PHOENIX, Arizona - Thirteen-year-old Emerson Hyndman did it again in Saturday’s U16 matchup between FC Dallas and the Development Academy Select Team.

As the youngest player on either of the competing teams, Hyndman found a way to make a name for himself.

“He’s a great player overall,” said teammate Jonathan Top. “He keeps up. He actually beats most of the older guys.”

Though it wasn’t until the second half that Hyndman was able to enter the game and it didn’t take long for him to add to the 1-0 lead gained by midfielder teammate David Robledo to increase the FC Dallas score to two.

“The whole point is to get him used to the speed of the game,” said FC Dallas Director of Players Development and head coach Oscar Pareja said. “It’s more physical. He’s able to play. I don’t have any doubt about it. He’s working; we’re very happy for him.”

In a game that was very obviously stacked with talent, points came few and far between, but winning wasn’t necessarily the most important goal on the weekend.

“Obviously, the goal for our Select games in the Showcase is to get exposure to multiple players in the Academy who have been identified by the scouting network,” said Select head coach Chris Brewer. “The purpose of these games is for player identification and that was our first game. I think that there are going to be some valuable lessons we learn in putting them in this environment.”

The first half produced noteworthy plays by both teams, but Select’s struggle to communicate left most of the work to their backline.

The size of defender Geno Bigelow, originally a part of the Colorado Rapid, in addition to the speed of midfielders Andre Reyes of the Dallas Texans and Alfred Edmonds of the DeAnza Force maintained control in the first half, but the team needed a more aggressive edge in order to stay competitive.

In the second half, it was the combination of forward Esteban Rodriguez Jr. and midfielder Joel Salmeron that shifted the momentum to Select.

Still, after two halves, it was FC Dallas that held onto the 2-0 lead that would win them the game.

“We did very well,” Pareja said. “We are very proud. The second half we played 95s, one 96 and many 94s. That’s a plan we have for this development program. The Showcase is a great opportunity for the kids to get seen by the coaches. I think it went very well.”

Academy Select Team No. 3

Goalkeepers: Alex Kapp (FC Westchester), Joshua McNeely (LA Galaxy)
Defenders: Geno Bigelow (Colorado Rapids), Malcolm Harris (Baltimore Bays Chelsea), Zachary Mathers (Solar SC), Bennett Yort (Charlotte Soccer Academy)
Midfielders: Marco Carrizales (FC Dallas), Bryan Celis (Houston Dynamo), Drew Conner (Chicago Fire), Alfred Edmonds (De Anza Force), Collin Martin (D.C. United), Andre Reyes (Dallas Texans), Joel Salmeron (Chicago Fire)
Forwards: Ethan Decker (NJSA 04), Nicholas Lima (Mustang SC), Esteban Rodriguez Jr. (LAFC Chelsea)

DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY DAY 2 RESULTS

U15/U16 BW Gottschee NYC 1, Vardar 0 Colorado Rush AJ Auxerre 0, Albertson SC 0 Baltimore Bays Chelsea 2, Crossfire Premier 1 Chicago Fire 0, Concorde Fire 0 Sockers FC 0, Santa Cruz County Breakers 0 Atlanta Fire United 2, De Anza Force 0 Crew Soccer Academy 1, San Diego Surf 0 Real So Cal 1, Indiana United Academy 0 Washington Premier FC 2, Empire United 1 Clearwater Chargers 4, Met Oval 2 CASL Chelsea FC Academy 1, Dallas Texans 1 PA Classics 1, Mustang SC 0 NJSA 04 2, McLean Youth Soccer 1 LA Galaxy 3, New York Red Bulls 2 FC Dallas 2, Academy 1 Miami FC Kendall 3, Andromeda 1 Chivas USA 2, Weston FC 2 FC Greater Boston 1, Classics Elite 0 Solar SC 4, New England Revolution 4 Lonestar Aztex Academy 1, Arsenal FC 1 Virginia Rush AJ Auxerre 1, Irvine Strikers 1 St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri 3, PDA 1 Potomac 1, IMG Soccer Academy 0 Charlotte Soccer Academy 1, California Development Academy 1 LAFC Chelsea 4, Richmond Strikers 2 St. Louis Scott Gallagher Metro 2, South Carolina United FC 1

U17/18 FC Dallas 3, LA Galaxy 1 Vardar 1, BW Gottschee 0 Colorado Rush AJ Auxerre 3, Albertson SC 2 Baltimore Bays Chelsea 0, Crossfire Premier 0 Chicago Fire 0, Concorde Fire 0 Sockers FC 1, Santa Cruz County Breakers 1 Atlanta Fire United 1, De Anza Force 1 Crew Soccer Academy 2, San Diego Surf 0 Indiana United Academy 2, Real So Cal 2 Empire United 2, Washington Premier FC 2 Clearwater Chargers 4, Met Oval 3 Dallas Texans 1, CASL Chelsea FC Academy 0 Mustang SC 1, PA Classics 0 McLean Youth Soccer 1, NJSA 04 1 Andromeda 4, Miami FC Kendall 2 Chivas USA 4, Weston FC 0 New York Red Bulls 4, Academy Select 4, FC Greater Boston 4, Classics Elite 3 Solar SC 1, New England Revolution 0 Lonestar Aztex Academy 4, Arsenal FC 2 Irvine Strikers 2, Virginia Rush AJ Auxerre 1 St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri 2, PDA 1 Potomac 0, IMG Soccer Academy 0 California Development Academy 3, Charlotte Soccer Academy 2 LAFC Chelsea 1, Richmond Strikers 1 St. Louis Scott Gallagher Metro 3, South Carolina United FC 1 Houston Dynamo 0, Match Fit Chelsea 0