Champions decided at Dr Pepper Dallas Cup XXXVIII

DALLAS, Texas (Via Dallas Cup) – Dr Pepper Dallas Cup XXXVIII concluded over the weekend as FC( Dallas defeated CF Monterrey, 2-1 to win the Gordon Jago Super Group. The contest was the final game of Dr Pepper Dallas Cup’s “Championship Weekend”, in which eight teams, representing four countries, were awarded Dallas Cup’s iconic “Boot and Ball” championship trophy.

Gordon Jago Super Group

In an exciting matchup between top academies in the United States and Mexico, 2016 USSDA national champion, FC Dallas, and current leader in Liga MX U20, CF Monterrey Rayados, vied for the Gordon Jago Super Group title. The two sides came out with some extra bounce, in front of a record breaking Championship Sunday attendance of 8,747, as they fired around the pitch looking for the crucial opening goal.

The first goal of the match came in the 23^rd minute. Jesus Ferreira dribbled around the edge of the box and found an open Paxton Pomykal near the penalty arc. Pomykal sized up the Monterrey defense and launched a low driven shot to the far post that was just out of reach of the sprawling keeper. Pomykal’s goal made the match 1-0 in favor of FC Dallas.

The rest of the first half saw few real scoring chances for either team. Physical play, including five total yellow cards, halted much of the run of play. The half ended with the lone Pomykal goal being the difference maker as FC Dallas went into the half with a 1-0 lead.

From the start of the second half, as the whistles started to blow less, the action got more fluid as the ball was moving from box to box. FC Dallas substitute Arturo Rodriguez and Ferreira continued to threaten the back line of the CF Monterrey defense, but it never resulted in the second goal of the match.

+READ: Dallas Cup U13-U19 age groups complete group play

In the 82^nd minute, magic struck for Rayados. A Monterrey free-kick whizzed off the post which created havoc in the box. In an FC Dallas attempt to clear the ball, the ball deflected off Monterrey’s captain Erick Amaro and into the net to make the game 1-1.

The magic in the match was not over though. In the 89^th minute, previously mentioned FC Dallas sub Rodriguez made a twisting run through the heart of the Monterrey defense and set himself for a right-footed shot from over 30 yards out. He struck it pure and it tucked inside the right side of the net to make the game 2-1. Madness ensued as it certainly looked and felt like the winning goal inside the packed Toyota Stadium.

Stoppage time dragged on for the hometown fans, but the final whistle blew and FC Dallas was named Gordon Jago Super Group champions. FC Dallas is the first MLS side to win the Super Group title and the first U.S. team since the Dallas Texans won in 2006.

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Under 17

The first match of the day was a United States-Mexico battle between Santa Clara Sporting 00B and Queretaro FC to settle the U17 championship. In the early going, Queretaro appeared the better side as they looked quicker and more composed at nearly every position on the pitch. They forced Santa Clara Sporting’s keeper Willem Kelson to make several tough saves to keep the match scoreless in the first half. The first goal in the match came in the 55^th minute after Queretaro’s Patricio Zerecero was taken down in the box resulting in a penalty kick. Jose Hernandez stepped up to the penalty spot and calmly tucked away the match’s first goal for the Mexican side. In the 65^th minute, Ramon Sanchez added a second goal. After some good team play, a low pass was cut across the box to Sanchez who put away the goal on the first touch. Queretaro FC, who won the U14 championship on Saturday, added the U17 title to their Dallas Cup resume after securing the 2-0 win.

+READ: Dallas Cup Day 4 U13-U19 Recap

Under 18

The second match of the day was an east coast clash as New Jersey’s Cedar Stars Academy Newark Green and Maryland’s Baltimore Celtic SC vied for the U18 title. Cedar Stars Academy struck first in the 24^th minute. Celio Martin put a perfect cross into the box that found Azriel Johnson who headed the ball strongly past the keeper for the opening goal of the match. In the 43^rd minute, Martin got involved in the action once again as he carved his way through the Celtic defense, set up the ball on his right foot, and stroked the ball into the bottom corner of the net.  In the second half, it was still all Cedar Stars Academy. Allen Gavilanes got on the board with a brilliant left footed finish that rang off the inside of the post and into the goal. In the 76^th minute, Martin scored his second goal of the match after some patience and skillful dribbling in the box led to a lovely finish. Baltimore Celtic’s Justin Gielen scored a late consolation goal in the 90^th minute, but the day belonged to Cedar Stars Academy. Ronald Mafunzwaini tacked on an extra goal in stoppage time as the New Jersey side went on to win the U18 “Boot and Ball” trophy in convincing fashion.

Under 19

The U19 Championship was an all-English affair as Knowsley Youth and Liverpool FC Foundation kicked off at 3:00pm. Action was back and forth early on in the first half as both sides were creating attacking chances in the opponent’s half. The first breakthrough in the match came in the 38^th minute. After a defensive error in the final third by Knowsley Youth, Liverpool FC Foundation had a 2-on-1 opportunity against the keeper. Thomas Steging played the ball through to Jack Hazlehurst who smacked in the first goal of the game. Just 5 minutes later, Liverpool FC Foundation tacked on a second goal. Tejan Brima, the club’s pacey forward, bolted down the wing, created some space, and played a perfectly timed pass to Jack Hazlehurst who slotted away his second goal to put his team up 2-0. With time slipping away from Knowsley Youth, they pulled a goal back in the 87^th minute when their captain Jordan Wynne hit a masterful free-kick that curled into the upper corner of the net. Knowsley Youth kept fighting for the equalizer, but it was not there in the end. The final whistle blew with a score of 2-1 as Liverpool FC Foundation hoisted the iconic championship trophy.

The following games were played Saturday, April 15

Under 13

The first match of the day featured two teams from Bracket E in the Under 13 final as Prepa Tec Monterrey faced off against Oklahoma’s TSC Hurricane. The first half featured back and forth play as both sides fought for meaningful possessions. The first goal came in stoppage time of the first half for Prepa Tec Monterrey. Isai Silva ripped a shot on net from well outside the box that slipped through the TSC Hurricane keeper’s hands and into the net putting the Mexican side ahead 1-0. In the 66^th minute, they tacked on a second goal that would put the game out of reach. Alexis Oviedo burst through the TSC defense and slotted the ball past the keeper which secured the U13 Championship for Prepa Tec Monterrey.

Under 15

The U-15 Final followed, as California’s FC Golden State and Japan’s Maebashi FC went head-to-head with the “Boot and Ball” trophy on the line. Maebashi’s Suiju Takeuchi scored the first goal of the game in the 18^th minute after breaking through the box and finishing confidently with his left foot. Maebashi continued to control much of the action in the first half with their precision on the ball. A red card was given to FC Golden State’s Diego Lopez in the 39^th minute which opened up even more space for the Japanese side. In the 67^thminute, Kenta Igarashi scored a second goal to put his team up 2-0. Maebashi held the 2-0 lead through the final whistle and won the country of Japan their first ever Dallas Cup title.

Under 14

At 1:15pm, the Under 14 final between FC Dallas U13 Academy and Mexico’s Queretaro FC kicked off. The local FC Dallas side got off to a superb start thanks to a stunning goal by Justin Che in the 7^th minute. Che struck the ball on a half-volley from outside the box, firing it into the top corner of the net. To start the second half, Queretaro’s Juan Robles had a wonder-goal of his own up his sleeve as he rocketed a shot into the net from 30 yards out.  In the 61^st, Queretaro got another goal to put them up 2-1. Queretaro played a long over-the-top pass from near midfield that landed at the foot of David Rodriguez who flicked the ball over the keeper for the go-ahead goal. In the 70^th minute, Queretaro delivered the dagger when Miguel Delgado connected on a long distance volleyed shot that sailed over the FC Dallas goalkeeper to make the score 3-1. FC Dallas pulled a goal back in stoppage time, but it was a little too late, as Queretaro was the team hoisting the Dallas Cup “Boot and Ball” championship trophy.

Under 16

The final match of the day was a U.S. battle between FC Dallas U15 Academy and FC Boulder 01 Boys Elite to settle the Under 16 championship. In the 7^th minute, FC Dallas got the scoring going. Luis Pacheco fired a low driven shot from outside the box that crept inside the far post to give FC Dallas the 1-0 lead. In the second half, FC Dallas blew the game open. Jaden Servania burst down the wing and blasted a shot past the keeper in the 42^nd minute. Jose Bonilla scored a similar goal down the opposite wing in the 65^thminute. With the game already slipping away from FC Boulder, FC Dallas’ Tanner Tessman added two more goals in the last ten minutes of action to give FC Dallas a 5-0 advantage and the Under 16 Dallas Cup title.

Dr Pepper Dallas Cup XXXVIII Champions

Gordon Jago Super Group: FC Dallas U18 Academy (TX)

U19: Liverpool FC Foundation (ENG)

U18: Cedar Stars Academy Newark Green 1999 (NJ)

U17: Queretaro FC (MEX)

U16: FC Dallas U15 Academy (TX)

U15: Maebashi FC (JAP)

U14: Queretaro FC (MEX)

U13: Prepa Tec Monterrey (MEX)