Barça Residency Academy U-17s Place Third at USSDA Championships
July 13, 2018
The Barça Residency Academy U-17’s finished their remarkable inaugural season placing third in the 2018 U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-16/17 Playoff Championships.
Their playoff journey began June 19 in Oceanside, California at the SoCal Sports Complex where they entered the tournament as a wildcard. They went on to beat four MLS Academies to advance to the semifinals that took place in Kansas City, Missouri.
On July 8, in the semifinals – Barça Residency Academy fell to a very strong Seattle Sounders FC side by score of 4-1 at the Swope Park Village. It was a classic match between the two different styles and the match was a tale of two halves.
Although Sounders FC opened scoring in the 10th minute – Barça Residency Academy was the more possessive team in the first half and through the first 15 minutes of the second. They built from the back, controlled the ball, passed very well and equalized in 14th minute. Cameron Fisher made a brilliant run down the middle, played Jake LaCava through on the left side and with a tight angle – LaCava powered his shot past the keeper into the far post.
Barça began to find their rhythm and created several chances in the attacking third but they were not as efficient there as they would have like to have been.
The teams were level 1-1 at the interval and entered the second half knowing that the second goal would be pivotal for either team.
Sounders FC took the lead in the 59th minute on a corner kick that was headed into the far post by an unmarked Sounders FC center back. Barça looked to equalize but a few mistakes proved to be costly for them as turnovers in the 76th and 87th minute lead to the third and fourth goal for Sounders FC.
Just two days later, Barça Residency Academy returned to Swope Park Village where they faced Montreal Impact in the third place match that ended 3-1 in favor of Barça.
Barça Residency Academy created a few half chances before breaking through in the 30th minute. A corner kick was sent into the box and just like in the match before, an unmarked center back soared in and headed it home, this time it was Barça’s Jose Olmos.
Barça Residency Academy took their 1-0 lead into half time.
Seven minutes into the second half Montreal Impact equalized but Barça Residency Academy responded with goals in the 88th and 90th minute to win the match, beating Montreal Impact 3-1.
“You continue to impress me, you continue to go above and beyond” said head coach Sean McCafferty to his team in their postgame huddle. “A day like today, a team could have sat back and gone through the motions but your intensity and your approach to the game was professional. We faced some adversity and you all got through it, that little passage of play there at the end showed me what you are about.”
The Barça Residency Academy U17s had a historical season that surpassed all expectation. They entered the season as an unknown and making a name for themselves and the entire academy through the regular season and playoffs. This team set the bar high for the Academy and will be a team to look out for next season.
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https://grandesportsacademy.regfox.com/new-gsa-soccer-tryouts-summer-camps
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