Both Dynamo Academy teams will walk away from their inaugural trip to the USSF Development Academy Winter Showcase slightly disappointed after wrapping up play on Tuesday. The U-18 team won its game on Tuesday, 1-0, but will rue Monday's loss that prevented them from extending their unbeaten streak to nine games. The U-16s dominated Tuesday's match but fell 2-0 on counterattack goals to go 1-1 for the showcase.
While the weather had calmed down Tuesday, there was still standing water in parts of both fields the Dynamo Academy teams used. Both squads played Mustang Soccer Club from Danville, Calif., at the same time on adjacent fields. After a 2-0 win over Met Oval yesterday had lifted their spirits, the U-16s controlled play against Mustang on Tuesday but were undone by two counterattack goals. They are now 3-6-2 for the USSF season.
Meanwhile, the Dynamo U-18s were also controlling play against Mustang on the next field over. As it had all weekend, Houston struggled to finish its chances - the Dynamo had wasted penalty kicks in their first two games - but did manage a goal partway through the first half. Wing Francisco Navas (Houston C.C.) bent in a corner kick, and center back Conner Mowery (The Woodlands), back from injury, headed it home for the first goal of his Dynamo Academy career, which goes back to August 2007.
Forward Martin Castillo (Pasadena Sam Rayburn) was named man of the match for the U-18 squad, which did not allow a shot on goal. Comic relief came in the form of center back C.J. Odenigwe's attempt at a scorpion kick, which could fast become the stuff of Dynamo Academy legend. The win was a positive result for the U-18s, especially considering Mustang tied both Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy in October, and the Dynamo are now 7-1-1 in their last nine games.
In their next action, both Dynamo Academy teams will face Dallas Texans Houston, from the Spring area, on Wednesday, December 16, at Carl Lewis Track & Field Complex. The U-18s will also play in the Dynamo Academy Showcase against Houston's college players on Saturday, December 19.
