Academy Recap: Barça Academy at 2018 Dr. Pepper Dallas Cup

Academy Recap: Barça Academy at 2018 Dr. Pepper Dallas Cup

April 6, 2018


RECAP

Barça Academy U-16 and U-18 sides traveled to Dallas, Texas to compete in the 39th Annual Dr. Pepper Dallas Cup that took place March 25 – April 1. Established in 1980, the Dr. Pepper Dallas Cup, commonly known as the Dallas Cup, is an invite-only annual international soccer tournament. This year, 20 nations were represented in the tournament with over 220 teams competing. The Barça Academy U-16s found themselves out matched for most of the tournament and finished with an 0-3 record. The U-18s on the other hand, had great moments in the tournament as they finished 2-1 in the group stage and advanced to the tournament quarter-finals. In the quarter-finals, the U-18s suffered a 7-0 loss to Orange County SC and finished the tournament with a 2-2 record.

The U-18s kicked off the tournament for Barça Academy on Monday, March 26 against DeRo Foundation United Academy (Toronto, Ontario). Barça Academy got off to an uncharacteristically slow start and found themselves trailing 0-1 at the half. Playing a bit more like themselves in the second half, Barça Academy equalized in the 49th minute when Tyler Hutchinson lead transition down the left side of the field and crossed for Sterling Watring who powered the ball past the keeper. DeRo Academy would then score again in the 75th minute, taking a 2-1 lead that Barça Academy could not recover from and fell to DeRo Academy.

The U-16s would take the field later that night against FC Dallas Youth, the top U-16 team in the state of Texas. Barça Academy looked promising in the opening 5 minutes of the game as they had a few chances on goal. The game would quickly take a turn though as FC Dallas found their rhythm and shutout Barça Academy 5-0.

On Tuesday, March 27, both Barça Academy teams played at the same time on adjacent fields on a wet and rainy Dallas day. The U-16s faced Placer United SC (Rocklin, CA) while the U-18s took on Cedar City Newark Academy.

The U-16s again got off to a great start, seeing early chances from Caden Booth and Nick Bisagno. Barça Academy would though concede in the 28th and 34th minute and trail 0-2 at halftime. The second half was a different story though for Barça Academy as they connected on 4 goals, but conceded 4 goals as well and dropped 6-4 to Placer SC.

Just across the complex, the U-18s turned it around from the day before and battled Cedar City Newark Academy to a dramatic 2-1 win in the rainy playing conditions. Barça Academy trailed 0-1 at the half after conceding a goal in the 18th minute. Barça Academy picked up their tempo in the second half and in the 63rd minute, Quinton Brown was taken down in the box resulting in a penalty kick where Watring stepped up and gave Barça Academy the equalizing goal. Both teams eager to score, Cedar City had a great shot on goal that was beautifully saved by Djbril Doumbia to keep the score level at 1-1. Barça Academy would then score in the 88th minute when Watring’s service into the box found Rangel-Gallardo who rose highest to head the ball past the keeper to take a late 2-1 lead. Cedar City kicked off with a minute to play and had a great shot on goal that was heroically saved by Doumbia at the stroke of the final whistle.

Due to the excessive rain, all Dallas Cup games that were scheduled for the following day were postponed to Thursday, granting all teams a rest day.

Barça Academy resumed play on Thursday morning, March 29 when the U-16s took on Queretaro Gallos Blancos, the team who eventually went on to win the U-16 championship. Queretaro dominated possession from the opening kickoff and would open scoring in the 7th minute. They later scored again in the 37th and Barça Academy trailed 0-2 at the half. Queretaro would score five additional goals in the second half to shutout Barça Academy 7-0, ending Barça Academy’s hopes to advance in the tournament.

The U-18s would kickoff against McAllen Dynamo STX later that day. Flying high from their dramatic win in their previous game, Barça Academy carved out a few chances in the early goings by way of Bernardo Padilla and Ryan Combe. In the 12th minute, McAllen Dynamo would catch Barça Academy out in transition and have a chance of their own. McAllen Dynamo’s shot was by Dubiel as he sent the lifted ball over the crossbar. Barça Academy’s efforts would be rewarded in the 15th minute when Combe found the back of the net, taking a 1-0 lead. Combe would then grab an assist in the 19th minute in a 2 v 1 situation when he brilliantly crossed to Watring who powered the ball passed an advancing keeper to take a 2-0 lead. With this goal, Watring had scored in three straight games. Matthew Conti would have a shot on goal in the 26th minute that was just wide of the post but provided service to Padilla just two minutes later in the 28th minute where Padilla slotted the ball to the left of the keeper and stretched Barça Academy’s lead to 3-0. In the 38th minute, Conti would create another 1 v 1 chance, he danced around the advancing keeper but shot wide of the goal.

Barça Academy lead 3-0 at the half and continued to press in the second half. Combe found Watring once again for a goal in the 50th minute and he wasn’t done there as he scored the final goal in the 86th minute. Combe beat a defender and curled the ball into the side netting from just inside the top of the box for his second goal of the game. Barça Academy beat McAllen Dynamo 5-0 and advanced to the Dallas Cup Quarter-Finals.

The U-18s kicked off in the Quarter-Finals the following day, March 30, against Orange County SC. In a fast-paced game where Barça Academy struggled to control the ball, Orange County jumped to a 5-0 lead in the first half, scoring in the 3rd,21st, 34th, 35th and 44th minute. Barça Academy continued to struggle both offensively and defensively in the second half and suffered a 7-0 loss to Orange County SC who went on to play in the U-18 Championship.

RESULTS

March 26

U-16: Barça Academy 0 vs. FC Dallas 5

U-18: Barça Academy 1 vs. DeRo Foundation United Academy 2

March 27

U-16: Barça Academy 4 vs. Placer United SC 6

U-18: Barça Academy 2 vs. Cedar City Newark Academy 1

March 29

U-16: Barça Academy 0 vs. Queretaro Gallos Blancos 7

U-18: Barça Academy 5 vs. McAllen STX 0

March 29

U-18: Barça Academy 0 vs. Orange County SC 7

UPCOMING MATCHES

April 7

The Academy teams will take on LA Galaxy Academy in USSDA action April 7 at Copper Sky Recreation Complex on field 6

Kickoff times: U-15 – 9:00AM, U-17 – 11:00AM, U-19 – 1:30PM

LOOKING AHEAD

The Pre-Academy teams return to action in the Arizona State Cup starting April 21.

April 21

U-18: Barça Academy vs. Tanque Verde | 2:00 PM | Tucson Kino #12

April 21

U-16: Barça Academy vs. Excel Soccer Academy | 3:00 PM | Scottsdale Sports Complex #2


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