FC Dallas, Chivas USA play to 1-1 tie in U-18 Development Academy Finals Week opener
Chivas USA fought back from a first half FC Dallas goal to secure an important point in their opening game of Group 2 action in the U-17/18 division at the 2012 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals Week.
Both teams sit within striking distance of Solar Chelsea SC, who earned a 2-0 victory against Baltimore Bays Chelsea FC and top the table after the first day.
FC Dallas opened the brighter of the two sides with Jose de la Tejera and Jonathan Top active up top for the Texan team playing in their home state. Their consistent pressure was rewarded in the 15th minute when defender Nicholas Rochowski headed home a Kellyn Acosta corner.
The start of the second half served Chivas USA well as they came out of halftime with purpose and equalized on 55 minutes through a Marco Delgado free kick. Both teams threatened to take all three points in the second half, including a frenetic 10 minutes that saw numerous chances at either end. However, the score remained knotted at 1-1 leaving both sides to settle for a point each.
The first opportunity came after just three minutes as de la Tejera’s far post effort beat Chivas USA goalkeeper Jake McGuire, but settled on the wrong side of the post. FC Dallas earned a free kick 10 minutes later that fell to the Top in the box, but his effort was deflected over the bar by a charging defender.
The ensuing corner saw Rochowski rise above the crowd in the goal area and turn Acosta’s in-swinging cross into the center of the goal, giving FC Dallas the early lead.
Ben Spencer, Chivas USA’s attacking focal point, saw a gilt-edged chance to equalize slip away just moments later as he latched onto a spilled cross, but could only direct the ball up and over the net from 10 yards. The cross came from Jose Dheming, who was a constant threat down the left flank for the Los Angeles-based side.
The second half opened with Chivas USA mounting pressure and stifling the FC Dallas attack farther away from goal. Their equalizer came from a set piece situation when Delgado took a free kick from the left side 40 yards out. His bending effort escaped everyone in the box and skipped past the wrong-footed Eduardo Cortes at the far post.
By the 65th minute, the pace of the match had risen with both teams attacking at speed from end to end. Spencer and Dheming almost connected again, but the big striker’s header from inside the six-yard box agonizingly looped over the bar while FC Dallas substitute Marco Ortiz led a counterattack that culminated in his shot just missing by the width of the ball to McGuire’s right.
With both teams desperate to begin the tournament with three points, they both poured forward in an effort gain the upper hand, but in the end would share the spoils.
-U.S. Soccer Development Academy Match Report-
Match: FC Dallas vs. Chivas USA
Date: July 16, 2012
Competition: 2012 Development Academy Finals Week – U-17/18 Division
Venue: Houston Amateur Sports Park; Houston, Texas
Kickoff: 9 p.m. CT
Attendance: 250
Weather: 87 degrees, humid
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
FCD 1 0 1
CHV 0 1 1
FCD – Nicholas Rochowski (Kellyn Acosta) 15th minute
CHV – Marco Delgado 55
Lineups:
FCD: 22-Eduardo Cortes; 6-Nicholas Rochowski (28-Marco Ortiz, 83), 2-Mark Ashby, 5-Aaron Guillen, 3-Michael Ambrose; 21-Marco Carrizales, 17-David Robledo (8-Flavio Guzman, 61), 14-Kellyn Acosta; 11-Daniel Garcia, 9-Jonathan Top (39-Bobby Edet, 80); 27-Jose de la Tejera
Substitutions Not Used: 44-Estevan Vasquez, 45-Fernando Laverde, 4-Alex Frankenfeld, 13-Alonso Gallegos
Head Coach: Chris Hayden
CHV: 1-Jake McGuire; 54-Eric Gonzalez, 35-Alex Heilmann, 94-Stephen Copley, 44-Brian Kennedy; 37-Eduardo Quezada (70-Adam Arana, 81), 3-Jose Dheming, 95-Daniel Moreno (50-Rene Santos, 85), 39-Marco Delgado, 41-Julio Chavez (79-Romario Lomeli, 67); 38-Ben Spencer
Substitutions Not Used: 31-Mark Verso, 65-Josue Garcia, 83-Adonis Amaya
Head Coach: Dan Calichman
Stats Summary: FCD / CHV
Shots: 6 / 4
Shots on Goal: 3 / 2
Saves: 1 / 2
Corner Kicks: 2 / 3
Fouls: 10 / 23
Offside: 1 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
CHV – Brian Kennedy (caution) 71st minute
FCD – Nicholas Rochowski (caution) 73
FCD – Jonathan Top (caution) 75
FCD – Mark Ashby (caution) 87
Officials:
Referee: Kyle Phillips
Assistant Referee 1: Jason White
Assistant Referee 2: Apolinar Mariscal
Fourth Official: Bernhard Hosu
ussocer.com Man of the Match: Jose Dheming
