The U-16 Sounders FC Development Academy team travelled to Denver, Colorado at the beginning of October to participate in the prestigious Generation Adidas Cup. This storied showcase takes place throughout the year, with two weekends of qualification preceding the finals. Furthermore, structural changes over the past couple of years have generated even more excitement for the organizations involved.
The top two MLS Academy teams from each of the three qualifying regions advance to the Championship Division, where they will be joined by six international youth sides. All of the teams that finish below the top two will move on to the Premier Division, where they are paired up with European and South American competition. High profile clubs such as River Plate, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Stoke City have all taken part in this transcontinental tournament. While the international teams have not yet been named for this year, global powerhouses Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have been invited.
Despite the fact that they found the back of the net seven times in three matches, the Sounders U-16 team returned from the first stage of qualification without a win. While positive results are encouraging, this event is first and foremost a showcase for the best up-and-coming MLS and American soccer talent. With that in mind, there are a number of positive takeaways for the young Sounders.
From the quality playing fields to the level of competition, every aspect of this year’s Generation Adidas Cup was first class. Sounders FC U-16 played three matches on beautiful grass surfaces, including one game at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the home of the Colorado Rapids. In their first three games of qualifying, the U-16’s went toe-to-toe with top Academy sides Real Salt Lake, LA Galaxy and Cascadia rival Portland Timbers. The Rave Green displayed their offensive firepower in their first two matches, finding the back of the net four times against RSL before grabbing two more goals against LA.
So what are the takeaways from such a high-profile event? For the Academy staff, one of the most important things is whether the young Sounders can step up and perform at the highest level.
As a pipeline for future first team talent, both strong individual and team performances encourage Sounders FC Academy Technical Director Marc Nicholls, who posed a very important question regarding the tournament.
“In a professional environment such as this, we ask ourselves: did we have the best player on the field?”
In the first two matches the answer was a resounding, yes.
Right-winger Sterling Russell was a constant threat in all three group-matches. Whether it was his running in behind the backline or taking defenders on the dribble, Russell was a menace in wide areas. His livewire performances translated into two goals, two assists and constant danger running the channels.
Operating as a Number 9, Alex Bradbury put in a complete performance against Real Salt Lake. His hat trick only tells part of the story, as his hold-up play and defensive pressure on the opposition backline were both instrumental. The young striker scored some brilliant goals and led the line very well for the Sounders.
In midfield, Kei Tomazawa pulled the strings with his excellent range of passing. A dynamic box-to-box midfielder, he ghosted past defenders and moved the ball well in tight spaces. His timing and composure were especially evident in the way he timed his runs and popped up in dangerous positions.
One of the most exciting aspects of the first round of qualifying for the Sounders was the way the younger members of the squad performed. In fact, five players eligible for the U-15’s started the final match of the weekend.
The lone goal in the match against Portland saw two of the squads youngest players combine for a beautiful team goal. After a couple of neat interchanges in midfield, rightback Ben Huynh perfectly timed his overlapping run and played a fantastic ball into the middle. Cameron Martin made a late run into the box and redirected Huynh’s cross into the goal, capping off phenomenal team build-up.
The final round of qualifying will take place in February, where the Sounders will face off against San Jose Earthquakes and the Colorado Rapids. After the Group Stage, they will advance to either the Championship or Premier Division of the tournament in March. It’s an exciting time for the Sounders Academy, and the next stage of the Generation Adidas Cup will give the young players another chance to step up on the biggest stage.
Results
October 9
Sounders FC 4 vs. Real Salt Lake 5
October 11
Sounders FC 2 vs. Los Angeles Galaxy 2 (LA win 5-4 on PKs)
October 12
Sounders FC 1 vs. Portland Timbers FC 3
