Recent Results
U-18
- Sounders FC 1 vs. FC Golden State 0 (1/16/16)
- Sounders FC 1 vs. LA Galaxy 1 (1/17/16)
U-16
- Sounders FC 0 vs. FC Golden State 2 (1/16/16)
- Sounders FC 1 vs. LA Galaxy 3 (1/17/16)
Upcoming Matches
January 23
- Sounders FC U-18 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-18 (1:00 p.m. PT, Starfire Sports)
- Sounders FC U-16 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-16 (3:30 p.m. PT, Starfire Sports)
The older Seattle Sounders Academy teams returned from their winter break with matches against FC Golden State and the Los Angeles Galaxy Academy. In addition to some positive results, there were a number of extremely impressive individual performances for both squads. In fact, the Sounders ability to build attacks from the back and retain effective possession meant that they dominated the run of play for long stretches in each game.
In the first game of the weekend, the U-18s ran out 1-0 winners courtesy of a Harrison Kurtz goal in the 69th minute. Stationed on the left, Kurtz settled an aerial pass with his first touch before turning his marker and cutting infield. He then nut-megged a second defender, shifted the ball to his right foot, and found the back of the net with a curled effort. The stellar play of holding midfielder Habib Barry, centerback Tobi Jnohope, and left back Nicholas Hinds helped the Rave Green hold on to the lead as Golden State chased an equalizer.
The U-18s nearly took all six points from the weekend, but were ultimately held to a 1-1 draw against a highly technical and organized Galaxy side. Striker Connor Noblat took his momentum from an impressive 2015 campaign into the new year. Noblat handed the Rave Green an early lead when he intercepted a back-pass from the Galaxy centerback, and subsequently fired a volley past the LA goalkeeper. For the rest of the match, Noblat’s constant off the ball movement wreaked havoc on the opposition backline. He nearly grabbed a brace, and the game-winning goal, when his half-volley from a tight angle beat the keeper, but careened off the near-post.
Seattle’s defense kept the dangerous Galaxy attacking players relatively quiet for most of the match. With holding midfielder Lorenzo Ramos sitting in front of the back four, the Rave Green prevented LA from creating many clear-cut chances. However, goalkeeper Trey Muse came up with a fantastic top-hand save at his near-post late on, ensuring that both sides shared the points. With these results, the U-18 Sounders Academy team sits in first place in the Western Conference with two games in hand.
Coach’s Take
“It was good to see our teams play in some very competitive matches with quality opponents. The U-18's raised the bar on Sunday with their second-half performance and dominated LA Galaxy for long stretches. Unfortunately we lacked a bit of quality in the final third to make that dominance count. The U-16’s were up against it a bit as three boys were with the U-18 national team. However, some of our younger players stepped in and were bright. In the end we struggled to maintain the tempo of LA but were encouraged by the overall performance and effort."
-Sounders FC Academy Technical Director Marc Nicholls
Standout Performers
Against a strong FC Golden State team, the combination of Stirling Russel, Kei Tomazawa, and Sam Rogers helped the Sounders dominate the midfield for long stretches of the game. With Rogers sitting deep and shielding the back four, Tomazawa and Russel were able combine further up the field. The U-16s were without the trio for Sunday’s game, as they had been called in to the United States U-18 National Team Camp.
Looking Forward
Both of the older Academy sides will take on Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Starfire Sports this weekend. Supporters are encouraged to come watch the matches after the first-team training session.
