Pro Prospects: U17 star on trial in Holland

Pro Prospects: U17 star on trial in Holland
by J.R. Eskilson
May 8, 2013

Last week, multiple news outlets from the Netherlands reported that U.S. U17 Men’s National Team standout Rubio Rubin was on trial with FC Utrecht.

Rubio Rubin, boys club soccer, FC UtrechtRubio Rubin

The attacker from Oregon had a goal and an assist in an exhibition game with the FC Utrecht first team during his first few days there.

The notoriously stiff rules against foreign players in the Eredivisie may make a move to the technical, skillful league challenging for the former Portland Timbers Academy member.

Rubin led the U17 MNT in scoring in the buildup to the CONCACAF Championship with 12 goals in 32 appearances. He failed to score at the qualifying event, and the U.S. crashed out in the quarterfinals with a 3-1 loss to Honduras, which ended a streak of 14 consecutive appearances at the U17 World Cup.

FC Utrecht currently sits in the fifth spot in the Eredivisie with one game remaining on the schedule.

U.S. U18 Men’s National Team players enjoy success in Germany

Julian Green had a goal and two assists for Bayern Munich U19, as the Bundesliga champion’s youth team crushed Karlsruher SC 5-2 on Saturday. Green has 10 goals in 25 appearances this season, which is good for second on the squad in scoring.

Bayern Munich also clinched the U-19 Bundesliga Sud/Sudwest championship with the win last week. Green and his teammates finish the season on Sunday with a road game against Stuttgarter Kickers.

Also in Germany, American teenager Russell Canouse scored a scintillating goal in the opening stages of Hoffenheim U19’s 2-2 draw with the aforementioned Stuttgarter Kickers. It was the first goal of the season for the midfielder in his 16th appearance.

Fellow U.S. U18 MNT midfielder Zach Pfeffer came on at half time in the draw.

Hoffenheim U19 ends the season with a road game against Augsburg. The two Americans sit in third place in the Bundesliga Sud/Sudwest Division.

U.S. youth national teams plan trips to Europe

The U.S. U15 Boys National Team wrapped up a tournament in Italy/Croatia/Austria last week with a semifinal appearance. The U.S. advanced from a group of Chile, Slovenia, and Italy with a 2-0 win over Slovenia and a pair of draws against the other teams.

The U.S. lost 2-1 to Croatia in the semifinal.

Fiorentina Academy and former Chivas USA Academy standout Joshua Perez had two goals for the U.S. during the competition. FC Dallas Academy attacker Alejandro Zendejas also scored for the youth national team.

Japan won the competition with a 2-0 result over Croatia in the final.

Next up in the European adventures are the U14 BNT, U18 Men’s National Team, and U20 MNT. The U18 MNT is being called into a camp in Portugal, which is set to begin on May 16.

The U14 BNT, under the guidance of Hugo Perez, is headed to Croatia for an international tournament with games against Estonia, Croatia, and Hungary. The U14 BNT departs on May 19 for Europe. A week later, the U20 MNT heads to France for the Toulon Tournament, which will be one of the final tune-ups prior to the World Cup.

Tab Ramos and his squad open the competition with a game against France on May 28. 

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