TUKWILA, Wash. – Toronto FC made history on Thursday at the 2012 Generation adidas Cup, but it was not enough for the Reds to lift any hardware at Starfire Sports Complex.

The Canadian club became the first academy to send both of its teams to the finals of the six-year-old MLS youth competition.

Ultimately, Toronto FC came up just short in both contests with a 4-3 defeat in penalty kicks to Philadelphia Union in the U17 final and a 2-1 overtime loss to Chivas USA in the U15 championship match.

TFC, the lone MLS club without representation in the USSF Development Academy, impressed many coaches and scouts this week with sound technical play from every player on the roster. 

“Toronto FC is a good team,” Philadelphia Union U17 head coach Jim Curtin told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “Their U15 team is very good too. It was good competition.”

Philadelphia Union U17 2-2 (4-3 in penalty kicks) Toronto FC U17

Philadelphia Union’s Joseph Julius was a handful for Toronto FC in the first half. The target forward outmuscled the center backs and setup his teammates to run off of him for shots on goal, but it was Julius who would actually open the scoring.

Union Home Grown player Zach Pfeffer hustled to a blocked shot that the goalkeeper left his line to scope up. The midfielder was a step quicker and TFC’s keeper was caught in no-man’s land. Pfeffer had no angle on the open net, so he played the ball back to Julius who placed his shot in between a few defenders and into the goal.

“Joey [Julius] is a guy who turned the heads of a lot of college coaches this week,” Curtin said. “He is a kid I rate highly. He has a great engine.”

Despite a noticeable disadvantage in possession, Union looked like it would head into the halftime break with a 1-0 lead until a stunning goal from TFC winger Jordan Hamilton put the teams back on level terms just moments before the break. 

Hamilton’s goal was a touch of class. The 16-year-old curled the ball from 25 yards out into the upper corner of the net for the equalizer.

Following the goal, Union went back on the attack. Pfeffer broke through the TFC defense and rifled a shot at the far post, but missed just wide of the net.

The halftime break favored Union, as the Pennsylvania club grabbed better hold of the ball, but TFC would be the one to take the lead in the 61st minute.

Mark Wadid was sent in on the defense with a long ball. Wadid cut back on his right foot as the two center backs closed on him. The forward duplicated Hamilton’s earlier effort with a curling effort into the upper corner and put the Canadian club on top 2-1.

That lead only lasted for a few seconds before Union’s Maximilian Kroschwitz found the equalizer.

“We talk about a immediate response after we score and after we give up a goal,” Curtin said. “I don’t think [TFC] had a chance to settle down, and we got after them.”

Kroschwitz raced down the right side of the field, past a defender, and ripped a shot into the bottom corner of the net for the game-tying goal.

“It was a turning point of the game,” Curtin added. “From that point, we had a little bit better of the play, but could not find the go-ahead goal.”

Union did enjoy a few chances, but TFC had the best chance before the game went to penalty kicks.

Two minutes into the first overtime period, Toronto sent a corner kick into the box that was headed on frame. Union goalkeeper Zachary Steffen could not get over to it, but Pfeffer, who was stationed on the post, headed it away.

The rest of the overtime did not showcase much action, as both teams looked exhausted from their fifth game in seven days.

“You could tell both team were fatigued toward the end of the game,” Curtin said. “It was kind of a game looking for one team to pull a play off, but neither was able to.”

Deadlocked at 2-2, the teams had to settle who lifted the cup and earned a trip via the adidas International Training Program with penalty kicks. 

Hamilton stepped up first for Toronto, but Steffen was not going to let him score twice on the day.

“I had a feeling he was going to go left,” Steffen told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “I dove, put my hand out, and stopped it.”

The next seven kickers all converted their chances with Connor Maloney, Pfeffer, Joseph, and Brian White making their shots for Union. Dylan Sacramento, Manuel Aparicio, Eli Roubos were on point for TFC.

The game came down to Wadid against Steffen, and once again the keeper was not going to let someone score on him twice in one game.

“I got a read on him,” Steffen said. “It actually got me in the eye, but, hey, it’s a save.”

Both of Steffen’s saves showed off the athletic prowess of the keeper who is also the starter for the U.S. U18 Men’s National Team.

“Zach Steffen has a very bright future,” Curtin said. “He made a lot of big saves for us. Down the line, he is a guy you are going to be seeing play on Saturdays and Sundays in MLS.”

Coach Curtin will also be directing the first TDS Combine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Septemer 30, 2012. Click here for info and to register for this event.

 

Philadephia Union U17 GA Cup Roster:

Zachary Steffen, Kylier White, Zach Pfeffer, William McConnell, Brian White, William Campbell, Ian Davies, Conlan Kemmer, Austin Kuhn, Zachary Zandi, Andrew Skundrich, Kenneth Lassiter, Kazari Trought, Connor Maloney, Joseph Julius, Matthew Greer, Maximilian Kroschwitz, Leandro Lemache

NOTES:

Columbus Crew U17 midfielder Nathan Kohl won the Golden Boot for the competition. Ironically, Kohl only scored one goal during the Development Academy season last year while playing with the Crew U16 squad.

Billy McConnell was very good for the Union at center back. His timely interceptions and distribution out of the back made the difference during some key moments.

With any Home Grown player, there are expectations to live up to given the professional contract. On Thursday, Zach Pfeffer lived up to the billing. Playing in a center midfield role, Pfeffer was sublime on the ball and set a good example for the rest of his squad.

Columbus Crew took third place at the event with a 3-2 win over San Jose Earthquakes in the placement game. U17 Men’s National Team midfielder Benny Swanson scored the game-winning goal.

 

Chivas USA U15 2-1 Toronto FC

Jorge Ruiz scored two goals in four minutes (of game time) and clinched the first Generation adidas Cup title for Chivas USA.

Ruiz first found the back of the net in the 67th minute when he tapped in a rebound after Ivan Gutierrez torched his defender and fired a shot at the far post. The TFC keeper parried the shot away, but right into the path of Ruiz who put it in.

“I tried to stay onside,” Ruiz told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “As soon as [Gutierrez] shot it, I ran in. And it dropped for me; right place, right time.”

Ruiz’s goal, which came with only three minutes left in regulation, was the equalizer.

Toronto FC had the go-ahead goal in the 53^rd minute via a penalty kick. Luca Uccello converted the kick from the spot to give TFC the lead.

“There were some doubts,” Ruiz said when asked if he thought the tying-goal was going to come. “But you have to keep fighting, and we did.”

In overtime, it was Gutierrez and Ruiz again who made the difference. Gutierrez sliced apart the right side of the TFC defense then hit a cross into the box. The ball clipped off the hand of the defender and the refereed awarded a penalty kick.

Ruiz made easy work of the spot kick to give the Goats a 2-1 advantaged.

“We definitely progressed throughout the week,” Chivas USA U15 head coach Mike Munoz told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “I don’t think we started particularly well. It is a new group with a lot of young kids who aren’t used to the academy setup.

“I think they responded well and got up for the challenge. It is always good to have your best game in the final and they definitely had their best game today.”

When asked about why Gutierrez, who was sensational while on the field, came off the bench instead of starting, Munoz cited the tournament rules.

“The GA Cup has specific rules about the amount of starts for players,” Munoz said. “He was one those we wanted to start but couldn’t get in right from the beginning. We knew he would be a thread off the bench as Toronto got tired. His pace is phenomenal.”

Chivas USA Generation adidas Cup roster:

Raymond Rodriguez, Billy Abdallah, Daniel Crisostomo, Orlando Perez, Promise Adebayo-Ige, Jaime Serna, Francisco Lara, Jason Ballejo, Kevin Reyes, Cesar Becerra, Arturo Garcia Jr., Malcolm Jones, Ivan Gutierrez, Alejandro Vergara, Dylan Juarez, Jorge Ruiz, Jacob Roberts, Kedrian Ramos, Steven Sambrano, Hugo Arellano

NOTES:

Malcolm Jones played exceptionally well at center back for Chivas USA. Jones played outside back for the Chivas USA U16 Development Academy team last year, and is competing for one of the outside back positions with the U17 Men’s National Team.

“We think his future is there and not at outside back,” Munoz said.

Alejandro Vergara, also known as Lil’ Messi, was excellent on Thursday. His darting runs at the Toronto defense nearly resulted in a few goals. Vergara had a beautiful shot from 25 yards out clang off the crossbar. The tiny playmaker played for cross-town rival LA Galaxy last season.

The biggest surprise of the day was Gutierrez who basically took over the game for Chivas USA. The speedy winger was unstoppable. He was born in 1998, so he is eligible for the 2015 U17 World Cup cycle. He played last season with Blues Youth SC.

Toronto FC’s Luca Uccello was the Golden Boot winner for the U15 age group. The TFC captain had five goals in five games.

LA Galaxy U15 took third place with 1-0 win over Chicago Fire in the placement game.