Academy Recap: Barça Academy at Real Salt Lake Academy

March 6, 2018

Academy Recap: Barça Academy at Real Salt Lake Academy

March 6, 2018

RECAP

Barca Academy’s U-17 and U-19 sides traveled to Herriman, Utah last weekend to take on Real Salt Lake at the Zions Bank RSL Academy Complex. The U-17s started the day well, scored early on in the first half and took a lead into the halftime break. Two goals in the second half from RSL turned the match around and Barca Academy would go on to lose 2-1. The U-19s played next and had a hard time getting a foothold in the match. They would concede early on in the first period and twice more before halftime on the way to a 6-0 loss

Barça Academy U-17

The U-17s kicked off Barca Academy’s first trip to Zions Bank RSL Academy Complex and started the match brightly, scoring from a clever set piece routine within two minutes. A short corner kick gave Enzo Mauriz room to swing in a cross, and Matthew Hoppe scored with a header for the second week in a row.

Barca Academy stayed in the ascendancy for the opening 20 minutes, pinning RSL back with good pressure and attacking play. The match began to turn into more of a back and forth affair as the first half progressed and as RSL grew into the game. The U-17s had to rely on goalkeeper Luke Pruter to save a penalty in order to go into the halftime break in the lead.

In the second half, RSL came out strong and pinned Barca Academy back. After 19 minutes of pressure, the U-17 defense finally cracked and conceded the equalizing goal in the 64^th minute.

Barca Academy responded well though, immediately creating chances. They nearly went back into the lead through Cameron Fisher, who did well to recover the ball high up the field and nearly caught the goalkeeper out with a chip which narrowly went over.

RSL would get the winning goal in the 80^th minute when the Barca Academy defense misjudged a header which dropped to an RSL attacker, who did well to take the chance. Barca Academy would push for the remaining ten minutes, but couldn’t come up with an equalizing goal and the match ended at 2-1 for RSL.

“We started the game very well, excellent intensity to our press and great purpose to our attack in the first 20 minutes which led to us taking a deserved early lead,” said head coach Sean McCafferty. “Second half we started slowly and struggled to pay through their high press and ultimately conceded the equalizing goal. We responded well and almost regained the lead, I think a tie would have been a fair result. It was a tough defeat after putting so much into the game, but I was proud of the group and I’m sure we will bounce back in our next game v FC Golden State.”

Barça Academy U-19

The opening to the final match of the day between Barca Academy’s U-19s and RSL mirrored that of the first match, but this time, it was the hosts who opened the scoring in the third minute from a corner kick.

Barca Academy initially responded to the setback and had a good spell in the match in which they began to break RSL’s pressure and move the ball well. These spells in possession left the U-19s vulnerable to the counter-attack and RSL would get two more goals through this route to take the score to 3-0 at halftime.

In the second half, the U-19s continued to push forward and break quickly when they won possession, but a slew of individual errors left Barca Academy vulnerable in the back and gave RSL the opportunity to counter-attack.

RSL would go on to score three more times in the second half, in the 53^rd, 63^rd and 85^th minutes to take the final score to 6-0.

“We had good moments in the game where we broke pressure and moved the ball into RSL’s final third but struggled to finish our opportunities and conceded off counter attacks,” said head coach Daniel Antunez. “We need to be more disciplined in how we play and execute our plan much better.”

Next weekend features a nearly full slate of matches, as four out of the five Barca Academy sides are in action. The U-15s, U-17s and U-19s travel to San Bernadino to take on FC Golden State on Saturday in US Soccer Development Academy league play. Meanwhile, the U-16s resume Arizona State League play when they make the short trip down to Tucson to take on Tucson Aztecs FC.