CARSON, Calif. (Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013) – The LA Galaxy Academy Under-18’s dominated Real So Cal for 90 minutes, but were a bit unlucky to come away with a 2-2 draw last Sunday at Oak Park High School in U.S. Soccer Development Academy play. The Galaxy, which controlled possession for the majority of the game, was unable to break a Real So Cal defense that seemed content with putting numbers in the back.
An early goal by Real So Cal in the 8th minute of play allowed the home team to play defensively for most of the match. In the second half, however, forward Adonis Amaya finally got one back for the Galaxy just after the hour mark to even out the scoreline at 1-1. The goal was Amaya’s team-leading ninth goals in eight games.
The final 30 minutes of the game were all Galaxy as they continued to put pressure on Real So Cal with wave after wave of attack. With five minutes left in the game, Real So Cal benefitted from a penalty inside the box and was able to convert from the spot to regain the lead. But the Galaxy was not about to let a performance like this go unrewarded with zero points. With the game winding down, midfielder Jaime Villarreal (pictured above), the younger brother of Galaxy forward Jose Villarreal, buried a free kick from just outside the box to rescue a point and tie the game at 2-2. Villarreal’s goal was his third of the season, which is tied for second most on the squad with two others.
With the draw, the Galaxy improves their overall record to 5-1-2 for 17 points and holds on to first place status in the division standings. Real So Cal record is now 3-1-1 overall for 10 points and remains in third place in the standings.
The match was the club’s next to last in the calendar year before participating in the Development Academy Winter Showcase and starting on winter break.
The Galaxy Academy U-18’s don’t have a game this weekend, but return to action next weekend with a road game against Nomads SC at the University of California San Diego on Saturday, Nov. 30. The game is their final of the calendar year in Development Academy play.
Prior to the start of the winter break, the club will travel to Florida to take part in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase from Dec. 11-14. There, the Galaxy will play three games, facing Players Development Academy from New Jersey on Dec. 11, FC Dallas Academy on Dec. 12 and the Chicago Fire Academy on Dec. 14.
LA GALAXY U-16’S WIN BIG AS ZUBAK SCORES FOUR: Ethan Zubak scored four goals as the LA Galaxy Academy U-16’s beat Real So Cal 5-0 to extend their unbeaten streak to nine games in U.S. Soccer Development Academy play. Adrian Vera opened up the scoring for the Galaxy U-16’s in the 7th minute with his fourth goal of the season. Zubak, who entered the game with one goal in his previous eight games, scored four times in the second half as the Galaxy ran away with the three points. Zubak’s goals came in the 47th, 52nd, 70th and 79th minutes. Goalkeeper Bennett Sneddon played the entire 80 minutes as the squad recorded its fourth shutout of the campaign— third shutout in the last four games. The Galaxy Academy U-16’s are now 6-0-3 overall and remain in first place of the Southwest Division standing with 21 points. The Galaxy U-16’s do not have game in the books the next two weeks, but return to action Saturday, Nov. 30 with a road game against Nomads SC at 5:30 p.m. at University of California San Diego. That game is the team’s final Development Academy match of the year until Jan. 25, when the club returns from its Winter Break. In between, the Galaxy Academy U-16’s will travel to Florida from Dec. 12-15 to take part in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase. There, the Galaxy will face Capital Area RailHawks Academy U-16’s on Dec. 12, Houston Dynamo Academy U-16’s on Dec. 13 and FC Dallas Academy U-16’s on Dec. 15.
LATE GOAL PUSHES GALAXY ACADEMY U-14’S TO VICTORY: The LA Galaxy Academy Under-14’s got a late goal from forward Noa Harrison to score an important 2-1 road win over Real So Cal last Sunday at Oak Park High. Harrison, the team’s second leading scorer with five goals in eight games, scored the game winner in the 81st minute. The Galaxy were initially in front in the scoreboard when Leonardo Zulli gave the squad a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute with his second goal of the season. In the 67th minute, Real So Cal tied it up with a goal from Jason Manning. The game seemed destined to end 1-1 until Harrison’s late game heroics helped the Galaxy improve to 6-1-1 overall on the season. Next up for the squad are two U.S. Soccer Development Academy showcase games this weekend at StubHub Center. The first one is Saturday at 10 a.m. against De Anza Force’s U-14’s at 10 a.m. on Field #4, followed up with a game Sunday at 11 a.m. against Diablo Futbol Club U-14’s on Field #3.
TWO PLAYERS CALLED IN FOR U.S. U-17 FRIENDLIES AGAINST CANADA: LA Galaxy Academy Under-17 goalkeeper Abraham Romero and forward Haji Wright were called-in by U.S. Soccer Under-17 National Team head coach Richie Williams for pair of friendlies against Canada taking place Nov. 15-17 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Romero and Wright, currently enrolled in the 2013 Fall Semester of U.S. Soccer’s Residency Program in Bradenton, were two of 28 players called in for the games. The games will serve as tune ups for next month’s Nike International Friendlies, which are taking place during the Development Academy Winter Showcase in Lakewood, Fla., where the U.S. will face Brazil, England and Portugal. These games serve as preparation for next year’s CONCACAF U-17 Championships, which is the qualifying tournament for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.
U-16 B’S GUNNING FOR A SECOND STRAIGHT WIN: After a week off, the LA Galaxy Academy U-16 B’s return to SCDSL action on Saturday when the team travels to Santa Barbara SC White. The U-16 B’s last played on Nov. 3 when they bested a hosting Pateadores side 3-1 at Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate School. Jason Ballejo scored his second goal in as many games while Brian Cruz-Flores and Brandon Torres each found the back of the net. Carlos Cruz also contributed an assist, his first of the season. The win lifted the U-16 B’s to a 3-4-1 record for 10 points on the campaign and despite hovering mid-table, the team is currently tied for fourth in the league with 20 goals scored. Head coach Andrew Boyens’ team travels to a Santa Barbara SC White side that is currently on a two-game win streak where they haven’t surrendered a goal. The game will be played at 9 a.m. on Saturday at San Marcos High School Stadium.
U-14 B’S LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK THIS WEEKEND: The LA Galaxy Academy U-14 B’s suffered their fourth loss of the Southern California Developmental Soccer League season following a 6-1 defeat to first place San Diego Surf Aguilar on Saturday. But this weekend, the Ted Eck-coached side has the opportunity to claim a possible six points as they play two games in SCDSL this weekend and aim to improve upon their 1-4-2 record for five points. On Saturday, the squad visit a San Diego Surf Boys Academy team that hasn’t scored in over a month at San Diego Polo Field #6 at 9 a.m. The following day, the team travels to Sotomayor High School at 8:30 a.m. to take on a Los Angeles Futbol Academy side that hasn’t allowed a goal in three consecutive matches.
U-12 NORTH AND SOUTH BOTH EARNED WEEKEND CLEAN SHEETS: The LA Galaxy Academy U-12 teams each registered a shutout victory in SCDSL play over the weekend. The LA Galaxy Academy U-12 South escaped Saturday’s game against Manhattan Beach Sand and Surf with a 2-1 before blanking the LA Galaxy South Bay Gold team 5-0 on Sunday at the Mira Costa High School Stadium to maintain their unbeaten record. The LA Galaxy North team cruised to a 4-0 home win over Santa Barbara SC White on Saturday at the North Torrance High School Stadium to record their second consecutive clean sheet. Both teams, who are currently tied for first in the league with a plus-32 goal differential, have a pair of weekend matchups on Saturday and Sunday. The U-12 South team is currently second in the standings with a 9-0-2 overall record for 29 points and a league-best 43 goals. They visit a struggling FC Golden State Gold side that have one lone win on the season on Saturday at 9 a.m. before taking on first place FC Golden State PDA the following day at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. FC Golden State boast a 10-0-1 record and a SCSDL-best 31 points, their defense has conceded only two goals all season. The U-12 North side, who currently posts a 7-1-3 record for 24 points and have scored 42 goals on the season, play two home games this weekends. First they host FC Los Angeles Black on Saturday at 1:40 p.m at North Torrance High School. The next day, they host Los Angeles Futbol Academy Black at North Torrance High School at 3 p.m.
STAY CONNECTED: To get the latest information about the LA Galaxy Academy and its teams, follow the club on twitter @LAGalaxyAcademy or on Facebook at Facebook.com/LAGalaxyAcademy. Schedule changes, score updates and news and insights are all provided via those accounts.
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE
Game (Date)
LA Galaxy Academy U-14’s @ De Anza Force (Saturday, Nov. 16)
Game will be played at StubHub Center Field 4 at 10 a.m.
LA Galaxy Academy U-14’s vs. Diablo Futbol Club (Sunday, Nov. 17)
Game will be played at StubHub Center Field 3 at 11 a.m.
LA Galaxy Academy U-16 B’s @ Santa Barbara SC White (Saturday, Nov. 16)
Game will be played at San Marcos High School Stadium Field at 9 a.m.
LA Galaxy Academy U-14 B’s @. San Diego Surf Boys Academy (Saturday, Nov. 16)
Game will be played at San Diego Polo Fields # 6 at 9 a.m.
LA Galaxy Academy U-14 B’s @. Los Angeles Futbol Academy (Sunday, Nov. 17)
Game will be played at Sotomayor High School Turf Field at 8:30 a.m.
LA Galaxy Academy U-12 North vs. FC Los Angeles Black (Saturday, Nov. 16)
Game will be played at North Torrance High School Stadium Field at 1:40 p.m.
LA Galaxy Academy U-12 North vs. Los Angeles Futbol Academy Black (Sunday, Nov. 17)
Game will be played at North Torrance High School Stadium Field at 3 p.m.
LA Galaxy Academy U-12 South @. FC Golden State Gold (Saturday, Nov. 16)
Game will be played at Chaffey College Field # 1 at 9 a.m.
LA Galaxy Academy U-12 South @. FC Golden State PDA (Sunday, Nov. 17)
Game will be played at Chaffey College Field # 1 at 1:45 p.m.
Times and locations for all games are correct as of Tuesday, Nov. 12. Click here for a complete schedule of games in the Southern California Development Soccer League and U.S. Soccer Development Academy, which includes the Galaxy Academy’s U-12, U-14, U-16 and U-18 teams.
