CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – After a busy previous weekend, which saw the Grande Sports Academy home of the Real Salt Lake Academy go a combined 6-0, Academy coaches are preparing for a historic weekend, as the U-16 Academy team has been invited by U.S. Soccer to play the U-15 Boys’ National Team on Saturday, November 2nd at the StubHub center in Carson, California in the first ever meeting between the two sides.
Through four U.S. Soccer Development league matches, the Real Salt Lake U-16 Academy team is first in the Southwest Conference, having gone 3-1, while outscoring opponents 16-3. In their most recent match, the Claret-and-Cobalt defeated Real So Cal 3-1 0n October 27th. Josh Doughty, Canadian National Team, leads all goal scorers with four, while first year Academy player Tate Schmitt has notched three. Miles Stray, Diego “Diablo” Silva and Sebastian Saucedo have each added a pair. Goalkeeper Christian Herrera has earned two clean sheets.
U-15 Boys’ National Team head coach Hugo Perez has called in 30 players for the week-long training camp, which ends with the friendly against Real Salt Lake. Twenty-four players invited to the U-15 BNT training camp currently play for U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams, 11 of whom represent six different MLS club academies, including the Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, FC Dallas, LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union. The roster also includes two players from Liga MX side Club Tijuana’s youth ranks.
Following the friendly, the Academy team will stay in California and play a local side on Sunday morning before returning to the Grande Sports Academy.
In 2010, the New Zealand U-17 MNT played the Real Salt Lake Academy in two friendly matches, which ended in a draw and a win for the Claret-and-Cobalt.