(Kastrup, Denmark) RSL Academy played two matches on the second day of the Crown Plaza Elite Cup, facing Hammarby IF from Sweden and FC Nordsjælland from Denmark. The Swedish side held the Claret and Cobalt to a scoreless draw, and the Danes fell to RSL Academy courtesy of another goal from Van Parker.
RSL Academy 0 - 0 Hammarby IF
The match against the team from Sweden was a chippy affair throughout, both teams earning multiple yellow cards. Possession switched hands often and the primary battle was in the middle of the pitch. Neither side was able to generate a look at goal until the 12th minute when Hunter Peralta received a pass from Jesus Cota but was unable to keep his shot below the crossbar. RSL was unable to create another chance until the 20th minute, when Javier Martinez clipped a ball over the top to Van Parker who lost the foot race to the ball and the Swedish keeper cleared the danger.
In the second half, RSL began to assert themselves offensively and were able to create more chances. In the 31st minute, Anthony Capetillo won the ball high and found Peralta in the box who could not generate enough power on the header to beat the keeper. Minutes later, Jonah Giorgis whipped in a freekick which bounced off the far post and back into the middle. Camron Estala was first on the scene but could only direct his header into the crossbar before Capetillo sent his shot over the bar.
RSL Academy 1 - 0 FC Nordsjælland
Four hours later, RSL Academy took the field once more, this time against FC Nordsjælland. After nearly tasting victory earlier in the day, the U15 squad came out hungry and nearly converted a chance in the third minute. Rowan Martin’s corner kick found Parker on the back post whose header was tipped onto the crossbar by the goalkeeper. In the 25th minute, Martin again was the catalyst, winning the ball off a defender and finding Kien Cid, but Cid’s shot lacked power and was saved. Less than a minute had gone by RSL broke the deadlock. Anthony Chappell lofted a ball over the backline and Parker settled the ball, firing past the goalkeeper.
RSL Academy came out of the break searching for another goal and nearly found it through Parker in the 28th minute. Martinez sent a curling freekick to the center of the box where an onrushing Parker volleyed home, but the goal was called back for offside. Later in the 35th minute, Enoch Murphy won the ball high and laid it off to Martinez who let fly from 23 yards out and just barely missed wide of the goal. The RSL pressure continued to pay off as Giorgis won the ball high and fed Chappell who was unable to score after beating two players on a mazy run into the box. The final chance fell to Cota in the 45th minute who received a perfectly weighted through ball and converted first-time into the bottom corner, but he was judged to have been offside.
RSL will play the final match of their tournament on Sunday, August 20 against HJK Helsinki from Finland at 1:30 AM MT.
