Is Now Barça Residency Academy USA
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – The Real Salt Lake U-18 team extended their unbeaten streak to seven following their 6-0 win over visiting Southwest Division foes Pateadores on Saturday morning. Goals: (2) Jose Hernandez, (2) Eric Cabajal, Corey Baird and Damian German.
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CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – The photo gallery below is from Wednesday’s training.
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CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – Real Salt Lake coach Freddy Juarez, U-18 midfielder Corey Baird and U-16 forward/defender Miles Stray sound off following the Academies wins over Real So Cal on Saturday.
Freddy Juarez
(On the U-18s performance…)
JUAREZ: “Overall, very good game. We get caught on an early goal, on a team we were dominating, and just a little bit of a lack of concentration on the goal. It wasn’t anything on their part; it was just us maybe getting a little casual. It was the first time they got a cross and put us under pressure and we didn’t respond in the right way. But after that credit it to the guys. They got a little bit more urgency started to get the end line with more numbers in the box and the end result is we scored 4 goals from that.”
(On combining new and old talent, which has left the RSL U-18 team as the only team in the nation in their age group to not drop points…)
JUAREZ: “I think it’s a combination of a lot of things. Talent that was already on the 18’s from last year and new talent we brought in. It’s just the culture we have here now, that was established 4 years ago where the U-18 team has always been in first, second or third place with a lot of talent. We’re used to being a team that should win, and we look to win and play the right way and these guys have bought into it. We are not quite there yet, but were getting results and hopefully we at our best later on this year when it counts.”
(On the U-16s performance…)
JUAREZ: “Very good effort. A lot of times we don’t like to do a lot of individual praise, but we felt Sebastian Saucedo had a good game. He didn’t get all the goals, but what he did for the team was what he should be doing on a regular basis because he’s a dominant player. And the rest of the group did well. Had the ball for the majority of the game and moved the ball around. U-16s can get better, but overall good performance and when you can score 6 goals, it’s always good.”
(On how the coaches balance the scoring depth…)
JUAREZ: “I think if you look back to last year, the U-18s had Coco Navarro, who had over 20 goals, but we have always had our fair share of guys who score 5 goals here and 6 goals there. I think with our style of play, all our top players, meaning our front players and attacking players, are put in situations in a good part of the field where they can get a good look on goal. Then you will get goals and it’s not necessarily the individual, but the style of play we want to achieve. And it’s always a good thing because you can’t depend on one person.”
(On the U-18s performance…)
BAIRD: “I love playing with them. Coming here from Surf, it’s just another level. Everyone is fun to play with and everyone is good here.”
(On the U-18s three-goal second half…)
BAIRD: “I think the way we keep the ball in the first half. It makes the other team run a lot, which really gives us the edge in the second half when they are tired and we can keep the ball moving.”
Miles Stray
(On the U-16s performance…)
STRAY: “We played very well in the first and second half. The difference was that we put our chances away in the second half.”
(On playing CB and FW for the U-16 Academy team…)
STRAY: “At first it was difficult, considering they were changing me during the game, which meant I had to adjust quickly. But after playing it for a while you get used to it and it has made me a much better player, especially up top, because I can try things and do things to the defense, while at the same time learning how opposing teams will attack us.”
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – Real Salt Lake coach Freddy Juarez, U-18 defender Te Wihongi and U-16 forward Fahot Yogol sound off following the Academies wins over Real So Cal on Sunday.
(Thoughts on the U-16 match…)
YOGOL: “The team played well. We started off really good and had an early goal and just started playing our game. Before the game we had a plan and we stuck to it. Second half just changed and we just started start finishing our chances.”
(Thoughts on the U-18 match…)
WIHONGI: “Started off slow, had a good talking at halftime and got a bit better. Second half not a great performance. We need to make a lot of changes for the next game.”
(On how the team can improve going forward…)
WIHONGI: “Keeping the ball more in the opponents half, dictating the game and following the game plan.”
(On the performance of the U-18s…)
JUAREZ: “I think we all agree as a staff and as a team it wasn’t our best performance. We expected more from the boys. We thought the ball movement could have been better, but when it’s all said and done we scored 4 goals on by far our worst performance we would say of the year and they still managed to get 4 goals so that’s always positive. So now we just need to continue to keep getting better as a team.”
(On how the team can improve going forward…)
JUAREZ: “I think our front players have not yet committed to our style of play too consistently. Meaning when we lose the ball, the pressing up top players gotta be willing individual and as a group to quickly press the team. If you do that it makes life easier for the backs. When you don’t do that you get the backline scrambling, but that is something we will continue to work on. Not to say were not good at it, but we did it in California so then we expect to get it done here and maybe it wasn’t our weekend. We expect our front players especially to initiate the pressure when we lose the ball.”
(On the play of Niki Jackson…)
JUAREZ: “It definitely adds a different dimension. I think you hit it right on, Amer was one of those, but at the same time he can be frustrating because he does lose a lot of possession or us and his transition isn’t the best and that is something to expect. He is new to the program and came from club soccer it takes a transition. He adds the hard things; speed, strength, running by guys. He has that and if he can buy into his team role is on both sides of the ball with and without the ball and better himself at holding possession for us that makes him an all round player and a player who could possibly get to the next level.”
(On the performance from the U-16s…)
JUAREZ: “I don’t think it was flat, I think it was an opponent who comes and sits back and if it complicates professional teams when teams sit back its going to complicate 16 years olds. In our experience here we have the understandings that early in the game teams sit back and they are sharp and full on energy, but as the game goes on and we keep doing what we do knocking ball wide and having the other team chase a bit second half doesn’t matter what level you are at the second half always opens up. Obviously Miles Stray did great for us it and it wasn’t the switches I truly believe it’s going to eventually open up and opportunities are going to be created later.”
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – In arguably the most intense competition the Grande Sports Academy has ever seen, the Tigers led by captain Moises Rodriguez defeated FC Barcelona 4-2 in the Carne Asada Classic championship match to claim bragging rights at the Grande Sports Academy for eternity.
Ok, not eternity, but for quite a while.
Parents’ Weekend was held at the Grande Sports Academy this past weekend, and with no competitions scheduled for the Academy, coaches organized an 10-team tournament and appropriately called it the Carne Asada Classic; due to a BBQ serving carne asada, which was held after the Classic.
The 10 teams were divided up into 2 groups with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals.
Pokemon United FC went undefeated in Group #1 and faced Group #2 runner-up Tigers, who went on and thrashed Pokemon 5-2 in the semifinals. In the other semifinal match, FC Barcelona, led by captain Jose Hernandez, went undefeated in Group #2 and defeated Boca Juniors in the other semifinal match.
In the championship match, excellent play from ‘keeper Christian Herrera, who was pressed into field duty, Diego “Diablo” Silva, Moises Rodriguez, Aaron Herrera, Ishan Atit, Luis “Wicho” Barraza, and Ryan Flood were too much for Barcelona, as they defeated the odds-on-favorite 4-2 to claim the trophy.
The complete list of players who participated in the Carne Asada Classic are below:
Cardiff City: Jonathan Min, Conor Orton, Judah Rashirai, Marcos Hernandez, Alex Valdez, Austin Tuckers, Nicholas LaMonica, Nate Deaton
Black Versace: Bofo Saucedo, Radu Marcu, Te Wihongi, Luke Novick, Javier Avelar, Evan Waldrep, Mikey Lanzetta, Kris Fourcand
Boca Juniors: Alex Knox, Adam Ferguson, Dillon Nino, Terrell Lowe, Trent Lowe, Tevin Lowe, Paul Bin
Pokemon United FC: Garrett Cleverly, Miha Kline, Josh Allison, Lauren Crum, Jose “Bean” Vasquez, Tate Schmitt, Chase Bishov
Los Tigres: ID Campers
Monster United: Martin Vasquez, Freddy Juarez, Tony Bruce, Mike Kraus, Erik Holt, Marshall Stoddard, Chris Braybrooks
Barcelona: Jose Hernandez, Fito Ovalle, Tyler Buckley, Damian German, Corey Baird, Miles Stray, Matthias Binder, Duncan Storey
Real Salt Lions: ID Campers
Tigers: Moises Rodriguez, Christian Herrera, Luis “Wicho” Barraza, Diego “Diablo” Silva, Aaron Herrera, Ishan Atit, Ryan Flood
MexaMafia: Victor Alvarez, Pato Yrizar, Giovany Alcocer, Fahot Yogol, Josh Taylor, Avery Ferrera, Max
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CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – The Real Salt Lake Academy was in California over the weekend for a pair of matches against fellow MLS Academies: Chivas USA and the LA Galaxy. The RSL U-18 Academy team defeated Chivas USA 2-0 in their opening match and followed up the performance with a 3-1 win over the Galaxy on Sunday. U-18 match recaps in further detail here.
The U-16 team defeated Chivas USA 3-1 in Bell Gardens and then dropped the Sunday match against the Galaxy, 2-1. U-16 match recaps in further detail here.
Real Salt Lake coach Freddy Juarez and players Corey Nemeth and Christian Herrera sound off following the Academies matches against Chivas USA and the LA Galaxy in California.
Freddy Juarez
(overall thoughts on the performance in California…)
JUAREZ: “Great weekend for the boys. Best weekend we have had when we have gone to play against Chivas and Galaxy. Collected 9 out of 12 points, which is always positive. The U-16s not getting the result, but it’s early in the season and only our third game. Maybe it was the Galaxy’s 3rd or 4th and we have a lot of new players who haven’t played Academy games. Overall it’s an adjustment and we will take 9 points.”
(On the halftime adjustments…)
JUAREZ: “There are slight adjustments but it’s more challenging them. Letting them know it’s not good enough. It’s a little bit of confidence too going to play Chivas and Galaxy they are two of the bigger clubs and once they see we can hang with these guys they know they can do it and they come on in the second half and really respond. Early in the game it’s always full of energy and it’s hard to combine, people close you down and we always tell them as the game goes on our game will take over. Gaps will open up and becomes easier to keep possession and I think that was key in the performance.”
(On Jack Gayton’s performance over the weekend…)
JUAREZ: “Jack, since we have got him coach Mike Kraus and I have been calling him the Pirlo. But he’s very smart on the ball, very good on the ball, makes great decisions for the team. He’s unselfish for the team and does the dirty work and helps keep us possession. This weekend he got a goal, which is always great to see that. He’s been consistent and he gives you and 8 or a 9 every game and when he adds a goal he gives you a 10. I thought the weekend was one of his better weekends overall, but he has been very good since the playoffs last season.”
U-16 goalkeeper Christian Herrera
(On the overall performance…)
HERRERA: “We did well in the Chivas game and not the best performance against the Galaxy, but overall we did some good things and we need to continue to develop. It’s just the opening matches of the season and I’m sure we will get better as the season progress.”
(On things the team needs to work on…)
HERRERA: “We have to get more comfortable and everyone has to be 100% committed to the style of play. As the season goes on we will learn to be more organized. This is just a wakeup call for us. We have to work harder to improve.”
U-18 defender Corey Nemeth
(On the overall performance…)
NEMETH: Very positive weekend. Came out with the 6 points, which puts us on the top of the table. Very good position for the rest of the season and we are going to keep working hard and stay humble to stay on the top.”
(On the second half burst in both matches…)
NEMETH: “It’s the work we put in throughout the week and all the extra fitness we do. Living away from home and the commitment we have. Everyone wants to win and we give it our all.”