Leeker prior to the tying goal.

Real Salt Lake-AZ 2, CASL Chelsea FC 2

A second half penalty kick from Benji Lopez snatched a point for RSL, which saw an early lead slip away against a tough and organized CASL Chelsea side. Michael Hinkson scored twice for the Carolina side, which heads into a win and advance matchup on Thursday with St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri.

Five Stars of the Day:

F Jorge Calix, D.C. United: The wispy winger was involved in both of United's goals against Scott Gallagher, as he sent in a low, well-driven cross that was turned home, following that up with a great goal from distance. 

F Jordan Morris, Seattle Sounders: Morris didn't bag a goal on Tuesday in Seattle's 2-2 draw, but he made a number of rampaging runs and generally showed why Tab Ramos invited him to his most recent U20 camp as one of 35. The next time around, he could make the cut for the final 21.

MF Marco Carrizales, FC Dallas: Carrizales did work as one of the primary attackers through FC Dallas' midfield in a vibrant 3-0 win Tuesday. He also got a goal for his troubles, a picturesque low-burning strike that rightfully settled just inside the far post.

D Matthew Miazga, New York Red Bulls: The Red Bulls pitched their first shutout of the Academy Playoffs on Tuesday, and Miazga's capable organizational play was a primary factor. The U.S. U18 defender is one of the best center backs at the playoffs and showed it Tuesday.

MF Leandro Lemache, PDA: Lemache was as integral as anyone in their team's attacking flow Tuesday. He continually stoked PDA's forward play, which was routinely dangerous against Seattle's stout back line. 

Other scores:

Group 1
Vancouver Whitecaps 5, Houston Dynamo 2
Chicago Fire 0, PA Classics 0 

Group 5
Shattuck St. Mary's 2, Kendall SC 1
Pateadores 4, Solar Chelsea 4 

Group 6
Dallas Texans 2, LA Galaxy 0
New England Revolution 1, San Jose Earthquakes 1 

Group 7
Indiana Fire 0, De Anza Force 0
Baltimore Bays Chelsea 2, Chivas USA 0