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The Real Salt Lake U-16 Academy dropped their second group game of Finals Week to the Houston Dynamo 1-0. With the loss, Real Salt Lake is not eliminated, but also has lost control of the group. For Real Salt Lake to advance to the championship game on Saturday, they need to beat Texans SC, and the Dynamo need to lose or draw with Albertson SC. Both games will be played on Thursday night.
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Houston, TX – The Real Salt Lake U-16 Academy team dropped the second group game of Finals Week to the Houston Dynamo 1-0 at the Houston Amateur Sports Park on Tuesday night.
Picture gallery from the game here
With the loss, Real Salt Lake is not eliminated, but also has lost control of the group. For Real Salt Lake to advance to the championship game on Saturday, they need to beat Texans SC, and the Dynamo need to lose or draw with Albertson SC. Both games will be played on Thursday night.
The Houston Dynamo earned a foul :58 seconds into the match, and converted the free-kick moments later when it was perfectly placed in the upper right corner.
RSL shook off the early deficit and started to attack, but without purpose and at times were a little sloppy before another stroke of luck happened. For the second consecutive game, officials stopped the match due to a lightning storm that passed over the field. The 77 minute delay allowed RSL coaches to reorganize the team and it showed once the game was back up and running.
RSL attacking with purpose this time earned a penalty in the 29th minute when Damian German was taken down in the box. Moises Rodriguez stepped up and hit the post on the ensuing spot-kick. RSL determined to equalize before the half sent in a flurry of shots. The most notable was when Fito Ovalle blasted a screamer from 30 yards out that knuckled in the air. The Dynamo goalkeeper held his ground and saved what looked to be an equaling goal.
After the halftime break the Dynamo looked to extend their lead and had their second shot of the game in the 41st minute that went wide right. RSL then earned a free-kick 7 minutes later from a dangerous spot in front of the net. Bofo Saucedo stepped up and sent in a curling shot that was saved by the Dynamo goalkeeper.
Because RSL had to push players forward to equalize, the defense at times became exposed. There were two nerve-racking moments in the second half that could have been called for penalties against RSL. The first was in the 55th minute and the second in the 64th. Both times the ref was uninterested in the pleas coming from the Dynamo bench.
As the game continued RSL had chances but could not get a clean look on the net. Three different headers were saved by the Dynamo goalkeeper and the next best chance on goal; a free-kick from Brooks Lennon was saved again in the closing minutes.
RSL sent players forward in stoppage time, but it was not enough as the Dynamo outlasted them.
Next game for RSL will be against Texans SC on Thursday night. Kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT/4:30 Arizona time.
On Tuesday night, the Real Salt Lake U-16 Academy team will be looking to take a commanding lead in their group at Finals Week, when they take on the Houston Dynamo at Houston Amateur Sports Park in Houston, Texas.
Kickoff will be 8:30 p.m. CT/6:30 p.m. Arizona time. Fans can watch the game for free here. http://hi-podcasts.mybigcommerce.com/houston-field-2/
Fans can also follow the action on twitter as well.
In the first group game of Finals Week, Real Salt Lake defeated Albertson SC 3-1. Goals were scored by Diego “Diablo” Silva, Jose Hernandez and Sebastian “Bofo Saucedo”
In the other group game the Houston Dynamo played Texans SC to a scoreless draw.
IF Real Salt Lake defeat the Houston Dynamo and Albertson SC defeat or draw Texans SC tonight, Real Salt Lake will win the group and will advance to the Championship game, which will be held at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday, home of MLS side Houston Dynamo.
Good luck tonight RSL!
Houston, TX (Sunday, July 14th, 2013) – The Real Salt Lake U-16 Academy team benefited from two lightning delays and rolled to a 3-1 victory over Albertson SC in the first group game of Finals Week.
Picture gallery from the game here
Both delays came in the second half, and for Real Salt Lake they couldn’t have had come at a better time. Before the first break, Albertson SC had equalized in the 60th minute and was riding a wave of momentum. The 17 minute delay crushed their spirit and RSL capitalized on this with the go-ahead goal in the 70th minute from Jose Hernandez. The second break came in the 79th minute for an extended period of 74 minutes. The break was detrimental once again to Albertson SC as RSL emerged the stronger side and scored an insurance goal in the 83rd minute when Bofo Saucedo chipped the goalkeeper from 30 out.
“I definitely think the first lightning break was a lucky break for us,” said captain Jason Eng. “They just tied it up and the momentum was with them,so we got a little lucky with the first break. The second one was the longest. Coach Mike did a good job and so did athletic trainer Marshall who kept us loose and made sure we stayed mentally prepared for the last bit.”
The mood around the team was anti-climatic after the victory, as players and coaches knew the performance they showed tonight wouldn’t cut it in the next game.
“Overall not the best. Maybe similar to playoffs, but not the best start,” said assistant coach Freddy Juarez. “If it’s anything that indicates how the playoffs are, we hopefully will get gradually better as we go on in the tournament. Our style is possession and I don’t think we had too much of the ball today. It was difficult with the opponent we had, but overall we had 3 goals so that worked.”
With three points in hand, Real Salt Lake now sits at the top of Group 1. In the other group game, the Houston Dynamo played the Texans SC to a scoreless draw.
Albertson SC came out of the gates and played a very high line with offensive pressure on every RSL defender. This caused numerous breakdowns in transition for RSL who wouldn’t get a handle on the game. However, even with their efforts, it took Albertson 18 minutes before they had their first shot that sailed well over the crossbar.
The near-miss woke up the RSL offense. They started to attack with purpose, stretched the field and held possession. Hernandez had RSL’s first shot in the 21st minute, but he pushed the ball wide left.
Eleven minutes later Fito Ovalle collected a ball in the middle and played a diagonal through ball to Diego “Diablo” Silva who was playing LM for the third time in the playoffs. He collected the ball on the 18, took a touch and chipped the goalkeeper for his third goal in the past four games.
“I feel great because since I have been playing up every game and I’ve been scoring,” said Silva. “I’m happy to get three points and happy to get my team to the top.”
After the goal RSL was slow, glacial slow. Albertson SC took advantage of this and turned up the heat in front of the RSL goal. RSL goalkeeper Chase Bishov made two big stops in the 46th minute and 48th minute. Another save by Bishov in the 71st minute kept RSL up and goal and a 72nd minute substitution that brought on Evan Waldrep for Silva worked wonders.
Waldrep was aggressive, fast and most importantly made clean passes never turning the ball over. Damian German had a look in the 74th minute, but his shot was saved. After the final delay, RSL’s defense came up big and absorbed the Albertson SC pressure which resulted in the counter that Saucedo scored.
Next game for RSL is against the Houston Dynamo on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. AZ time).
Real Salt Lake defeated Albertson SC 3-1 in the first group game at Finals Week.
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Frisco, TX (6-28-13) –In the most thrilling Real Salt Lake U-16 Academy game this season, both Brooks Lennon and Bofo Saucedo scored twice in a 6-3 victory over FC Dallas in the final group game to advance to Finals Week.
Picture gallery from the game here
Celebration gallery here
The day before, the U-18 team was unfortunately eliminated from playoffs but they kept their spirits high and sang, cheered and celebrated every goal with the U-16 team.
“Honestly, it was the support the U-18’s gave us during the game,” said Saucedo. “Cheering for us all game, making noise. We wanted to celebrate every goal with them.”
This marks the second time in the three-year history of the Real Salt Lake Academy that the U-16 team has advanced to Finals Week. The first in the inaugural season of 2010-2011.
“The U-18’s laid the foundation, time to pass the torch,” said coach Freddy Juarez. “Our seniors spoke to the U-16’s the night before and today they followed the game plan from the beginning. Got some early goals, which helps our confidence.”
RSL, needing a victory to advance, jumped out to a two goal lead in the opening minutes. Saucedo scored his first goal in the 2nd minute, assisted by Brooks Lennon, and his second in the 7th when he headed in a Diego Silva cross. RSL continued to attack with purpose and picked up their third goal in the 35th minute when Lennon dribbled into space from the right-wing and fired a left-footed shot near post.
As halftime approached, FC Dallas was able to fire one last shot that was punched out for a corner by ‘keeper Chase Bishov. The resulting corner kick dropped down inside the box and an FC Dallas player shot across the face of goal giving the game a bittersweet taste going into the half.
After the break FC Dallas started to turn up the pressure and looked as if they were going comeback in the game. RSL, however, were the team to grab the next goal in the 60th minute when Diego “Diablo” Silva scored his second goal of the playoffs, extending the lead back to three goals.
Whether it be a high potent offense that was averaging 4 goals per game in the playoffs or an RSL defense that was a little too slow, FC Dallas stormed back and scored two goals in quick succession. The first in the 66th minute from long throw and the second two minutes later when a low cross was headed in.
The game exploded after this. Fans on either side became quite loud and in the 75th minute RSL silenced the FCD supporters when Josh Doughty dribbled into the box, unmarked, and finished far post. Two minutes later Saucedo dribbled into the box and was taken down from behind for a straight red to the FCD player and awarded a PK. Lennon stepped up and scored his second in the game.
FCD hit the wall after this and never threatened again giving RSL a 6-3 victory.