The Real Salt Lake Academy has been busy competing in its U.S. Soccer Development Academy season with both the U-17 and U-19 sides sitting mid-table through nine matches played.
Currently sitting in fifth place in the Southwest Division of the West Conference, the RSL U-17s own a record of 5-3-1 (16 points). The younger group is led by striker Paul Paul Gindiri who has featured in all nine regular season matches for the club this year where he has scored eight goals. Gindiri has started seven matches for the RSL Academy in his first year in Herriman, notching nearly one goal each time he steps on the field.
Supporting Gindiri in the attack is Bode Davis who has featured in six matches for the RSL Academy this season with five starts to his name. Davis has contributed four goals in his six matches played for the U-17s.
The older contingent of the RSL Academy sees the U-19s having earned mixed results through nine matches this season, having played to a 3-3-3 (12 points) record under Academy Technical Director Martín Vasquez.
The U-19s are led by senior Luis Arriaga and junior Benjamin Ortiz who both have four goals to their names this season and have both featured in all nine regular season matches thus far. Supporting the duo is junior Bryce Duke who in eight appearances for the U-19s has notched two goals.
Senior forward Julian Vazquez, who signed a Major League Soccer contract with the first team in early-October, has helped set the pace and provided maturity for the entire Academy group. The Nibley, Utah native became the club’s 16th Homegrown signing and we be eligible for competition on RSL’s roster beginning in the 2019 MLS season.
Most recently, the RSL Academy hosted the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy where the U-17s fell narrowly 3-2 when Vancouver struck in the game’s final minute. The U-19s earned a spirited 1-1 draw against the Whitecaps in a match that saw Ben Ortiz score the lone goal for the Utah side.
Next up for the Academy is a trip to Lakewood Ranch, Florida where the U-17s will face Atlanta United on November 30, New York Red Bulls on December 1 and FC Westchester on December 3. The U-19s will also play three matches while in Florida, facing the Philadelphia Union on November 29, Oakwood Soccer Club on November 30 before finishing with the New York Red Bulls on December 2.
The RSL Academy see a seven-match hiatus away from the Zions Bank Training Center until March 2 when it hosts the Barca Academy beginning at 11:00 a.m. MT. The Academy will finish its 2018-19 campaign with seven consecutive matches in Herriman before the U.S.S.D.A. playoffs commence.
