The Red Bulls may be in the middle of the regular season, but the Under-16 squad from the Red Bulls Academy is gearing up to try and capture a National Championship.
The Under-16s will kick off play in Group 1 of the 2011-12 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals, being held at the Houston Amateur Sports Park at BBVA Compass Stadium, on July 17 when they face Pateadores at 8 PM CT. The schedule rounds out when the Red Bulls play fellow MLS side, the Chicago Fire, on Thursday, July 19 at 9 PM, and the Charlotte Soccer Academy on Saturday, July 21 at 8 PM. Whichever team finishes at the top of the group will move on to the finals to take on the winner of Group 2 in a match scheduled to be played on Monday, July 23.
The U-16 Red Bulls advanced to this point by sweeping their way through the Academy Playoffs, winning all three of their matches. This came after a regular season which saw the side finish second in the Atlantic Division after a 19-6-4 overall record and a 4-3-3 mark in divisional play. Alex Muyl led the team with 13 goals throughout the regular season. In postseason play, Muyl, Amando Moreno and Izzy Tandir have all scored two goals to lead the way. Moreno and Adam Najem were also named to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Under 15/16 Team of the Year.
The team is coached by Rob Elliott, who was named the U-16 East Region Coach of the Year by the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
