New York Red Bulls U-17/18 team garners Development Academy championship over Shattuck in OT
HOUSTON – With two exhausted teams on the field, playing in their fourth game in seven days, the New York Red Bulls U-17/18 squad defeated Shattuck-Saint Mary’s Soccer Academy 2-1 in overtime to win the 2012-13 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals Championship at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Jhon Estama scored the game-winning goal in the 115th minute as the Red Bulls Academy system garnered a second national crown in as many years. The Red Bulls U-15/16 Academy team won the 2011-12 championship in Houston.
In the buildup toward Estama’s winner, Arun Basuljevic charged ahead with a shot that Shattuck goalkeeper Joseph Melong parried for the save. But the rebound fell right to Estama in the middle of the box and he slammed it home for the 2-1 lead.
The overtime victory is the second Academy championship game to end in such fashion. The 2007-08 Baltimore Bays U-17/18 team defeated LAFC 4-2 in overtime to cap off the Academy’s first season. The 2009-10 U-15/16 Chicago Fire Academy team also went through an overtime, but their win against Cal Odyssey went to penalties.
The Red Bulls had to come from behind to earn this year’s championship. Shattuck started off on the right foot when Eddosa Muhammed crossed from the right to Lesley Nchanji for the game’s first goal. The Red Bulls defense had shifted too far to the middle and Nchanji capitalized with the tally and a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute.
The Red Bulls got back into the match when Ethan Decker unleashed a 25-yard strike that rose over Melong and underneath the crossbar to tie the score at 1-1 in the 30th minute.
But the scoring chances were few and far between for both sides for much of the game. The Red Bulls tended to have the better part of the scoring opportunities through regulation.
One of the Red Bulls’ best chances in the second half came when Chris Lema unleashed a vicious shot from outside the box. Melong was on top of his game, reacting in time to leap up and bat the ball away from the goal.
In overtime, Schattuck’s Michael Bajza played an important role on multiple set pieces, but Castano made a couple saves in the 102nd and 105th minutes. The first of those chances from the left side was deflected over the crossbar.
After Estama scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, he was issued a yellow card for taking off his shirt in celebration. He was then carded again in the 120th minute when a dead ball deflected off his foot as referee Vince Apple-Chiarella felt Estama and the Red Bulls were stalling to close out the match. Estama watched stoppage time from the sidelines and his teammates finished off the victory.
Melong made nine saves for Shattuck and Castano had four saves for the Red Bulls.
-U.S. Soccer Development Academy Match Report-
Match: U-17/18 Development Academy Championship Match
Date: July 20, 2013
Competition: U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals Week
Venue: BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, Texas
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m.
Attendance: 400
Weather: 85 degrees, humid
Scoring Summary: 1 2 OT1 OT2 F
SSM 1 0 0 0 1
NYRB 1 0 0 1 2
SSM – Lesley Nchanji (Eddosa Muhammed) 10th minute
NYRB – Ethan Decker 30
NYRB – Jhon Estama 115
Lineups:
SSM: 1-Joseph Melong; 3-Valdis Upmallis (10- Kevin Beyer, 117), 11-Robert Sagel, (12-Isaiah McCullough, 119), 2-Andrew Moullin, 18-Francisco Narbon (capt.); 6-Lesley Nchanji, 21-Michael Bajza, 20-Geoffrey Dee (7-Cory Sauerwine, 67), 8-Lucas Stauffer (19-Abdulla Al-Kalisy, 73); 4-Eddosa Muhammed (9-Steve Eneme, 46), 17-Ricardo Lopez-Espin (15-Peter Aasa, 56)
Subs not used: 0-Adam Prevost
Head Coach: Tim Carter
NYRB: 1-Santiago Castano; 13-Chris Lema, 22-Kevin Politz, 4-Kaz Boschen, 12-Evans Saint Jean (16- Steven Echevarria, 103); 15-Kerlins Georges (21-Anthony Viteri), 8-Arun Basuljevic, 10-Erik Sa (capt.) (14-Vincent Brunetti, 55)(17-Alexander Tejera, 112), 11-Adam Najem (19-Joseph Swenson, 79); 7-Alex Muyl, 9-Ethan Decker (20-Jhon Estama, 66)
Subs not used: 18-Joe Ohaus
Head Coach: Paul O’Donnell
Stats Summary: SSM/NYRB
Shots: 12/26
Shots on Goal: 5/11
Saves: 9/4
Corner Kicks: 2/10
Fouls: 6/15
Offside: 2/3
Misconduct Summary:
NYRB – Evens Saint Jean (caution) 36th minute
NYRB – Jhon Estama (caution) 116
NYRB – Jhon Estama (caution, sent off) 120
NYRB – Anthony Viteri (caution) 120
NYRB – Santiago Castano (caution) 120
Officials:
Referee: Vince Apple-Chiarella
Assistant Referee 1: Brandon Major
Assistant Referee 2: Andrew Bigelow
Fourth Official: Alex Chilowicz
ussoccer.com Man of the Match: Jhon Estama
