Minnesota United U14 Development Academy Head Coach Angel Rivillo called last weekend’s 2018 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Central Regional Showcase a “measuring stick” for his side. If so, it graded out pretty well as the U14 team went a perfect 4-0 in four matches and only trailed for six minutes in 200 minutes of play against other academies from around the region.
The MNUFC U13 DA found success as well in Illinois, gaining a pair of one-goal wins over both Sporting Kansas City and San Antonio FC.
MNUFC U13 DA 0 – 1 Dallas Texans
In Minnesota’s first game of the showcase, the U13 Loons were undone by a goal just before halftime. Dallas’s Juan Monrreal scored in the 23rd minute to open the scoring and it proved to be all the offense his team needed as MNUFC failed to produce a response.
MNUFC U13 DA 1 – 0 Sporting Kansas City
The Loons flipped the script in their second game on Friday, scoring the game’s lone goal and keeping a clean sheet against Sporting Kansas City. After a scoreless opening 25 minutes, Minnesota’s Luke Haggerty broke the deadlock in the 37th minute and his team’s back line and goalkeeping took over in the remaining 13 minutes to ensure his goal stood up as the game-winner.
MNUFC U13 DA 0 – 1 Houston Dynamo
On Saturday, MNUFC fell behind quickly and was unable to put together a comeback. Houston’s Leonardo Daniel Santana provided the game’s only offense with his goal in the 10th minute, as the Loons were held scoreless for the second time in three games to open the showcase.
MNUFC U13 DA 2 – 1 San Antonio FC
After falling behind early, MNUFC came alive late for a last-minute comeback victory over San Antonio FC to close out its showcase experience. San Antonio’s Jorge Hernandez gave his side the game’s first lead in the 14th minute and that 1-0 advantage lasted until the closing minutes. With just minutes left to play, Minnesota’s Charlie Piller equalized in the 45th minute and that goal was quickly followed by Jabari Kibisu’s game-winning heroics just before the final whistle in the 49th minute.
MNUFC U14 DA 2 – 1 Armada FC Pro Academy
All of the offense in the MNUFC U14 team’s opening game on Sunday came in the final 10 minutes as the Loons fell behind, but stormed back late for a thrilling win. After 40 scoreless minutes, Armada FC’s Andres Villasana opened the scoring in the 40th minute — which ended up as the only deficit Minnesota faced all weekend. The Loons’ Abdusalam Akinola brought MNUFC level in the 46th minute and Sylvester Doe provided the game-winner shortly thereafter at the death in the 50th minute.
MNUFC U14 DA 4 – 0 Houston Dynamo
Minnesota scored early and often as it ran away with a convincing win over Houston Dynamo on Sunday. Doe scored his second goal of the day in the second minute to get MNUFC started and it never looked back. Merrick Schaefer doubled the advantage in the 20th minute, Tamer Ibsais piled on in the 27th minute and Doe scored his second of the game — and third of the day — in the 31st minute to round out the scoring.
MNUFC U14 DA 1 – 0 Tampa Bay Rowdies
An early goal was all the Loons needed to close out the Tampa Bay Rowdies in its first game on Monday. Minnesota’s Merrick Schaefer scored in the first minute for a 1-0 lead that the Loons successfully defended for the next 49 minutes.
MNUFC U14 DA 3 – 0 Orlando City
After a scoreless first half, MNUFC came alive in the final 25 minutes to cap its undefeated weekend. Akinola’s second goal of the showcase got things started in the 38th minute, which was soon followed by a pair of goals moments apart from Evan Lockheart and Dominick Vargas in the 46th and 47th minutes.
The Minnesota United U13 and U14 Development Academies are off this weekend before returning to action on Saturday, November 3 against their counterparts from Saint Louis FC Illinois at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., respectively, at the National Sports Center in Blaine. After a few weeks away, the U15 Development Academy gets going again the following week on Saturday, November 10 against the Indiana Fire Academy in Westfield, Indiana. The full schedules for all three MNUFC Academy sides can be found at MNUFC.COM.
