Academy Recap: Picking up wins
It’s always a good weekend when a Development Academy side can go through four separate games and come away with four wins.
That was the case for the Chicago Fire over the weekend, as the MLS Academy side secure the full points against both Shattuck St. Mary’s and Minnesota Thunder, which visited the Chicago area on Saturday and Sunday.
The Fire opened things up with a comprehensive 4-1 win for its U18s over the Thunder, while goals from Michael Jimenez and Martin Alba provided the difference for the U16s.
Jake Taylor and Cody Witkowski each tallied for the U18s in a 2-1 win over Shattuck St. Mary’s on Sunday, and Alex Underwood and Martin Alba both scored for the U16s in an identical score line.
East Conference
It was a pair of big wins for CASL Chelsea over Orlando City, in a meeting of two Southeast rivals. CASL U18s won 5-2 on the back of a two-goals performance from Thomas Labriola, while the U16s secure a narrow 2-1 victory to make it a clean sweep for the North Carolina club.
A meeting of two Philadelphia Union affiliates, PDA and FC Delco, failed to yield many goals. After the two U18 sides drew 0-0, the two U16s managed just a single goal between them, Brian White from PDA scoring a 77th minute winner.
Christian Alcorn scored a 92nd minute equalizer for the Richmond Kickers U18s, to snatch a point against McLean Youth Soccer in a 2-2 draw. Sheldon Sullivan’s 79th minute strike nearly stood up as the winner.
The wins continued for the New York Red Bulls Academy outfits, as the MLS side won 7-0 over Met Oval U18s, while the U16s were victorious U16s. Two goals by Nicholas King secured three points for the Kickers U16s.
Austin Lenart bagged the game-winning goal for NJSA 04 U18s, scoring in the 89th minute to secure a 3-2 victory against Match Fit Academy, a battle of two New Jersey sides. Match Fit U16s won the other matchup 1-0.
Central Conference
It was almost a four-win weekend for Crew Soccer Academy Wolves. The U18s beat FC Milwaukee and Sockers FC 2-0 and 3-1 respectively, while the U16s won 4-1 and lost 1-0 to Sockers.
A clash of two MLS Academies in the Midwest provided a pair of close encounters between Sporting Kansas City and the Colorado Rapids. Isaac Martinez and Oscar Montes each found the back of the net for the Rapids U18s, which won 2-1. Sporting KC U16s won the other game of the day, with Logan Lucas providing both tallies in a 2-1 victory.
The two sides played again on Sunday, with Sporting KC U18s winning 4-3.
Four goals for FC Dallas secured a comfortable 4-0 win for the U18s against Texas Rush. Ethan Sonis, Yomeri Reyes, Yannick Koffi and Bobby Edet all chipped in on the scoring.
West Conference
Having missed out on the U17 MNT roster for the failed qualifying effort down in Panama, Bradford Jamieson IV put four past Strikers FC in an 8-2 victory for Chivas USA U16s. Caleb Calvert led the way for the U18s, scoring twice in a 5-0 win for Chivas.
Real Salt Lake-AZ enjoyed a nice trip to the west coast, with Trevor Hyman’s 51st minute strike proving decisive for the U18s, in a 2-1 win against the San Diego Surf. It was an identical score line in the U16 encounter, with Moises Rodriguez and Diego Silva providing the goals for RSL.
Kevin De Le Torre and Dante Medina provided the scoring punch for Pateadores U18s, securing a 2-1 win over Real So Cal. Luis Carbajal scored a hat trick in the U16 match, as Real So Cal won that meeting 4-0.
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