The Houston Dynamo Academy opened its participation in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy league with a pair of wins on Saturday over the Texas Rush, 2-1 at the U-16 level and 2-0 at the U-18 level.
The U-16 game took place at the Carl Lewis Track & Field Complex at the University of Houston. The Rush stunned the Dynamo with an early goal when Kevin Alvarenga was left open at the edge of the penalty area, and he fired a shot to the top left corner past the dive of Dynamo goalkeeper Phillip Blake (Deer Park).
The Rush dominated the first 20 minutes, but the Dynamo Academy improved its game as the half went on and began to seize control in the second half. The pressure paid off in the 53rd minute when Isaiah Noriega (Kingwood Park) served in a free kick, and Isaiah Nji (Harmony Science Academy) deflected it in to tie the game.
With time winding down, the Dynamo found the winner in the last minute when forward Erick Sanchez made an individual run and found the net with his left foot to give the U-16s a dramatic win in their opening game despite 13 of their 17 players on the day being U-15 or younger.
"I was very proud of the character we showed in coming back from a goal down," Dynamo Director of Youth Development James Clarkson said. "It's been a trademark of the Dynamo first team to win games late in the second half, and it's great to see our younger players taking after the professionals."
In the nightcap, played at Robertson Stadium after the Dynamo first team's 3-2 win over Real Salt Lake, the Dynamo Academy seized the momentum from the outset. With several hundred fans on hand, Houston took the lead in just the ninth minute.
Josue Morales (Houston Chavez) played a long ball from the midfield stripe, and forward Abe Matamoros (Strake Jesuit) reached it at the top of the box. His initial shot was saved, but Matamoros slotted in the rebound. As one of the Dynamo's first academy players in 2007, Matamoros was a fitting player to score the U-18 team's first goal in USSF play, and he ran to the corner to celebrate with his teammates.
The Dynamo continued to carry play and went on top 2-0 in the 37th minute. Forward Martin Castillo (Pasadena Sam Rayburn) made a slide tackle to win the ball in his own half and then made a 50-yard run toward the top of the penalty area, but the ball was knocked away to Adrian Mendoza (Katy) on the right flank. Mendoza served an accurate cross into the box, and midfielder Sebastien Ibeagha (Fort Bend Hightower) snapped a powerful header inside the near post. Ibeagha celebrated by kissing the Dynamo crest on his jersey.
Houston cruised to the 2-0 win, with goalkeeper Cody Schlegel (The Woodlands) and his back line of Reagan Haisler (Katy Cinco Ranch), C.J. Odenigwe (Fort Bend Travis), Benji Saenz (Aldine MacArthur), and Robert Kelley (Cy Springs) playing the full 90 minutes for the shutout.
"It was a terrific opening game for our U-18s," Clarkson said. "We know we can play even better, so there's much more to come from this group. These players had tremendous preparation with their European trip this summer, and that intense preparation served them well on Saturday."
U-16: Houston Dynamo Academy 2, Texas Rush 1
U.S. Soccer Development Academy league
Carl Lewis Track & Field Complex
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Scoring summary
Rush -- Kevin Alvarenga 2
HOU -- Isaiah Nji (Isaiah Noriega) 53
HOU -- Erick Sanchez 80
Dynamo Academy: Phillip Blake, Raffi Gregorian, Bradley Bourgeois, Isaiah Nji, Hector Ramirez, Michael Diaz (Christian Diaz 34), Christian Manisck (Siegfried Casar 48), Christian Camera (Juan Carlos Salmeron 72), Luis Mendoza (Manuel Chavez 46), Isaiah Noriega (Erick Sanchez 53), David Dauajare (Alfredo Gallegos 75).
U-18: Houston Dynamo Academy 2, Texas Rush 0
U.S. Soccer Development Academy league
Robertson Stadium
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Scoring summary
HOU -- Abe Matamoros (unassisted) 9
HOU -- Sebastien Ibeagha (Adrian Mendoza) 37
Dynamo Academy: Cody Schlegel, Robert Kelley, C.J. Odenigwe, Reagan Haisler, Benji Saenz, Adrian Mendoza (Leo Ayala 83), Sebastien Ibeagha, Bryan Celis (Irvinn Ramirez 71), Josue Morales (Eloy Gonzalez Litan 60), Abe Matamoros (Martin Fiemawhle 69), Martin Castillo (Jade George 65).
ABOUT THE HOUSTON DYNAMO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
The Houston Dynamo Youth Development System, presented by StatoilHydro, is intended to develop and prepare soccer players to join the Houston Dynamo first team. The Youth Development System includes seasonal camps, the Dynamo Centers of Excellence, Dynamo Elite Camps, the Dynamo Junior Academy, the Dynamo South Texas Academy, and Academy teams at the U-15 and U-18 levels. More than 1,400 youth players participated in Dynamo Youth Development programs in 2008, with about 170 players participating in the Dynamo Academy and Dynamo Junior Academy.
