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En Route: Tempers flare at Development Academy on Day Four
Five red cards in four games for the U-16 age group in Milwaukee showcase fiery displays of passion at Development Academy Finals Week.
Jul 13, 2011 3:07:00 AM
By J.R. Eskilson
J.R. Eskilson
MILWAUKEE – Reckless challenges, outburst of retaliations, and emotional displays forced referees to go to the back pocket at an alarming rate on the second day of games for the younger age group at the Development Academy Finals Week.
The lone game without a red card on the day was the most exhilaration as Real Salt Lake-Arizona and PA Classics battled to the final whistle in a 2-2 draw. The rest of the day would offer the hindrance of short-handed sides battling for results and force coaches to rethink strategies with suspensions on the horizon.
Real Salt Lake–Arizona 2-2 PA Classics
PA Classics grabbed a goal seconds before halftime after frustrating RSL-AZ throughout the opening stanza with a tough defense led by Jonathan Wenger. The residential academy would break through after the intermission via Ben Spencer and substitute Danny Gavin grabbing goals in quick succession with only 15 minutes left on the clock. However, Classics answered with a brilliant cross from Connor Maloney, who also had a goal on the day, which was finished by Kyle Bitterman for the final tally of the afternoon.
“I couldn’t have asked more from my players,” RSL-AZ head coach Mike Munoz told Goal.com after the game. “We knew any lead wasn’t good enough against these guys, they never give up.”
“Real is a great team, we are happy with a tie,” PA Classics head coach Steve Klein said. “I haven’t done the math, but I believe a win puts us through.”
Klein and his squad face North Carolina Fusion in the group final on Thursday.
North Carolina Fusion 1-0 CASL Chelsea FC Academy
During a fairly scrappy outing between two North Carolina clubs, it was a moment of brilliance from Fusion captain Warren G Marshall that separated the sides. Marshall grabbed his 20th goal of the season on Tuesday to secure the win and put his team at the top of the group alongside PA Classics.
“Warren [Marshall] has had a terrific season,” Fusion head coach Chris Little said after the victory. “He has a great ability to get behind defenders from midfield and that is what he did today.”
The game-winner was a smashing strike from 18 yards out to the bottom corner of the net. Little added that the squad had not seen much of PA Classics yet, but would review tape before Thursday’s game.
Fusion and Classics sit atop the group, but RSL-AZ is still alive depending on Thursday’s results. A win for either Fusion or Classics would see that side through, but a draw plus an RSL-AZ victory could see the desert academy through on goal differential.
LA Galaxy 4-0 Dallas Texans
Two red cards and heated play could barely slow down the offensive juggernaut of the Galaxy. Led by the play of Jack McBean and the Dhillon brothers, Galaxy netted two goals while down a man in the second half.
“It was a very gutty performance from our guys and our behavior was uncharacteristic,” head coach Kenny Arena said after the game. “But we played great.”
The Galaxy had only accumulated three red cards over the course of a 31 game season so the two in one half were surprising for the well coached side.
“We knew we had to get three points to stay in the tournament and also get as many goals as we could, and I thought we did that as well as we could,” McBean said after the game. The striker also added that he anticipates a tough game against Seattle in the last game as both sides sit on four points.
Seattle Sounders 2-1 Real So Cal
Birthday boy Austin Sweeney stole the show in the nightcap to Tuesday’s action. A well-struck free kick by Sweeney from distance leveled the score in the second half, and then a perfectly placed corner kick assisted on Ian Lange’s game-winning goal late in the match.
“For the free kick, I was confident,” Sweeney told Goal.com after the win. “So once I got up to it, I just hit it and luckily it went in.”
The midfielder has a knack for those long-range efforts, as he scored ten goals this year with most coming from distance in dead ball situations.
“I had some key players step up big time this game,” coach Bill Crook told Goal.com after the game. “We certainly wanted to win to control our own destiny.”
“Galaxy are good, we have only lost a couple games this year and Galaxy was one of them,” Crook added about the upcoming opposition. “The boys are certainly ready to show how they have improved.”
The Galaxy and Sounders battle for the place in the National Championship game at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday. Real So Cal and Dallas Texans are both eliminated from contention.
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The lone game without a red card on the day was the most exhilaration as Real Salt Lake-Arizona and PA Classics battled to the final whistle in a 2-2 draw. The rest of the day would offer the hindrance of short-handed sides battling for results and force coaches to rethink strategies with suspensions on the horizon.
Real Salt Lake–Arizona 2-2 PA Classics
PA Classics grabbed a goal seconds before halftime after frustrating RSL-AZ throughout the opening stanza with a tough defense led by Jonathan Wenger. The residential academy would break through after the intermission via Ben Spencer and substitute Danny Gavin grabbing goals in quick succession with only 15 minutes left on the clock. However, Classics answered with a brilliant cross from Connor Maloney, who also had a goal on the day, which was finished by Kyle Bitterman for the final tally of the afternoon.
“I couldn’t have asked more from my players,” RSL-AZ head coach Mike Munoz told Goal.com after the game. “We knew any lead wasn’t good enough against these guys, they never give up.”
“Real is a great team, we are happy with a tie,” PA Classics head coach Steve Klein said. “I haven’t done the math, but I believe a win puts us through.”
Klein and his squad face North Carolina Fusion in the group final on Thursday.
North Carolina Fusion 1-0 CASL Chelsea FC Academy
During a fairly scrappy outing between two North Carolina clubs, it was a moment of brilliance from Fusion captain Warren G Marshall that separated the sides. Marshall grabbed his 20th goal of the season on Tuesday to secure the win and put his team at the top of the group alongside PA Classics.
“Warren [Marshall] has had a terrific season,” Fusion head coach Chris Little said after the victory. “He has a great ability to get behind defenders from midfield and that is what he did today.”
The game-winner was a smashing strike from 18 yards out to the bottom corner of the net. Little added that the squad had not seen much of PA Classics yet, but would review tape before Thursday’s game.
Fusion and Classics sit atop the group, but RSL-AZ is still alive depending on Thursday’s results. A win for either Fusion or Classics would see that side through, but a draw plus an RSL-AZ victory could see the desert academy through on goal differential.
LA Galaxy 4-0 Dallas Texans
Two red cards and heated play could barely slow down the offensive juggernaut of the Galaxy. Led by the play of Jack McBean and the Dhillon brothers, Galaxy netted two goals while down a man in the second half.
“It was a very gutty performance from our guys and our behavior was uncharacteristic,” head coach Kenny Arena said after the game. “But we played great.”
The Galaxy had only accumulated three red cards over the course of a 31 game season so the two in one half were surprising for the well coached side.
“We knew we had to get three points to stay in the tournament and also get as many goals as we could, and I thought we did that as well as we could,” McBean said after the game. The striker also added that he anticipates a tough game against Seattle in the last game as both sides sit on four points.
Seattle Sounders 2-1 Real So Cal
Birthday boy Austin Sweeney stole the show in the nightcap to Tuesday’s action. A well-struck free kick by Sweeney from distance leveled the score in the second half, and then a perfectly placed corner kick assisted on Ian Lange’s game-winning goal late in the match.
“For the free kick, I was confident,” Sweeney told Goal.com after the win. “So once I got up to it, I just hit it and luckily it went in.”
The midfielder has a knack for those long-range efforts, as he scored ten goals this year with most coming from distance in dead ball situations.
“I had some key players step up big time this game,” coach Bill Crook told Goal.com after the game. “We certainly wanted to win to control our own destiny.”
“Galaxy are good, we have only lost a couple games this year and Galaxy was one of them,” Crook added about the upcoming opposition. “The boys are certainly ready to show how they have improved.”
The Galaxy and Sounders battle for the place in the National Championship game at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday. Real So Cal and Dallas Texans are both eliminated from contention.
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