The Houston Dynamo Academy U-18 and U-16 teams, presented by Statoil, learned their group stage opponents for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs. Playoffs are June 24-28 at FC Dallas Park in Frisco, Texas.
The Dynamo Academy U-18s finished the regular season with 52 points and a 15-5-7 record, which was good for third place in the Frontier Division of the Central Conference. They were drawn into Group 5 along with Pennsylvania Classics, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the Chicago Fire. PA Classics, from Manheim, Pennsylvania, finished fourth in their division with a 14-4-7 record. Vancouver Whitecaps topped the Northwest Division with a 19-6-3 record, scoring 87 goals in the process. The Chicago Fire U-18s compiled a 14-7-6 record to claim fifth in the Mid-America Division.
The Dynamo Academy U-16 side (18-5-4, 58 points; 3rd in Frontier Division) will face Concorde Fire, PA Classics and the New York Red Bulls in Group 7 for the playoff group stage. Atlanta-based Concorde Fire tallied a 13-6-6 record in 2012-13, which was good for third place in their division. PA Classics U-16s finished the regular season fitfth in the Atlantic Division with a 13-9-3 record. The New York Red Bulls are the defending champions in the U-15/16 age group, and they were dominant once again this season. They completed the season with a 21-1-3 record, scoring 78 goals and conceding just eight.
The top team in each of the eight groups (for both age groups) qualify to attend Finals Week, which will be held in Houston from July 14-20. Group matches and placement games will be played at Houston Amateur Sports Park, while championship games will take place at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Note: The original groups had to be re-drawn after an error was found in the first draw.
