Welcome to this week's Chivas USA Youth Soccer Update, a roundup of Chivas USA's groundbreaking youth development program, including the Chivas USA Under-18 and U-16 teams (where the region's best talent compete, free of cost to the players, in the prestigious U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy) and the Chivas and Chivas USA Soccer Academies. For more information on Chivas USA's youth development program, please visit www.cdchivasusa.com.
JOSE DIAZ CALLED UP TO U.S. U-18 TEAM FOR TRIP TO PORTUGAL
Chivas USA U-18 Team defender Jose Diaz (Fontana, Calif.), who joined the Red-and-White youth system through the inaugural Sueño MLS tryouts in 2007, has been called up by coach Bob Jenkins to the United States Under-18 National Team for its upcoming participation in the Lisbon International Tournament. Diaz is one of 18 players included on the squad, which will play Norway on May 21, Portugal on May 22, and Sweden on May 24. The trip to Portugal is the first international training camp of 2008 for the U-18 National Team, but will include 11 players, including Diaz, who participated in the team's most recent domestic camp in New Jersey. The team leaves for Portugal tomorrow, May 16.
DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY MATCHES THIS SATURDAY AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER
The Chivas USA Youth Teams will each play Real So Cal this weekend in an important Southern California division matchup in the Development Academy. The two teams clashed recently; on April 19, the Chivas USA U-16 Team beat Real So Cal 3-1, and the U-18's beat So Cal 2-0 on the same day. Both team's matches will take place at The Home Depot Center's Field 5 on Saturday, May 17, with the U-16's starting at 9:00 a.m. PT, and the U-18's playing immediately afterward, at 11:00 a.m. PT.
CHIVAS USA COACHING SEMINAR THIS WEEKEND
Chivas USA is hosting a coaching seminar this weekend for coaches from the Chivas USA Licensed Academies. The seminar will take place at The Home Depot Center, Cal State Dominguez Hills, and the Bell Gardens Sports Center, and will include as many as 50 coaches from within the Chivas USA network.
CHIVAS USA U-18 TEAM FALLS TO PATEADORES
With a number of players missing due to injuries and suspensions, the Chivas USA U-18 Team was unable to top division rival Pateadores this past weekend in Fullerton. Giving up an early goal to go down 1-0, the Red-and-White fought back with a great strike by Armando Rocha from 25 yards to tie the game at one. Pateadores took a 2-1 lead on a miscommunication in the Chivas USA defense, and then sealed the game with a third goal late in the match. The Chivas USA U-18's finish the season with a 1-1 record against Pateadores, after beating the team 3-0 on April 5.
CHIVAS USA U-16 TEAM DROPS TIGHT DECISION
The Chivas USA U-16 Team lost a close match to division rival Pateadores this past weekend at Cal-State Fullerton. The Red-and-White were up against the Southern California division leaders, and Pateadores came away with a 3-2 win, scoring on a late penalty kick to earn the victory. Chivas USA struck first, going up 1-0 after 15 minutes when Jorge Ramirez finished a run with a low shot into the corner of the net. Pateadores struck back almost immediately, scoring twice before Clayton Eaton evened the score at two for Chivas USA just before halftime. Both teams had opportunities in the second half to take the lead, but Pateadores ended up earning the penalty kick to take the win.
JORGE FLORES HELPS U.S. U-20 NATIONAL TEAM TO TWO WINS IN ENGLAND
Chivas USA midfielder Jorge Flores played a big part in the United States Under-20 National Team's victories in two friendlies the team played in England last week. Flores scored the game-winner on a penalty kick in the 50th minute as the U.S. U-20's earned a 2-0 win over the Bolton Reserves on Wednesday, May 7. A day later, Flores notched an assist on the U.S.'s first goal as the team won again, beating the Manchester United Reserves by a score of 2-1. The trip was the third foreign training camp, and fifth overall, for Rongen's squad as they prepare for the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt. So far in 2008, Flores has played in more games and logged more minutes than any other U.S. U-20 player.
CURRENT CHIVAS USA U-18 AND U-16 ROSTERS
The rosters for Chivas USA's U-18 and U-16 Teams in the Development Academy were fixed on April 1 and will not undergo changes until after the end of the U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy's 2007-08 season this summer. Full team rosters are listed below:
Chivas USA Under-18 Team Roster (As of April 1, 2008)
Number Name Position Birthdate Hometown
3 Nikolas Acosta MD 4/26/1989 Temecula, CA
12 Gildardo Aguirre GK 2/19/1989 Northridge, CA
4 Omar Becera DF 9/20/1990 San Diego, CA
5 Jose Diaz DF 1/25/1991 Fontana, CA
2 Omar Elmasri DF 9/5/1990 Arcadia, CA
18 Erick Escobedo MD 7/16/1990 Bell Gardens, CA
19 Rod Fahmian DF 4/26/1990 Riverside, CA
11 Mario Ledezma FW 12/17/1990 Sylmar, CA
8 Hector Molina MD 11/5/1990 Van Nuys, CA
7 Leopoldo Morales FW 3/6/1990 Bellflower, CA
16 Michael Muniz DF 1/12/1990 El Monte, CA
14 Jesse Paredes MD 4/1/1990 Los Angeles, CA
1 Juan Quiroz GK 3/4/1990 Inglewood, CA
10 Armando Rocha FW 4/14/1989 Huntington Beach, CA
9 Arnaldo Salazar FW 10/16/1989 Norwalk, CA
13 Hugo Sanchez DF 9/10/1990 Los Angeles, CA
17 Victor Sanchez FW 8/23/1990 Huntington Park, CA
6 Cesar Zamora MD 5/27/1991 Sylmar, CA
Head Coach: Sacha van der Most van Spijk
Assistant Coach: Refugio Mancilla
Chivas USA Under-16 Team Roster (As of April 1, 2008)
Number Name Position Birthdate Hometown
3 Cesar Arenas DF 9/5/1991 Fontana, CA
5 Jaime Cano MF 5/26/1992 Inglewood, CA
10 Carlo Chueca MF 3/23/1993 Palm Sprigs,CA
6 Clayton Eaton MF 5/24/1991 Norco, CA
1 Antonio Flores GK 1/4/1992 Paramount, CA
17 Brian De La Fuente FW 7/1/1992 Lynwood, CA
12 Mario Gonzales GK 3/8/1991 Huntington Park, CA
9 Yohel de Jesus FW 8/28/1992 Santa Ana, CA
16 Brian Llamas FW 9/10/1991 Wilmington, CA
7 Andy Lopez FW 12/21/1991 Los Angeles,CA
8 Oliquer Olivar MF 2/10/1991 Winnetka, CA
2 Kelsy Paredes DF 4/12/1991 Los Angeles, CA
11 Jorge Ramirez FW 5/23/1991 Upland, CA
4 Briant Reyes DF 3/6/1991 Downey, CA
13 Angel Rodriquez MF 3/2/1992 Moreno Valley, CA
20 Roberto Romo FW 5/21/1991 Paramount, CA
14 Carlos Torres, Jr. DF 8/27/1992 Compton, CA
15 Steve Torres DF 1/2/1991 Pomona, CA
18 Alberto Velazquez FW 4/30/1992
Head Coach: Samuel Rivas
Assistant Coach: Miguel Ramos
ABOUT THE U.S. SOCCER DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY
The U.S Soccer Development Academy is a nationwide youth development initiative, organized by the U.S. Soccer Federation, featuring 63 of the top youth teams in the country competing in a league system at both the U-18 and U-16 levels. The first part of the season ran from October to November, and after a winter break the league has resumed play and will continue through the end of June. The 63 youth programs, including one U.S. Youth National Team in each age group, are divided into eight regions, each of which will send a single qualifier to the national finals to be held at The Home Depot Center after the regular season concludes in late June. For more information on the U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy, please visit www.ussoccer.com.
