U16 Final pairings in question at Finals Week

U16 Final pairings in question at Finals Week
July 15, 2010

Day 5 Results | Day 4 Results | Day 3 Results | Day 2 Results | Day 1 Results

On the final day of U15/16 group play at the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals, there was little drama as the championship match had already been set.

Cal Odyssey and Chicago Fire, who both won their respective groups Monday, could be excused for looking ahead to Friday’s final. But for everyone else, there was plenty to play for.

Pairings for the 3rd place, 5th and 7th place games were at stake in Wednesday’s games – as well as club honor and pride – and viewers were treated to four wide-open, fast-paced games.

Here’s how it all shook out.

boys club soccer youth soccerEven with little at stake, Day 5 was contested
Baltimore Bays 2 – 0 Cal Odyssey

Cal Odyssey took the liberty of resting starters and testing the depth of its roster, while Baltimore was just trying to net its first goal of the tournament.

To that end, the game went somewhat predictably: Baltimore dominated possession, looked loose and free to take some risks, while Odyssey sat back defensively, content to let the game play out.

As a result, we saw from Baltimore flashes of what might have been.

Seth Moses scored a beautiful goal from the left side of the penalty area in the 35th minute, a curling strike that found the side netting inside the far post. Moses and Matthew Shinsky played clean possession all game long, swinging the ball wide to Kyle DeVinney and Michael Kovach to open the flow of play.

Rarely seen Odyssey attackers Angel Parra and Ricky Coppo looked promising in the second half, but Baltimore defenders Zachary Wenger, Michael Greene and Christian Wulff played off each other well to stymie the Odyssey attack.

In the end, Baltimore’s Michael Gamble – who scored on a penalty in the 53rd minute – knew his team had underperformed, but that all was not lost.

“When we tied Monday [and were eliminated from championship contention], we were very disappointed,” he said. “But we knew we had to prove ourselves in this game. If we can’t go out there and show honor and pride for our club, what’s the point of playing? From the beginning of the season, we didn’t say we just wanted to get to finals – we wanted to win it. We’re disappointed that that’s not an option anymore, but we’re going to do the best we can to fight for third place. We expect to win our next game.”

In the end, it was too little to late for Baltimore, and a third place finish would be small consolation. Cal Odyssey, meanwhile, will play the biggest game in its history in Friday’s national championship game.

Internationals 1 – 0 CASL Chelsea FC Academy

In a game in which both teams were simply trying to avoid a last place finish in Group Two, the Internationals game out on top thanks mainly to the heroic efforts of goalkeeper Jacob Russell.

Russell made three goal-saving blocks against a feisty CASL attack, and Scott Scaperato’s 71st minute goal was enough for the International win.

CASL’s Cooper Vandermaas-Peeler took a wicked curling shot to the far post in the first half, but Russell made an acrobatic leap to tip the ball wide. In the second half, a pass from Bryan Roque found Vandermass-Peeler in a one-on-one with Russell, but he came off his line to smother the ball before a shot could be released; and minutes later, Russell made another diving save to block a header from CASL forward Manbo Bokar.

The Internationals will play in the fifth-place match Friday, and though it's not exactly where coach Jared Embick had envisioned his team earlier in the week, Finals Week has been a valuable experience for a young team still improving. 

“We wanted to finish strong,” he said, “and obviously we want to win. But the goal is also to get better and better each game. This tournament is about testing yourself at the highest level, feeding your hunger to improve, and we feel confident that this was our best effort of the tournament so far. Our guys can certainly hold their heads high.”

boys club soccer youth soccer
De Anza Force 2 – 0 Chicago Fire


In the second game of the day in which only one team had real incentive to win, De Anza thoroughly outplayed a Fire team whose sights are firmly set on Friday’s national championship.

Midfielders Christian Dean and Hector Joya continued their strong play and made slashing runs repeatedly through heart of the Fire midfield. Dean’s long ball to Matthew Escobar in the 35th minute led to Escobar being chopped down in the box, after which Stefano Bonomo put away a penalty with ease.

Captain Alfred Edmonds was very active from his spot in the right defense, and got on the end of a Bonomo cross for a goal in first half extra time.

Although the Fire looked asleep for much of the game, we got so see some unfamiliar faces make an impact. Patryk Ruta and Henrik Egly combined nicely in tight space in the first half, and Egly’s 31st minute header grazed just off the goal post and out.

Ruta also had a good chance on goal to open the second half, but De Anza ‘keeper Sean Lyons was well positioned to make the save.

In the end, De Anza was clearly the more motivated team, and the Fire can be forgiven for looking ahead toward Friday’s final. De Anza has a special collection of talent, though, and it’s a shame they waited until the final group game to show it.

Sockers FC 1 – 0 D.C. United


The Sockers have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch at Finals Week, mainly because of the sheer heart and drive they show game after game.

Midfielder/forward David Selvaggi has been a revelation, and his tireless work rate and selfless play galvanize the entire Sockers team.

Khaliq McKenzie, who by his standards has underperformed this week, finally broke out and had his first exceptional performance of the tournament. The game’s only goal came in the 57th minute when McKenzie took on two defenders along the right wing, bolted to the goal line and found Damien Sampson waiting at the goalmouth to punch it in.

Sockers defenders Taylor Cole and Charlie Giovenco were superb, and did a nice job containing pesky United attackers Cody Albrecht and Kainoa Bailey. Their only mistake was letting Cody Albrecht get free at the 18 on one occasion in the second half, but his shot was parried away by Sockers goalkeeper Hugo Gonzales.

United’s Jalen Robinson stood out with his smooth and silky composure on the ball, but he was unable to penetrate the Sockers’ defensive wall, and the team from Chicago deservedly got their first win of the tournament.

They’ll play the Internationals for fifth place on Friday.

Here’s a look at the final U15/16 group standings. On Friday, the first, second, third and fourth place finishers in each group meet their counterpart to determine the final tournament rankings.

Group One
Chicago Fire Academy: 6 points (win Group One)
De Anza Force: 5
Sockers FC: 4
D.C. United Academy: 1

Group Two
Cal Odyssey: 6 points (win Group Two)
Baltimore Bays Chelsea: 5
Internationals: 4
CASL Chelsea FC Academy: 1

And Thursday, the final U17/18 group standings will be determined by the following contests:

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

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

Be sure to check back with us everyday, as things are just starting to heat up here at Academy Finals Week in Carson, California. 

Day 5 Results | Day 4 Results | Day 3 Results | Day 2 Results | Day 1 Results

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