Development Academy Finals Week: Solar Chelsea SC U-18s win second straight, sits atop Group 2
Two unanswered second-half goals lifted Solar Chelsea SC to its second straight shutout victory and the top spot in Group 2 in the U-17/18 age group on Wednesday night at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.
ussoccer.com Man of the Match Colton Missimo finished a fine sequence in the 74th minute, then second-half substitute Alan Winn added the insurance goal in a highly entertaining match against a very talented Chivas USA side.
With the 2-0 win, Solar Chelsea SC sits on six points and two ahead of local rival FC Dallas, setting the stage for a “Dallas Derby” on the final matchday. Having secured a victory, Solar Chelsea SC was moments away from advancing to the final when FC Dallas struck in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to earn a 2-1 win against Baltimore Bays Chelsea to keep its hopes of advancing alive.
Solar Chelsea SC needs only a draw to advance to the championship match, which will be streamed live on ussoccer.com on Sunday, July 22, at 8 p.m. CT, from BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.
Both teams began the match at a high tempo and the early moments were fairly open as the sides looked to take the game by the scruff. Solar nearly went ahead after six minutes when a corner kick pinballed in the six-yard box and seemed destined for goal before deflecting off a Solar attacker and out of danger. From there, Solar began imposing themselves employing size and speed.
On the quarter hour, Chivas USA put together a nifty passing sequence mixing up short and long passes, swinging the ball for a cross into the area that ended with an errant header from Jose Dheming. The Goats unleashed their trademark passing rhythm that caused problems for the Solar defense.
Dheming did much better on a header in the 18th minute off a corner kick, but the angled strike was deflected out for a corner. Throughout the first half, Chivas USA looked to take advantage of Dheming’s size with early balls into the area.
A deceptive free kick from the foot of Eric Gonzalez 40 yards from goal nearly caught goalkeeper Oshick Shams off guard, but the in-swinger clanged off the crossbar. Solar regained the momentum in the last 10 minutes of the half, and the teams finished virtually equal in every statistical category, including the scoreline.
The beginning of the second half mirrored the first, once again Solar seizing the initiative. In the 61st minute, Zach Mathers took a crack at a free kick 23 yards out just off the left corner of the area. His curling effort to the far post forced goalkeeper Jack McGuire into a sprawling save, the first of several for the Chivas USA netminder. He was called into action a minute later, once again snuffing out a dangerous opportunity.
Missimo’s skill, speed and craftiness were on display throughout the evening, and his mazy run in the 68th minute set the table for things to come. Having penetrated the area, he dished off for Mathers at the top of the six, the midfielder choosing power over placement as he pummeled the ball of the crossbar.
With the game absolutely buzzing from end to end, Solar found another gear and finally broke through in the 74thminute. A composed passing sequence down the right side eventually turned toward center, and Missimo picked up the ball at the top of the area and diced through the Chivas USA defense, slamming home a shot from 10 yards.
Five minutes later the lead doubled when Winn sprung down the left side and raced toward goal. With McGuire coming out to close the angle, Winn calmly tucked a shot off the inside of the near post.
With the game firmly in hand, Solar saw out the match and then stood in the center circle awaiting the result of the FC Dallas-Baltimore Bays encounter.
-U.S. Soccer Development Academy Match Report-
Match: Solar Chelsea SC vs. Chivas USA
Date: July 18, 2012
Competition: 2012 Development Academy Finals Week – U-17/18 Division
Venue: Houston Amateur Sports Park
Kickoff: 8 p.m. CT
Weather: 87 degrees, humid
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Chivas USA 0-0–0
Solar Chelsea SC 0-2–2
SOL – Colton Missimo 74th minute
SOL – Alan Winn 79
Lineups:
CHV: 1-Jake McGuire; 44-Brian Kennedy, 49-Stephen Copley, 35-Alex Heilmann, 83-Adonis Amaya (79-Romario Lomeli, 46); 70-Adam Arana (37-Eduardo Quezada,46), 39-Marco Delgado, 54-Eric Gonzalez, 95-Daniel Moreno (50-Rene Santos, 87); 3-Jose Dheming, 31-Mark Verso (41-Julio Chavez, 61)
Substitutions Not Used: 0-Alex Montion, 38-Ben Spencer, 65-Josue Garcia
Head Coach: Dan Calichman
SOL: 0-Oshick Shams; 10-Murphy Short, 4-Reagan Dunk, 7-Trevor Haberkorn, 12-William Webb; 8-Mason Miller, 16-Ryan Condotta; 2-Chandler Crosswait (23-Jesse Toledo, 73); 21-Zach Mathers, 15-Colton Missimo (11-Alan Winn, 75); 3-Sam Hayward (19-Hayden Partain, 76)
Substitutions Not Used: 5-Thomas Elder, 6-Adam Bonville, 18-Adam Esparza
Head coach: Kevin Smith
Stats Summary: CHV / SO
Shots: 6 / 4
Shots on Goal: 3 / 2
Saves: 1 / 2
Corner Kicks: 2 / 3
Fouls: 10 / 23
Offside: 1 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
CHV – Stephen Copley (caution) 45th minute
SOL – Zach Mathers (caution) 62
SOL – Jesse Toledo (caution) 86
Officials:
Referee: Ramy Touchan
Assistant Referee 1: Ricardo Mercado Jr.
Assistant Referee 2: Brandon Rinkenberger
Fourth Official: Robert Sibiga
ussoccer.com Man of the Match: Colton Missimo
