Grande Sports Academy, Casa Grande, AZ – This past weekend Real Salt Lake – Arizona U18 and U16 Soccer Academy teams headed out to sunny San Diego to play double headers against local San Diego Surf and Nomads SC teams. It was a fantastic battle as the RSL-AZ teams played some high quality matches throughout Saturday and Sunday and took a huge 10 out of a possible 12 points back home to Grande Sports Academy with 3 well deserved wins and a draw to extend their unbeaten streak to 5 games.
Both teams were off to a successful start on Saturday, winning 2-0 and 4-1 against their first opponent, the San Diego Surf. On Sunday the RSL-AZ U18 team had another shutout win as they defeated the Nomads SC with a score of 3-0. The younger U16 RSL-AZ Academy team was the superior team against their opposition as well, enjoying majority of the possession and creating more chances, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
With these great results both Grande Sports Academy teams solidified their positions at the top of the Southwest Division in the Western Conference of U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
There is no time to rest though as both teams get to defend their top position this upcoming weekend at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Arizona. The RSL-AZ Academy teams will face another Major League Soccer Academy, the newcomers – Portland Timbers this upcoming Saturday, October 20 at 10am and 12:30pm respectively.
RSL-AZ U18 vs. San Diego Surf
In the first game of the weekend RSL-AZ U18s faced the local San Diego Surf. RSL-AZ came out strong and established their fast paced passing style of play right from the start. They passed the ball around with confidence and it paid off early in the game as Jose “Coco” Navarro sliced through the Surf defense before finding Benji Lopez flashing in on goal. Lopez took his opportunity well slotting the ball under the advancing goalkeeper to give RSL-AZ a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute. In the second half Navarro, who just recently committed to Marquette, again led the attack this time feeding Jose Hernandez a nice through ball. Hernandez still had some work to do as he rounded the goalkeeper and tapped the ball into the back of the net for the final score (2-0) of the game. RSL-AZ’s goalkeeper Luis Barraza orchestrated his defense very well as they got the shutout win.
RSL-AZ U18 starting lineup
GK: Luis Barraza.
Def: Ive Burnett, Lucas Seligman, Jon Stadler, Isaias Juarez.
Mid: Jose Hernandez, Trevor Hyman, Riggs Lennon, Antonio Murrillo.
Fwd: Benji Lopez, Jose Navarro.
RSL-AZ U18 vs. Nomads SC
On a sunny Sunday afternoon the RSL-AZ academy came up against a resolute Nomads team that were determined to stop the Arizonians attack, but Benji Lopez and Riggs Lennon had other ideas as they combined for three goals and another RSL-AZ shutout win.
17 minutes into the first half Jose Hernandez waltzed through the Nomads midfield before brilliantly finding Lennon sprinting in from the left wing. With the goal at his mercy the big lefty made no mistake in finding the net for a 1-0 lead.
Only 5 minutes later RSL-AZ was two goals up. Isaias Juarez burst forward down the right hand side from his defensive position, finding the feet of Lopez who left the Nomads’ defender spinning in the wind with a wonderful move and fired a rocket that the goalkeeper could only helplessly watch hit the back of the net.
In the closing stages of the match Lopez was brought down in the box by Nomads’ defender. Lopez stepped up to take the penalty kick himself and score his second goal of the game and third goal of the weekend. RSL-AZ goalkeeper Barraza recorded his second shutout win in two games as his team finished with a 3-0 win.
RSL-AZ U18 starting lineup
GK: Luis Barraza.
Def: Ive Burnett, Lucas Seligman, Jon Zabasajja, Isaias Juarez.
Mid: Jose Hernandez, Trevor Hyman, Riggs Lennon, Luis Chavez.
Fed: Benji Lopez, Jose Navarro.
RSL-AZ U16 vs. San Diego Surf
The RSL-AZ U16’s came out of the gate fast and furious and never looked back as the San Diego Surf had no answers to RSL-AZ’s fast paced attacking style of play, especially in the first half. It took 17 minutes for the Grande Sports Academy boys to break the dead lock. Brooks Lennon, who already had several dangerous forays down the left flank found Moises Rodriguez with a nice cross that Rodriguez pulled down with a deft touch before hammering a left footed shot beyond the Surf goalkeeper. Rodriguez needed only 10 minutes to get on the score sheet for the second time in the game. Damian German set up the goal with some crafty footwork, beating a couple of defenders before sliding the ball to Rodriguez, who had an easy tap in.
Within a minute, the Surf punished RSL-AZ for some slack play in the midfield as they stole the ball and pulled one back. The goal only slowed RSL-AZ down for a moment as they responded quickly with a goal in the 34th minute. After flashing down the left wing yet again, Lennon crossed to Rodriguez, who flicked the ball goal ward and German made sure the ball crossed the line heading in from point blank range. RSL-AZ continued to keep the possession effectively in the second half closing the game with a Surf own goal as Elias Rieland hit a hard crossing ball that the Surf defender turned into his own net for a final 4-1 win.
RSL-AZ U16 starting lineup
GK: Christian Hererra.
Def: Jason Eng, Justen Glad, Dillon Nino, Diego Silva.
Mid: Odolfo Ovalle, Luis Lopez, Damian German, Damian German.
Fwd: Moises Rodrigues, Sebastian Saucedo.
RSL-AZ U16 vs. Nomads SC
The final game of the weekend saw the RSL-AZ U16s finding the going tough against a Nomads team that played all 11 players behind the ball for most of the game. For the third time this past weekend, it took 17 minutes for RSL-AZ to take a well-deserved lead through Diego Silva’s well taken header off of a quality cross from Moises Rodriguez. Although RSL-AZ dominated possession throughout the game they could not get the second goal and in the 65th minute Gerardo Camerena hit a long strike that eluded RSL-AZ goalkeeper Chase Bishov tying the game and setting the final score at 1-1.
RSL-AZ U16 starting lineup
GK: Chase Bishov
Def: Jason Eng, Justen Glad, Dillon Nino, Diego Silva.
Mid: Odolfo Ovalle, Luis Lopez, Damian German, Andrew Avram.
Fwd: Moises Rodrigues, Josh Doughty.