U.S. Soccer Development Academy East Conference Recap: Week 11
It was a short USSDA slate this weekend, but there were still plenty of notable results. D.C. United picked up a win against a local rival in the younger division while Baltimore Armour pulled a major upset against one of the best U-15/16 squads in the Eastern Conference.
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Match Recaps
U13/14
D.C. United 5, Prince William Courage 2
Despite receiving two goals from Ethan Vertal, Prince William Courage couldn’t keep up with D.C. United’s high-powered attack on Saturday afternoon. D.C. United wasted no time taking control of the game — Jair Sosa and Dennis Miljkovic scored in the 14th and 19th minute, respectively — but Vertal got one of those goals back in the 27th minute. Each team scored once more before the break, giving D.C. United a 3-2 lead at intermission. While Prince William Courage was in striking distance, D.C. United received goals from Michael Gaines and Moses Nyeman in the first 15 minutes of the second half to put the match out of reach.
Philadelphia Union 3, Lehigh Valley United 0
Philadelphia Union continues to play well as it approaches the end of the season’s first half. Sunday, it shut down Lehigh Valley United and pushed across three goals for its sixth win in 10 games. Jason Aoyama led the Union with two goals, and Matthew Myers scored in the 82nd minute to cap the victory. In net, goalkeepers Liam Cummings and Eoin Gawronski combined to secure the Union’s fifth shutout of the year.
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U15/16
New England Revolution 3, Montréal Impact FC 2
Behind Gabriel Meireles’ hat trick, New England Revolution widened its lead in the Northeast Division with a 3-2 win over Montréal Impact FC.
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence right now,” Revolution coach Jonathan Pereira said, “And for a striker, that’s a very important aspect of scoring goals.”
In a battle between two of the best defensive teams in the Eastern Conference, Meireles opened the scoring in the 27th minute to put the Revolution ahead. The Impact answered right before the half, however, as Olujimi Joshua Aribido netted the equalizer with two minutes left in the opening period.
The second half featured more offensive production from Meirele, who found the net in the 64th and the 77th minute, to give the Revolution a two-goal advantage. It allowed them to hold on for the victory even after Yohan Le Bourhis converted his scoring chance with 10 minutes left in regulation.
“The game could have gone either way,” Pereira said. “We dodged a few bullets — possible handball penalty in the first half and they also missed a clear chance in each half. Ed Walsh made a few important saves to keep us in it when the game got tight.”
At 7-1-3, the Revolution holds a three-point advantage over Beachside SC, which tied FC Boston Bolts on Saturday.
After bringing in a few newcomers and having several players move up from the U14 squad, Pereira said this team is starting to mesh together. He pointed out that his squad’s ability to transition could be sharper, but he’s been pleased with what he’s seen so far this year.
“We’ve had a pretty good year so far,” Pereira said. “It’s still very early. The boys come to training focused and willing to work and learn.”
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Baltimore Armour 2, New York Red Bulls 0
Entering this matchup, New York Red Bulls and Baltimore Armour sat at opposite ends of the Atlantic Division standings. The Red Bulls were 6-0-2 and outscored their opponents, 27-5, putting them in the No. 1 position, while Baltimore Armour won just two of its 10 games.
But the Armour flipped the standings upside-down Sunday afternoon with a 2-0 win. It marked just the second time this season in which the Red Bulls did not score.
Jerome Webbert and Joshua Cruz netted first-half goals in the victory, but it Baltimore Armour’s defensive performance that propelled the squad to the upset win. Along with goalkeeper Blake Biessen, defenders Ryan Calhoun and Ben Detweiler played 80 minutes and shut down a Red Bulls offense that averaged 3.375 goals per game.
The win doesn’t move Baltimore Armour significantly up in the standings — it still ranks eighth out of 10 teams — but it provides a significant confidence boost for this team moving forward.
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U17/18
Capital Area Railhawks 4, Kendall SC 3
Capital Area Railhawks followed up a 5-2 win over Weston FC on Saturday with a one-goal victory against Kendall SC a day later. Behind first-half goals from Jeffrey Petroski and Colby Agu, the Railhawks took a 2-1 lead into halftime. Then Alex Rose, who added a goal against Weston FC, scored twice in the opening 25 minutes of the second half to give his team a three-goal advantage. Kendall SC mounted a attempted to mount a comeback — Travis Brumfield and Jonathan Lewis scored in the 70th and the 85th minute, respectively — but came up short. After two wins this weekend, the Railhawks now sit in the No. 2 position in the Southeast Division standings.
Other Match-Ups
U13/14
Metro Division
Cedar Stars Academy 3, NJCSA 0
Met Oval 5, Continental FC DELCO 1
North Atlantic Division
PA Classics 3, Richmond United 2
Northeast Division
BW Gottschee Academy 3, Seacoast United 1
South Atlantic Division
Charlotte Soccer Academy 1, South Carolina Battery Academy 1
Sunshine Division
Orlando City SC 4, Chargers Soccer Club 2
Tampa Bay United 5, IMG Academy 0
Weston FC 1, Jacksonville FC 0
U15/16
Atlantic Division
Players Development Academy 1, Bethesda-Olney 0
Baltimore Armour 2, New York Red Bulls 0
Philadelphia Union 1, D.C. United 0
Northeast Division
Oakwood Soccer Club 3, Albertson SC 1
FC Boston Bolts 1, Beachside SC 1
Everton FC Westchester 1, Empire United 0
Southeast Division
Weston FC 2, Capital Area Railhawks 0
Kendall SC 3, North Carolina Fusion 2
Georgia United 3, Concorde Fire 0
Weston FC 5, North Carolina Fusion 0
Kendall SC 2, Capital Area Railhawks 0
Charlotte Soccer Academy 0, South Carolina Battery Academy 0
U17/18
Atlantic Division
Richmond United 1, PA Classics 0
New York Red Bulls 7, Baltimore Armour 0
Northeast Division
BW Gottschee Academy 3, Seacoast United 0
Oakwood Soccer Club 4, Albertson SC 0
Empire United 2, Everton FC Westchester 1
Southeast Division
Capital Area Railhawks 5, Weston FC 2
Georgia United 2, Concorde Fire 1
Charlotte Soccer Academy 0, South Carolina Battery Academy 0
Kendall SC 1, North Carolina Fusion 0
