The Houston Dynamo Academy teams returned to Academy league action last weekend with matches against the Texans Soccer Club at Meyer Park in Spring. With four starters playing in the Dynamo Reserves game in Chicago on Sunday, the shorthanded 18s earned a gritty point on the road, playing TSC to a 1-1 draw. The 16s shook off a disappointing quarterfinal loss in the Dallas Cup to defeat TSC 1-0.
With their fourth game in six days and their numbers depleted, the U-18s fought hard from the first whistle against TSC on Saturday. Chance Bergen scored his 10th goal of the Academy season in the 20th minute of the game to give Houston a 1-0 lead. On a backpass to the TSC goalkeeper, Bergen pressured the goalkeeper's clearance and defelcted it into the net. TSC's Christian Duarte responded minutes later when he fired a shot that deflected off a defender and went past Dynamo goalkeeper Pedro Gutierrez Mora. In the 60th minute, Houston had a chance to pull ahead, but Alan Hernandez's shot attempt was cleared off the line to preserve the 1-1 draw.
In the second game of the day, the Dynamo U-16s used a second-half goal from Alan Arellano to snap a three-game losing streak in league play. Although the Dynamo dominated possession early in the match, they were unable to test the TSC goalkeeper with any shots on frame. With minutes to go in the match, midfielder Jorge Andrade picked up a loose ball at midfield, dribbled past three defenders, and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper. Although a TSC defender cleared the ball off the line, Arellano was in good position to put the ball in the net, improving the Dynamo to 8-7 on the season and keeping the team's hopes alive for a wild card berth in the playoffs.
The Academy has two games this coming weekend with matches against Classics Elite on Saturday and Lonestar SC on Sunday. On Saturday, the U-18s kick off at 5 p.m., with the U-16s to follow at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday the U-18s kick off at 10 a.m., with the U-16s to follow at 12:30 p.m. All games will take place at the artificial turf field at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.
U-16: Houston Dynamo Academy vs. Texans Soccer Club
April 23, 2011 -- Meyer Park, Spring, TX
USSF Development Academy League -- Texas Division
Scoring Summary:
HOU
– Alan Arellano 76
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Juan Navarrete, Alex Ochoa, Bradley Bourgeois, Raffi Gregorian, Jordan Davies (Christian Manisck 59), Jorge Andrade, Raymundo Marquez (Christian Diaz 66), Alan Arellano, Gabriel Moreno (Bryan Salazar 46), Manuel Chavez (Lorenzo Salazar 68).
All statistics contained in this boxscore
are unofficial
U-18: Houston Dynamo Academy vs. Texans Soccer Club
April 23, 2011 -- Meyer Park, Spring, TX
USSF Development Academy League -- Texas Division
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Chance Bergen 20
TSC -- Christian Duarte 33
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Pedro Gutierrez Mora, Alan Hernandez, Brandon Martin, Erick Tello, Uche Uzo, Irvinn Ramirez (Mario Diaz 46), Juan Lopez (Adrian Mendoza 46), Josue Morales (Isaiah Noreiga 63), Leo Ayala, Chance Bergen, Diego Velazquez.
All statistics contained in this boxscore
are unofficial
