Friday saw the RSL Academy help kickoff the 2020 Generation Adidas Cup Spring Regional Qualification Tournament as both the U-15 and U-17 sides played their New York Red Bull Academy counterparts. The RSL U-15 group started things off with a 3-2 loss while the U-17 side closed out the day with a dramatic loss in penalty kicks.
RSL Academy U-17 (1 [6]) vs New York Red Bulls U-17 (1 [7])
The RSL U-17s wrapped up Friday with a dramatic loss to its New York Bulls counterpart after a stoppage time goal by Elijah Gozo tied the match to take the game to penalty kicks.
RSL kicked off the match with heavy pressure with Kevin Jimenez taking the first real crack at goal that tested NYRB goalkeeper Andrew Noel into a save. The tides quickly shifted after the 25th minute, as RSL moved to the defense and survived pressure, despite allowing a goal that was ultimately deemed offside. The intense back and forth resulted in opportunities for each side, but neither side had a goal to show for the efforts.
In the second half New York Red Bulls take charge early as Thomas Tulgar put his side up. RSL gained the upper hand with possession, taking frustrating chances towards goal that would end off the crossbar or denied by a compact Red Bull defense. RSL’s Elijah Gozo found the equalizer in the dying seconds of stoppage time with a powerful shot that bounced off the crossbar and into the net, taking the match to penalty kicks. After a succession of shots, RBNY was able to sneak the two needed past USMNT U-17 call-up Jeff Dewsnap to secure two points while RSL walked away with one.
Scoring Summary 1 2 FT PK
Real Salt Lake U-17 0 1 1 6
New York Red Bulls U-17 0 1 1 7
RBNY: Tomas Tulgar
RSL: Elijah Gozo
RSL Starting XI: Jeff Dewsnap, Daniel Flores, Jaziel Orozco, Daniel Rojas, Julian Lomeli, Abel Mendoza, Christian Nydegger, Kevin Mearse, Zach Booth Nicholas Bellini, Kevin Jimenez
RSL Academy U-15 (2) vs New York Red Bulls U-15 (3)
The U-15 side fell 3-2 to the New York Red Bulls with Aldo Carmona-Gallardo and Kei Havelange scoring the two goals for RSL.
What started off as a back and forth battle turned to quick opportunities for both sides. RSL took a shot that rebounded off the crossbar early, but it would be NYRB that would provide the opening goal through Serge Ngoma, who took just one touch to convert. RSL equalized the scoring once again with a cutback play in front of goal that allowed Gallardo with space for a similar one-touch on an open goal. The Red Bulls furthered their lead with a cross that into the middle that allowed Ezra Widman to convert with a jumping header.
The game closed out getting heated as both sides looked to gain an edge over one another. Each side found the back of the net again, only to have each of their goals overturned and disallowed before New York furthered its lead. Havelange tallied the last goal of the game in the dying seconds of stoppage time one-on-one with the keeper but it wasn’t enough to keep the U-15s undefeated through the regional qualifiers.
Scoring Summary 1 2 FT
Real Salt Lake U-15 1 1 2
New York Red Bulls U-15 1 2 3
RBNY: Serge Ngoma
RSL: Marcus Vazquez, (Aldo Carmona-Gallardo)
RBNY: Erza Widman
RBNY: Erza Widman
RSL: Kei Havelange
RSL Starting XI: Ramses Martinez, Jesse Lopez, Raul Murrieta-Marquez, Ethan Zamora, Haroun Conteh, Diego Lopez, Julio Benitez Marin, Aldo Carmona-Gallardo, Marcos Torres, Marcus Vazquez, Harvey Sarajian
