Academy Sweeps Portland

Over the weekend, the Real Salt Lake Academy traveled to the Pacific Northwest were it swept the Portland Timbers Academy with wins from both squads, to give the U15s a 3-1-0 record and the U17s a 2-1-1 record through the first four matches of the MLS NEXT season.  

Head Coach Andrew May led the U15s to their third win of the season with goals from Zavier Gozo and Luis Rivera, as well as a shutout from goalkeeper Ty Rinker to take the 2-0 victory.  

The goal marked Gozo’s second goal of the season and second in as many games. Meanwhile, the clean sheet was Rinker’s second of the year.  

At the U-17 level, the team stormed back from a 3-1 deficit in the 60th minute to secure the 4-3 win. Defender Braydan Morrel scored in the 35th minute, but three-consecutive goals from Portland created a steep path to victory, but back-to-back goals from Axel Kei in the 70th and 80th minute leveled the score. David Noguera sealed the win in the 85th minute, with a dagger to steal all three points.  

Kei’s brace brought his season total to four goals, the most of any player on the team.  

The two teams will travel to San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, October 2. In the meantime, the Academy will face Yuta Kickers SC on Wednesday, September 29 at Zions Bank Stadium in UPSL action.

Additionally, five former players from the Academy system started for Real Monarchs on Sunday against New York Red Bulls II, including Bode Davis, Daniel Flores, Christian Nydegger, Jaziel Orozco and Yekeson Subah. Current member of the RSL Academy, Haroun Conteh, came on as a substitute in the 73rd minute.  

Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera, Erik Holt, Milan Iloski and David Ochoa represented the RSL Academy at the Major League Soccer Level for the team’s match at Portland on Saturday.