News & Features

2012 Development Academy Finals Week – Day 4

Solar Chelsea SC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC both inched closer toward securing a spot in the U-17/18 Academy Finals Week championship match with their second group wins Wednesday in Houston.

July 19, 2012

IN THE IMAGE: The 2012 Development Academy Finals Week enters its fourth day with the U-15/16 teams battling in their second group matches at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.

U.S. Soccer Development Academy
2011-12 Finals Week
Houston Amateur Sports Park; BBVA Compass Stadium
July 19, 2012

GROUP 2 SET FOR ‘DALLAS DERBY’ SHOWDOWN IN FINAL GROUP MATCH: Solar Chelsea SC nearly clinched a spot in the U-17/18 Development Academy championship match during Wednesday’s group stage of Academy Finals Week. Solar needed a draw between FC Dallas and Baltimore Bays Chelsea in the other group match to clinch, but a game-winning goal in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time allowed FC Dallas to earn a 2-1 win against Baltimore Bays Chelsea to remain in the hunt for the spot in the title game. The wins by Solar Chelsea SC – 2-0 against Chivas USA – and FC Dallas set up a “Dallas Derby” on Friday to decide the Group 2 representative in the championship match. During the regular season, FC Dallas defeated Solar Chelsea SC three times by a combined score of 10-0. In Group 1 on Wednesday, Vancouver Whitecaps FC is in the driver’s seat following a 4-2 win against De Anza Force. Whitecaps FC midfielder Ben Fisk registered his second straight hat trick and upped his goals tally to six in two games. The Whitecaps have a strong advantage on the rest of the group after North Carolina Fusion upended the Colorado Rapids 4-2 in the other match.

U-15/16 TEAMS HEAD INTO SECOND MATCHDAY: The U-15/16 age group gets its second match day underway on Thursday as the New York Red Bulls and Chicago Fire – the co-leaders of Group 1 – square off in a pivotal match that could go a long way toward deciding the group winner. In Group 2, St. Louis Scott Gallagher can clinch a spot in the championship match with the combination of a win against Crew Soccer Academy Wolves and a draw between D.C. United and PA Classics. No team is out of contention entering the second day of games and scenarios are bound to shake out by the end of the night.

DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES TO BE STREAMED LIVE ON USSOCCER.COM: The 2012 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals Week championship matches on July 22 and 23 in Houston will be streamed live on ussoccer.com , giving fans the opportunity to view the most elite youth soccer games in the United States at the club level. The U-17/18 championship takes place at 8 p.m. CT on Sunday, July 22, and the U-15/16 championship kicks off at 8 p.m. CT on Monday, July 23. Both title matches will be held at BBVA Compass Stadium, the new home of Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo.

FINALS WEEK SCHEDULE (home team listed first; times CT)
All games at Houston Amateur Sports Park

MONDAY'S RESULTS
U- 17/18 age group:
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 4, North Carolina Fusion 1 - Match Report
De Anza Force 2, Colorado Rapids 2 - Match Report
FC Dallas 1, Chivas USA 1 - Match Report
Solar Chelsea SC 2, Baltimore Bays Chelsea 0 - Match Report

TUESDAY’S RESULTS:
U-15/16 age group:
New York Red Bulls 3, Pateadores 1 - Match Report
Chicago Fire 3, Charlotte Soccer Academy 1 - Match Report
Crew Soccer Academy Wolves 1, D.C. United 1 - Match Report
St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri 3, PA Classics 0 - Match Report

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS:
U-17/18 age group:
Solar Chelsea SC 2, Chivas USA 0 - Match Report
FC Dallas 2, Baltimore Bays Chelsea 1 - Match Report
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 4, De Anza Force 2 - Match Report
North Carolina Fusion 4, Colorado Rapids 2 - Match Report

THURSDAY’S GAMES:
U-15/16 age group:
D.C. United vs. PA Classics, 8 p.m.
St. Louis Scott Gallagher vs. Crew Soccer Academy Wolves, 8 p.m.
Pateadores vs. Charlotte Soccer Academy, 9 p.m.
Chicago Fire vs. New York Red Bulls, 9 p.m.

FRIDAY’S GAMES:
U-17/18 age group:
North Carolina Fusion vs. De Anza Force, 8 p.m.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Colorado Rapids, 8 p.m.
FC Dallas vs. Solar Chelsea SC, 9 p.m.
Chivas USA vs. Baltimore Bays Chelsea, 9 p.m.

FIVE ACADEMY PLAYERS HIGHLIGHT U.S. U-20 MILK CUP ROSTER: Showcasing the progress in the development of a strong relationship between the U.S. Soccer Development Academy and the U.S. Youth National Teams, five Academy players earned a spot on the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team that traveled to Northern Ireland on Monday in preparation for the Milk Cup. The U.S. faces Denmark (July 21) and Turkey (July 23) before a final placement game on July 26. (The YNT Blog)

2011-12 ACADEMY FINALS WEEK IN FOCUS: In the days leading up to Finals Week, the 16 participating teams (eight in each age group) were featured on ussoccer.com:

FINALS WEEK HISTORY: Entering the fifth anniversary edition of Finals Week, relive the previous championship matches with a run-down of Finals Week history and a primer on the tournament's format.

Academy Finals Week Rewind 2007-2011 | Finals Week Tournament Format

ACADEMY PLAYOFFS RECAP: The 2011-12 Development Academy Playoffs at the FC Dallas Stadium Complex in Frisco, Texas, featured some exciting matches and down-to-the-wire finishes deciding the 16 teams that qualified for Finals Week. Here's a refresher on what went down a couple weeks ago at the Academy Playoffs as well as links to the background and history of the Academy Playoffs:

SOCIAL CONNECTION: Follow the U.S. Soccer Development Academy on the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Facebook page, Twitter@ussoccer_ynt and The YNT Blog.

QUICK LINKS: