With slightly more than one month to go in the USSF Development Academy regular season, the Houston Dynamo U-16 squad finished the weekend 0-1-1, while the Dynamo U-18s finished 1-1 at San Jacinto College South, moving a step closer to a berth in the Development Academy playoffs.
On Saturday, the young U-16 squad faced FC Dallas, a team that defeated them 5-1 back in October. Sloppy defense plagued Houston early on, and Dallas was able to take advantage, netting two goals before halftime.
The second half proved to be a different story for the Dynamo, as they were able to settle down and move the ball past the experienced Dallas squad. In the 66th minute, Isaiah Noreiga (Humble Kingwood Park) found Manuel Chavez (Cy Springs) in the middle of the box to put Houston on the board. The goal ignited the Dynamo, as the team began playing with a fire not seen since their run to the Dallas Cup title. In the 74th minute, a free kick from Jordan Davis (Fort Bend Elkins) from 30 yards out found a streaking Luis Mendoza (Alief Elsik) to even the game at two and give the U-16s their first positive result in four games.
On Sunday, the U-16s reverted back to the sloppy defense that has plagued them all season, falling 5-3 to Andromeda. After an early goal from Bryan Salazar (Fort Bend Bush) gave the Dynamo a 1-0 lead, Andromeda stormed back behind five goals from Omar Jaroun, including a penalty kick in the 62nd minute after goalkeeper Juan Navarrete tackled Grant Grafentin in the box. The U-16s fought hard in the last 20 minutes of the game, though and managed to get goals from Manuel Chavez and Siegfried Casar (Spring Branch Memorial) before falling 5-3.
"I think our inexperience showed once again," said Dynamo Director of Youth Development James Clarkson. "We showed a lot of promise, though, and I think you saw a glimpse of what the future holds."
The U-16s played with two players born in 1995 and many born in 1994, meaning that many of the players on the squad were one or two years younger than their competition.
The U-18s, in the thick of the playoff race, suffered a huge setback on Saturday, falling 2-1 to FC Dallas. Dallas took a 1-0 lead off a Damien Rosales goal, but Houston wasted little time evening the score. In the 34th minute, Sebastien Ibeagha (Fort Bend Hightower) found C.J. Odenigwe (Fort Bend Travis) for a beautiful one-time strike past the goalkeeper. Unfortunately the Dynamo backline could not hold, and in the 73rd minute, Victor Ulloa found a streaking Jael Barrera in the box to give Dallas a 2-1 win. Houston had beaten Dallas 3-2 in October, with help from a goal by current first-team midfielder Francisco Navas Cobo.
On Sunday, the U-18s fared much better, controlling play early and often en route to a 3-0 win against Andromeda. Ubaldo Lucio (Fort Bend Bush), Mark Donahue (Awty), and Miguel Zapata netted goals for the Dynamo, and goalkeeper Graham Wheeler (Katy Taylor) stopped a penalty kick in the 85th minute to preserve the shutout.
The U-18s improved to 7-6 in league play with three games remaining. Heading into the weekend, the U-18s sat in fourth place in their division but seventh in the wild card standings. The top two teams from each division qualify for the playoffs, as well as 12 wild card teams from around the country based on overall record. The Dynamo have five non-division games remaining, including three games in late May at the Spring Showcase in Sarasota, Fla., that could determine their playoff fate.
Dynamo Academy teams, presented by Statoil, hit the road next week to take on the Colorado Rapids on Saturday and Real Colorado on Sunday.
U-16: Houston Dynamo Academy vs. FC Dallas
April 24, 2010 -- San Jacinto College South, Houston
USSF Development Academy -- Texas Division
Scoring
Summary:
FCD -- Jon Top (Ambrose) 25
FCD -- Danny Garcia (unassisted) 36
HOU -- Manuel Chavez (Isaiah Noreiga) 66
HOU -- Luis Mendoza (Jordan Davis) 74
Dynamo Academy -- Juan Navarrete, James Fallon (Luis Mendoza 51), Siegfried Casar, Bradley Bourgeois (Alfredo Gallegos 58), Hector Ramirez, Juan Carlos Salmeron (Jordan Davis 41), Carlos Lessa (Bryan Salazar 64), Erick Sanchez (David Dauajare 41), Raymundo Marquez (Ricardo Balmaceda 56), Manuel Chavez, Isaiah Noreiga.
All statistics contained in this
boxscore are unofficial
U-16: Houston Dynamo Academy vs. Andromeda
April 25, 2010 --
San Jacinto College South, Houston
USSF Development Academy -- Texas
Division
Scoring
Summary:
HOU -- Bryan Salazar (Juan Carlos Salmeron) 16
AND -- Omar Jaroun 26
AND -- Omar Jaroun 2, 32
AND -- Omar Jaroun 3 (PK) 51
AND -- Omar Jaroun 4 (Sherer) 58
AND -- Omar Jaroun 5 (Gustavo Vasquez) 68
HOU -- Manuel Chavez (Gabriel Moreno) 70
HOU -- Siegfried Casar 80
Dynamo Academy -- Juan Navarrete, David Dauajare, James Fallon (Orlin Ramirez 49), Jordan Davis, Raymundo Marquez (Gabriel Moreno 41), Hector Ramirez (Alfredo Gallegos 59), Siegfried Casar, Juan Carlos Salmeron (Manuel Chavez 41), Isaiah Noreiga (Christian Diaz), Luis Mendoza, Bryan Salazar (Manny Mendoza 65).
All
statistics contained in this
boxscore are unofficial
U-18: Houston Dynamo Academy vs. FC Dallas
April 24,
2010 -- San Jacinto College South, Houston
USSF Development Academy
-- Texas Division
Scoring Summary:
FCD -- Damien Rosales (unassisted) 19
HOU -- C.J. Odenigwe (Sebastien Ibeagha) 34
FCD -- Jael Barrera (Victor Ulloa) 73
Dynamo Academy -- Pat Wall, Juan Lopez, C.J. Odenigwe, Miguel Zapata, Benji Saenz (Eloy Gonzalez Litan 22, Ubaldo Lucio 78) Sebastian Karpen, Josue Morales, Manny Mendoza (Irvinn Ramirez 24), Sebastien Ibeagha, Jade George, Martin Castillo (Martin Fiemawhle 62).
All statistics contained
in this boxscore are unofficial
U-18: Houston Dynamo Academy vs. Andromeda
April 25,
2010 -- San Jacinto College South, Houston
USSF Development Academy
-- Texas Division
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Ubaldo Lucio (Sebastien Ibeagha) 10
HOU -- Mark Donohue (Ubaldo Lucio) 19
HOU -- Miguel Zapata (unassisted) 49
Dynamo Academy
-- Graham Wheeler, Leo Ayala, Miguel Zapata (Juan Lopez 70), C.J. Odenigwe, Eloy Gonzalez Litan (Carlos Lessa 43) Sebastien Ibeagha, Sebastian Karpen (Irvinn Ramirez 63), Ubaldo Lucio (Martin Castillo 72), Josue Morales (Christian Manisck 90), Martin Fiemawhle (Michael Diaz 86), Mark Donohue.
All statistics contained
in this boxscore are unofficial
