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Is Now Barça Residency Academy USA
Grande News, Performance News, Real Salt Lake, Soccer Academy, Soccer News
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Grande News, Performance News, Real Salt Lake, Soccer Academy
2013 hasn’t been as kind to RSL-AZ U16 who now find themselves in a battle with Real So Cal and Chivas USA for the top two spots in the Southwest Division. With two games in hand RSL needed a strong showing in both games to keep pace with the two opposing clubs.
Saturday, April 6th – RSL vs Crossfire Premier
Starting XI: Chase Bishov, Josh Doughty, Jason Eng, Jack Gayton, Damian German, Dillion Nino, Fito Odolfo, Moises Rodriguez, Bayley Scholz, Diego Silva, Evan Waldrep.
Summary: Going into the game RSL knew they were going to have their work cut out for them this weekend against the #2 and #3 placed teams in the Northwest Division.
RSL came out of the gates strong versus Crossfire Premier but were unlucky on the attacking end. Numerous chances for RSL were not capitalized on in the early stages. Crossfire took the pressure and were able to counter in the 31st minute when a ball was played over the top. A Crossfire Premier player picked up the ball and beat the RSL GK. Few chances for either team as the first half ended.
RSL kept the pressure in the second half but were still not converting their chances in the final third. Players also seemed to get distracted by what they thought were some favorable calls for Crossfire Premier. RSL kept pushing forward and as the clock was ticking down a Crossfire handball in the box was not called. RSL players screamed for a PK as the center ref had a clear look at the incident. The ref ignored it and let play resume. RSL tried to equalize but time expired resulting in a 1-0 Crossfire Premier victory.
Sunday, April 7th – RSL vs Seattle Sounders
Starting XI: Dillion Nino, Fito Odolfo, Bayley Scholz, Jason Eng, Jose Hernandez, Evan Ealdrep, Josh Doughty, Damian German, Jack Gayton, Bofo Saucedo, Luis Barraza
Summary: After suffering a 1-0 defeat the day before, RSL needed a strong showing to be able to return back to Grande Sports Academy with some points.
Just two minutes into the game Seattle had the first chance for either side when a screamer went just over the RSL crossbar. Seattle kept up the pressure and was able to take the lead in the 14th minute when an errant back pass by RSL was picked up by a Sounders FW who calmly finished.
Sounders kept the pressure up and pounded the RSL goal. If it wasn’t for the excellent play from GK Luis Barraza Seattle could have easily scored more. Seattle went into the half with the 1-0 lead.
Things didn’t get any better for RSL who had to battle a tough and physical Sounders team while playing with a heavy rainfall. Sounders doubled their lead in the 14 minutes into the second half. RSl tried to push forward but their efforts didn’t pay off as they lost 2-0.
RSL is now in third place in the Southwest Division.
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – A quick look at the four matches the Grande Sports Academy played at Dallas Cup.
Group Game 1 – RSL defeats Brooklyn Italians, 2-0. Full recap here
Starting XI: Eric Gonzalez, Santi Carrillo, Brandon Marquez, Corey Nemeth, Jon Zabasajja, Tigran Tiraturyan, Andrew Brody, Jose Hernandez, Coco Navarro, Aidan Tucker,and Luis Barraza.
Quick Summary – Both goals for RSL were scored in the second half. Corey Nemeth deflected a ball into the back of the net from a free kick, while Coco Navarro scored inside the 18. Forward Aidan Tucker – “What is your initial reaction to the week?” – “It was pretty successful and we played really well. We got a lot of goals so I thought it was successful but we should have gotten farther.”
Group Game 2 – RSL draw Dallas Texas, 1-1. Full recap here
Starting XI: Elijah Evans, Santi Carrillo, Brandon Marquez, Corey Nemeth, Jon Zabasajja, Tigran Tiraturyan, Andrew Brody, Jose Hernandez, Coco Navarro, Aidan Tucker and Luis Barraza.
Quick Summary – Aidan Tucker scored in the first half and a dominate second half performance by RSL wasn’t enough as a shot by Dallas caught the wind and floated into the back of the net for the equalizer.
Goalkeeper Luis Barraza – “Thoughts on RSL’s performance?” – “The whole team performed well. It was a good experience for our players and for our academy. We all gave it our best and got the result going to the quarterfinals. It was a great experience for me and the boys and I hope next year we come back and do better.”
Group Game 3 – RSL defeats Lewisham College, 6-2. Full recap here
Starting XI: Eric Gonzalez, Santi Carrillo, Bayley Scholz, Corey Nemeth, Jon Zabasajja, Tigran Tiraturyan, Andrew Brody, Jose Hernandez, Coco Navarro, Aiden Tucker, Luis Barraza.
Quick Summary – RSL needed goals to secure advancement out of group play. Three goals in the first half by Aidan Tucker, Tigran Tiraturyan and Jose Hernandez and three more in the second half by Ishan Atit, Coco Navarro and Aidan Tucker helped RSL cruise to an easy victory. Lewisham did score 2 late goals but the +6 goal differential helped them win the group and advance to the quarterfinals.
Assistant Coach Tim Seketa – “What do the coaches take from Dallas Cup?” – “Dallas cup was a positive experience. It’s the premier youth tournament in U.S. Soccer right now. To get out of the group stage is a huge accomplish. We are proud of the boys and everything they did. They put themselves is a good position. It’s unfortunate we lost in the quarterfinals but he coaching staff is happy with the performance and the effort given by the players.”
Quarterfinals – RSL lose to IMG Academy, 3-0. Full recap here
Starting XI: Luis Barraza, Corey Nemeth, Jon Zabasajja, Eric Gonzalez, Brandon Marquez, Tigran Tiraturyan, Andrew Brody, Adam Ferguson, Jose Hernandez, Coco Navarro and Aidan Tucker.
Quick Summary – Tough loss for RSL as IMG scored within the opening minutes. RSL looked sharp after the goal but wasn’t able to find an equalizer. IMG picked up another goal on a counter late in the first half. RSL struggled through out the second half and a third goal by IMG sealed the victory.
RSL Goals Scored:
3 – Aidan Tucker
2 – Coco Navarro
1 – Jose Hernandez
1 – Tigran Tiraturyan
1 – Ishan Atit
1 – Corey Nemeth
To keep everyone up to date with all the happenings going on here in Dallas we will be proving wall-to-wall coverage every single day with pictures, video and a blog entry.
Day 1 recap, pictures and video here
Day 2 recap, pictures and video here
Day 3 recap, pictures here
Day 4 & 5 recap and pictures here
Day 6 – Thursday, March 28th
After defeating Lewisham College, 6-2, the day before RSL won their group and earned a much-needed day off before a big quarterfinals match against IMG Academy. In group play RSL had two victories and 1 draw scoring 9 goals and conceding 3. Goals in group play were scored by: (3) Aidan Tucker, (2) Coco Navarro, Jose Hernandez, Corey Nemeth, Ishan Atit, Tigran Tiraturyan.
The players went through a quick and easy morning training session before heading over to a local church for an outstanding lunch provided by the staff and volunteers. After lunch the players were given the opportunity to either stay at the hotel and rest/work on homework or head over to the 6th Floor Museum, the location when Lee Harvey Oswald shot President John F. Kennedy.
Before bed we all went over to Olive Garden for a big dinner.
Day 7 – Friday, March 29th
Going into the quarterfinals, Real Salt Lake and IMG knew the importance of the match.
The starting XI for RSL: Luis Barraza, Corey Nemeth, Jon Zabasajja, Eric Gonzalez, Brandon Marquez, Tigran Tiraturyan, Andrew Brody, Adam Ferguson, Jose Hernandez, Coco Navarro and Aidan Tucker.
Note: CB Santi Carrillo was suspended for the match due to back-to-back yellow cards in the previous two games.
As it has been the case for RSL in every match in Dallas a strong wind blew throughout the entire game. RSL attacking into the wind found themselves down a goal within minutes after a IMG counter attack. GK Luis Barazza blocked two shots in quick succession but the rebound from the last shot found the head of a IMG player who put it into the back of the net.
RSL behind for the first time this tournament struggled to find a rhythm after the goal. Passing wasn’t as crisp, free kicks missed their mark and turnovers in the midfield held RSL back for the majority of the match. However, RSL continued to fight and had their first chance in the 30th minute when Jose Hernandez played a ball up top to Coco Navarro. He collected the ball just outside of the 18 and took two touches that were both a little too strong as the IMG GK ran out and collected the ball.
Minutes RSL missed out on a big opportunity to equalize when Andrew Brody crossed a ball into the box. A IMG defender had his arm extended which blocked the ball in front of the linesman. RSL screamed for a handball in the box but their efforts were not rewarded as the ref let play go on.
RSL found themselves down another goal right before halftime when IMG countered again. Barazza came out to challenge the attacking player. The player dribbled around a diving Barazza and took a shot that hit off the back post and into the goal.
With heads hanging low RSL went into the half down 2-0. RSL came out the whistle a little stronger than IMG but failed to connect in the final third. This remained a constant theme for RSL in the second half. They found themselves down another goal in the 60th minute when IMG scored again. RSL had a few more opportunities but were held back by a strong IMG defense that kept numbers behind the ball. When the final whistle blew IMG had defeated RSL, 3-0.
Though it wasn’t the finish the team wanted the players were pleased with the overall success they had in the tournament.
After the game the players went back to the hotel and rested before the drive back home.
Day 8 – Saturday, March 30th
The bus departed around 10am for the near 20 hour drive back to Casa Grande. We stopped along the way for some food and watched some movies but were mostly entertained by the Mafia game Assistant Coach Mike Kraus coordinated. We arrived at the Grande Sports Academy around 3am and all went to bed seconds later.
Thank you everyone for the support this past week!
To keep everyone up to date with all the happenings going on here in Dallas we will be proving wall-to-wall coverage every single day with pictures, video and a blog entry.
Day 1 recap, pictures and video here
Day 2 recap, pictures and video here
Day 3 recap, pictures and video here
Day 4 – Tuesday, March 26th
After two tough games in back-to-back days RSL had their first and possibly only day-off at Dallas Cup pending the result of their final group game on Wednesday. The players went through a morning training session at a nearby field and then enjoyed a relaxing lunch. After this the players had some time to rest and get some homework done before they went over to a local mall. Some players watched a movie and others just walked around. After the mall they headed over to Olive Garden for a big dinner then back to the hotel to watch USA vs Mexico in a World Cup Qualifying game. After the game it was off to bed for RSL who had final group game Wednesday morning.
Day 5 – Wednesday, March 27th
Going into the third and final game in group play, RSL knew they needed goals. And a lot of them. After tying Dallas Texans in-game number two of group play, RSL was no longer in control of their own destiny. With both teams going into their final group game with 1 win and 1 draw and on equal terms in-goal differential +2, RSL needed a victory with a high goal differential to increase their chances to advance.
Their opponent was Lewisham College from England. RSL’s Starting XI: Eric Gonzalez, Santi Carrillo, Bayley Scholz, Corey Nemeth, Jon Zabasajja, Tigran Tiraturyan, Andrew Brody, Jose Hernandez, Coco Navarro, Aiden Tucker, Luis Barraza.
With a strong wind blowing from South to North, RSL started the first half attacking into the wind. Within minutes RSL pressured Lewisham’s defense. Jose Hernandez and Coco Navarro were connecting well and forcing Lewisham into bad balls in the back. The break finally came for RSL in the 18th minute when Navarro intercepted a Lewisham pass in the back, passed it to a running Aidan Tuker who took a touch and beat the Lewisham GK. After this the onslaught was on.
Hernandez scored from a free kick in the 32nd minute and Tigran Tiraturyan scored in the 44th minute.
Tucker grabbed his second goal of the game in the 58th minute and Navarro’s hard work paid off for him in the 69th minute when he scored.
However things took a turn for the worse in the 73rd minute. Lewisham scored on the wing cutting the lead to, 5-1. RSL kept pushing forward for another goal to increase the goal differential and was able to get another goal in the 87th minute when sub Ishan Atit scored. This goal proved to be crucial because in the 89th minute Lewisham scored again.
RSL tried to grab another goal before the final whistle was blown but was unable to increase their goal differential. Ending group play with 2 wins and 1 draw and a +6 goal differential. RSL’s chances were good but not great. The next step for RSL was to sit around and wait for the result of the Dallas Texans vs Brooklyn Italians game that was scheduled to kickoff at 6pm.
At around 8:15 local time the results came in. Texans defeated Italians, 1-0, which meant RSL won their group and advanced to the next round.
On Friday morning RSL will be taking on IMG Academy who went 2-0-1 in group play.
Click on one picture and a slider gallery will appear.
To keep everyone up to date with all the happenings going on here in Dallas we will be proving wall-to-wall coverage every single day with pictures, video and a blog entry.
Day 1 recap, pictures and video here
Day 2 recap, pictures and video here
Day 3
After winning their opening game of the Dallas Cup, RSL-AZ went into their second game against Dallas Texans who also won their opening game. The winner of this contest would be in the driver’s seat going into the final group game on Wednesday as only one team from each group advances.
RSL-AZ’s starting XI vs Texans: Elijah Evans, Santi Carrillo, Brandon Marquez, Corey Nemeth, Jon Zabasajja, Tigran Tiraturyan, Andrew Brody, Jose Hernandez, Coco Navarro, Aidan Tucker and Luis Barazza.
Like the day before, weather conditions were not ideal. A constant wind affected the entire match which gave each team a clear advantage when they were attacking the goal on the south end of the pitch.
RSL was not as sharp as the day before when the game kicked off however they did manage to keep possession in the Texans half. Though this didn’t amount to anything as the Texans stayed back and absorbed RSL’s attack in the early parts of the game.
Things changed for RSL in the 25th minute when Tigran Tiraturyan took a shot from the left-wing. The Texans GK blocked the low shot and failed to clear it out of the danger zone in front of the net. Aidan Tucker pounced on the loose ball and took a shot that was blocked. He picked up the loose ball again and was able to find the back of the net giving RSL the 1-0 lead.
After the goal the game changed immediately. RSL looked sharper, their communication was better and they were constantly threatening Texan’s goal. However they were unable to grab a second goal before the half ended.
Going into the second half the teams switched sides which meant RSL had to attack going into the wind. Opportunities in the half were extremely limited for RSL as any ball the Texans played forward in the air clearly picked up 20 extra yards due to the wind. Any ball RSL played forward was reduced by 50% and would just drop like a rock after hitting its highest point.
The first chance and only real chance for RSL int eh second half came in the 56th minute when Coco Navarro sent a cross into the box. Andrew Brody headed the ball down to Jose Hernandez who’s shot inside the 18 was blocked by a diving Texans GK.
Bad luck struck for RSL in the 76th minute when the Texans played a ball forward that carried into the box. RSL GK Luis Barazza came out to grab the ball but got tripped up inside the box with a Texans player. This resulted in a PK for the Texans which was blocked moments later by Barazza.
In the 81st minute Texans equalized on a circus shot. The Texans played a ball forward that was once again carried by the wind. Barazza came out and cleared the ball. A Texans players picked up the ball 35 yards out and sent a looping shot in that dropped on the goal line and into the goal.
RSL kept pushing forward as the game went into the final minutes. They were unable to find the go ahead goal, ending the game in a 1-1 draw.
Going into their final group stage game on Wednesday RSL and Texans are tied with 4 points each and a +2 goal differential. There are a multiple number of ways for RSL to advance but the easiest way is for them to win and win by a number of goals to increase the goal differential in case Texans also win and score multiple goals.
Game starts Wednesday at 10:00am Arizona time.
No video today as the wind yesterday made it very difficult for audio to be heard.