After defeating Sporting Kansas City 4-1 on Sunday to keep their dreams of advancing to Finals Week alive, the Dynamo U-16s lost to the LA Galaxy 3-1, Tuesday morning, giving them their second group-stage loss, officially ending their 2010-11 USSF Development Academy season.
The Dynamo entered Sunday's game against Sporting KC with their backs against the wall after the previous day's defeat at the hands of IMG Academy. After falling behind 1-0 in the 10th minute, the Dynamo turned things around, and began to get pressure on the Sporting backline. In the 20th minute, Lorenzo Salazar received a ball at midfield, used his size and speed to beat the oncoming defenders, and blasted a shot past the helpless goalkeeper to even the match.
With the scored tied at one, the Dynamo continued to press and found the go-ahead goal right before halftime. Raymundo Marquez found Salazar at the top of the penalty box, and after beating an SKC defender, the forward slotted the ball past goalkeeper Evan Wright. Knowing that entrance to Finals Week could come down to goal differential, the Dynamo pushed forward and found magic from Salazar for the third time. After drawing a foul in the 57th minute, Salazar stepped up to the ball from 30 yards out, and fired a rocket past Wright to complete the hat trick. Manuel Chavez added a fourth goal for the Dynamo to seal the win for Houston and keep their hopes of winning the group alive.
Houston entered Tuesday's match against LA, needing to win by at least three goals to win the group. After a scoreless first half, the Galaxy broke through in the 50th minute with a goal by midfielder William Raygoza. Minutes after the goal, Dynamo midfielder Raymundo Marquez picked up his second yellow card, bringing the Dynamo down to 10 players for the remaining 27 minutes of the game. Needing a win, and playing down a man, the Dynamo pushed forward looking for the equalizer and found it in the 56th minute. Lorenzo Salazar connected on his fourth goal of the playoffs, this time off a free kick from the top of the penalty box.
Although the Dynamo switched to a more attacking formation for the last 20 minutes of the game, they were unable to score again on LA. The Galaxy scored twice more past Navarrete to clinch their spot atop the group and secure their place in Finals Week.
U-18s end season on a high note
The U-18s played their final games of the 2011 season in Frisco, falling to the LA Galaxy 3-0 on Sunday, before defeating IMG Academy 2-1 on Monday. The Dynamo were forced to play left back Hector Ramirez in goal against IMG and had only one player available on the bench. U-18 captain Abe Matamoros gave Houston the lead in the 30th minute, after following up an Irvinn Ramirez shot, that was saved by the IMG goalkeeper. The game against IMG was Matamoros's final in a Dynamo uniform. Matamoros will continue his education and soccer career in the fall at the University of Tulsa. Jordan Davies extended the Dynamo lead minutes before halftime with a long-range strike from the left flank. Davies' initial shot hit off the crossbar, went up in the air, dropped down, and rolled into the goal before the goalkeeper could recover. IMG scored with minutes to go in the match, but the depleted Dynamo held on for a victory over the Florida club.
Academy prepares for Generation adidas U-17 Cup
Dynamo Academy players will get a week off before training begins for the Generation adidas U-17 Cup, to be played July 24-31, in Frisco, TX. In 2010, the Dynamo lost in the semifinals to the RSL U-17s in a penalty shootout. A drawing to determine groups for the tournament will take place in the coming week and will be streamed live on MLSsoccer.com.
U-16: Dynamo Academy 4, Sporting KC 1
June 26, 2011 -- Pizza Hut Park, Field 14, Frisco, TX
USSF Development Academy Playoffs
Scoring Summary:
SKC -- Eric Dejulio 10
HOU -- Lorenzo Salazar 25
HOU -- Lorenzo Salazar 40
HOU -- Lorenzo Salazar 57
HOU -- Manuel Chavez 77
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Juan Navarrete, Matt Alarcon, Bradley Bourgeois, Luis Mendoza, Alex Ochoa, Christian Diaz (Branco Ramirez 61), Jorge Andrade, Raymundo Marquez (Bryan Celis 70), Alan Arellano (Bryan Salazar 78), Raffi Gregorian (Isaiah Noreiga 66), Lorenzo Salazar (Manuel Chavez 60).
All statistics contained in this boxscore
are unofficial
U-16: Dynamo Academy 1, LA Galaxy 3
June 28, 2011 -- Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, TX
USSF Development Academy Playoffs
Scoring Summary:
LA -- William Raygoza 50
HOU -- Lorenzo Salazar 56
LA -- Drew Murphy 59
LA -- Justin Dhillon 78
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Juan Navarrete, Matt Alarcon (Bryan Celis 41), Bradley Bourgeois, Luis Mendoza (Nelson Castro 70), Alex Ochoa, Christian Diaz (Branco Ramirez 41), Jorge Andrade (Isaiah Noreiga 70), Raymundo Marquez, Alan Arellano (Bryan Salazar 70), Raffi Gregorian (Manuel Chavez), Lorenzo Salazar (Christian Manisck 74).
All statistics contained in this boxscore
are unofficial
U-18: Dynamo Academy 0, LA Galaxy 3
June 26, 2011 -- Pizza Hut Park, Field 16, Frisco, TX
USSF Development Academy Playoffs
Scoring Summary:
LA
LA
LA
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Kevin Suarez, Alan Hernandez, Erick Tello, Brandon Martin, Hector Ramirez (Roberto Navarro 46), James Fallon (Rogelio Anguiano 46), Juan Lopez, Miguel Zapata, Jordan Davies, Abe Matamoros, Irvinn Ramirez.
All statistics contained in this boxscore
are unofficial
U-18: Dynamo Academy 2, IMG Academy 1
June 27, 2011 -- Pizza Hut Park, Field 6, Frisco, TX
USSF Development Academy Playoffs
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Abe Matamoros 30
HOU -- Jordan Davies 40
IMG -- Stephen McNeil 87
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Hector Ramirez, Alan Hernandez, Erick Tello, Brandon Martin, Roberto Navarro, James Fallon (Rogelio Anguiano 46), Juan Lopez, Miguel Zapata, Jordan Davies, Abe Matamoros, Irvinn Ramirez.
All statistics contained in this boxscore
are unofficial
