Odyssey, Fire advance to DA championship

Odyssey, Fire advance to DA championship
July 13, 2010

Day 3 Results | Day 2 Results | Day 1 Results

After only two days of play in the U15/16 division at Finals Week, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy championship match is set.

Cal Odyssey and Chicago Fire used spectacular goals and timely draws between the other teams to get through to the final with 6 points each.

But while they jubilate, others search for answers. What went right, and what went wrong for all eight teams?

Here’s our take.

boys club soccer youth soccerU16 CASL and Baltimore Bays battle for a tie
Cal Odyssey 2 – 1 Internationals

After two wins in two games, Cal Odyssey proved all the doubters wrong (including us), and became the first team at Finals Week to advance to the national championship game.

It wasn’t always easy, though.

The Internationals got off to a hot start and gained a 1-0 advantage in the 11th minute when Russell Tattersall found the net from 15 yards out.

But in the second period, Odyssey’s Jon-Paul Medina started controlling the flow of play with a series of slashing runs and perfectly weighted passes to spring his teammates to goal. The pressure became too much in the 55th minute, when Internationals defender Vlad Lekarev tried to shield a ball out of bounds for a goal kick, but Odyssey’s Gregory Antognoli muscled it away and punched it past the keeper for the score.

The Internationals controlled possession for most of the game (target forward Nicholas Parianos did very well holding the ball up top), but the Odyssey counterattack, with Medina and Villyan Bijev at the helm, was simply overwhelming.

Odyssey threatened throughout the second half – they had two pretty goals called back because of offside – and Daniel Flores finally found the decisive score on a set piece to the far post in the 71st minute.

By virtue of the win and a tie between Baltimore and CASL, Odyssey are through to the final, and after the game coach J.J. Wozniak was proud of his overachieving team.  

“We knew coming in we were in a tremendous bracket, with all elite teams,” he said. “It took us a little while today to settle into the Internationals’ style of play, and being down 1-0 at halftime, our guys knew we had to respond in the second half. We made a couple of adjustments, but our guys just plain executed, and they deserve every bit of the success. It’s just an unbelievable feeling to be through to the final.”  

Baltimore Bays 0 – 0 CASL Chelsea FC Academy


The consensus favorite in the U16 division coming into Finals Week, the Baltimore Bays will pack their bags after failing to muster even a single goal in two games.

Baltimore needed a full three points for a chance to advance, but an inability to finish left them kicking the dirt.

Michael Gamble’s prodigious skill-set was again on display, and though his presence drew the entire CASL defense and opened space for wide players such as Ryan Kennedy, he was never able to find a proper shooting lane to threaten goal.

Matthew Shinsky and Seth Moses were industrious and constantly involved in the middle, but their frustration worked against them as they tried to generate a rhythm in the second half. Baltimore dominated possession and controlled the middle of the field, but could do nothing in the final third of the field, and the results show it.

CASL, meanwhile, couldn’t find the net either. Monbo Bokar and Cooper Vandermaas-Peeler were dangerous up top, but their every attempt on goal was stymied by the superb efforts of Baltimore ‘keeper Andrew Harris.

After an outstanding year, Finals Week was a disappointment for both of these proud clubs, and both were in tears after the final whistle. Their future remains bright – but a national championship will have to wait another year.

Chicago Fire 2 – 0 D.C. United


Chicago Fire turned in a fantastic performance, equal parts grit and grace, against D.C. United Monday, and might be the most impressive team at Finals Week so far.

D.C. has its share of fine players (Jalen Robinson, Cody Albrecht and Dario Redondo spring to mind), but on this day Chicago was dominant in every phase.

Defenders David Caban and Anthony Torres were extremely physical, using great core strength and positioning to shut down the D.C. attack. Central midfielder Victor Pineda was everywhere, making tackles and sending balls all over the field. Andrew Connor was a work-horse in the midfield, chasing down players and distributing to spring the attack.

And Luis Medina scored the goal of his life. A deflected pass left the ball bouncing in front of him, and from 30 yards out he stepped up and cracked it – a laser that blew by the D.C. keeper before he knew what had hit him. An amazing display of power from the smallest player on the field.

“The reason I scored was, I was so mad, my teammates were playing predictably,” Medina explained, “but then I just saw the ball bouncing in front of me. I like bouncing balls, and I got a good hit it on it, and luckily the defender didn’t get a touch on it. The feeling was great and it flew right in.”

With his team advancing to Friday’s final, Wednesday’s game is a mere formality. How does Chicago prepare for the next two games? Medina’s answer was simple.

“Hydrate. Relax. Rest. No fooling around in the hotel.”

And maybe enjoy a celebratory cup of Gatorade.

De Anza Force 1 – 1 Sockers FC

Another tie, another early exit.

De Anza’s hopes of staying in the hunt for a final berth got an early boost when Christian Dean scored off an assist from Anthony Panayides in the 9th minute, and De Anza peppered the Socker goal with shots in the first quarter hour.  

But the Sockers equalized with a goal from Thomas Arns in the 21st minute, and play was evenly divided for the rest of the game.

De Anza’s Hector Joya and the Sockers’ Damien Sampson had several lively battles along the right wing, and Stefano Bonomo created a few nice scoring chances, including a bruising one-touch volley from the right that missed barely wide in the 64th minute.

David Selvaggi of the Sockers worked tirelessly putting pressure on the De Anza defense, and Khaliq McKenzie did well to draw a penalty in the 78th minute. But with the game on the line, he missed the shot wide left, and the writing was on the wall.

An excellent season, but both teams will have to set their championship hopes aside.

Here’s a look at how the U15/16 standings shook out on Day 3:

Group One
Chicago Fire Academy: 6 points (advance to Final)
De Anza Force: 2
D.C. United Academy: 1
Sockers FC: 1

Group Two
Cal Odyssey: 6 points (advance to Final)
Baltimore Bays Chelsea: 2
CASL Chelsea FC Academy: 1
Internationals: 1

Tomorrow, U17/18 competition will feature:

Group One

Derby County Wolves vs. FC Dallas
Crossfire Premier vs. CASL Chelsea FC Academy

Group Two
Real So Cal vs. Baltimore Bays Chelsea
Concorde Fire vs. Vardar

Day 3 Results | Day 2 Results | Day 1 Results

Trending Videos
 
IMG Academy Top 150 Rankings
see full ranking:
Boys Girls