The New York Red Bulls U-18 and U-16 Academy teams headed south to Lakewood Ranch, Fla., for the U-18 and U-16 U.S. Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) 2015 Winter Showcase. The showcase wrapped up the 2015 half of the season for the Academy, who will pick up their seasons after the winter break in March 2016. The Red Bulls U-18s finished 2-1-0, while the U-16s went a perfect 3-0-0.
The Red Bulls U-18s honored teammate Sean Teixeira, who tragically lost his brother Anthony in a car accident. He passed away at the age of 21. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sean and his family during this difficult time. A website has been set up to help the family with medical and funeral expenses. Visit their GoFundMe.com page to donate.
New York Red Bulls U-18 (3) vs. San Jose Earthquakes U-18 (2)
Lakewood Ranch, Fla. (December 3, 2015) – The Red Bulls got off to a quick start and scored from the opening kickoff when Mason Deeds’ pass found Samad Bounthong, who scored his second goal of the season within 10 seconds of the match. Jeanpaul Marin had to come off in the 7th minute due to an ankle injury which kept him sidelined for the remainder of the showcase.
The Red Bulls extended their lead to 3-0 with a brace from the ever-dangerous Brian Saramago. The first came from a pass from Jared Gilbey in the 35th minute, and the next through a good play in the midfield by Callum Johnson in the 63rd.
The Red Bulls lost another player when Matt Thorshiem sustained a head injury minutes after entering the game in the second half. Thorshiem did not play for the remainder of the tournament. The Red Bulls conceded two goals late, but came out winners, 3-2.
Scoring Summary (Assist in parenthesis):
- NY: Samad Bouthong (Mason Deeds) 1’
- NY: Brian Saramago (Jared Gilbey) 35’
- NY: Brian Saramago (Callum Johnson) 63’
- San Jose 74’
- San Jose 90+3
Lineup: Wojciech Gajda, Noah Powder, Mason Deeds (Kyle Perno 75’), Cristian Martinez, Kevin O’Toole, Jared Gilbey (Matt Thorshiem 75’), Ryan Mingachos (Barry Sharifi 60’), Jeanpaul Marin (Callum Johnson 7’), Kyle Casey (Pierre Reedy 60’), Brian Saramago, Samad Bouthong
Subs not used: Sam Ilin, Rodrigo D’Andrea
Man of the Match: Brian Saramago
New York Red Bulls U-18 (6) vs. Real Salt Lake AZ U-18 (2)
Lakewood Ranch, Fla. (December 4, 2015) – The Red Bulls controlled the game early on against Real Salt Lake, but found themselves behind just before halftime after a well-executed Real Salt Lake counter-attack. The response in the second half produced an impressive 17-minute spell in which the Red Bulls scored five times.
The first came in the 48th minute from a Red Bulls corner kick. Jared Gilbey played the ball back to Noah Powder on the edge of the area who fired a shot from 25-yards to beat the goalkeeper. Minutes later Noah Powder turned provider after he beat two defenders to drive inside the penalty area before crossing the ball to Barry Sharifi who headed in for the second goal.
The high pressing Red Bulls created a number of turnovers in the Real Salt Lake defensive third. Barry Sharifi played in Pierre Reedy who finished in the 58th minute to make it 3-1. Sharifi then got his second of the match after good play from Brian Saramago who played in Sharifi to finish in the 61st minute. Red Bulls won the ball back from the Real Salt Lake kickoff to produce the fifth goal. A one-touch passing combination were too much for Real Salt Lake pressure and the ball found its way to Pierre Reedy at the top of the penalty area. He flicked the ball through for Brian Saramago who ran in and scored.
Real Salt Lake rallied to get a second goal, but the scoring concluded in the 85th minute when the two substitutes Kyle Casey and Samad Bounthong combined to score.
The team dedicated the win to their teammate Sean Teixeria who sadly lost his 21-year old brother Anthony on Monday, Nov. 30, 2015.
Scoring Summary (Assist in parenthesis):
Real Salt Lake 39’
- NY: Noah Powder (Jared Gilbey) 48’
- NY: Barry Sharifi (Noah Powder) 53’
- NY: Pierre Reedy (Barry Sharifi) 58’
- NY: Barry Sharifi (Brian Saramago) 61’
- NY: Brian Saramago (Pierre Reedy) 62’
- Real Salt Lake 65’
- NY: Kyle Casey (Samad Bouthong) 85’
Lineup: Wojciech Gajda, Noah Powder, Mason Deeds, Kyle Perno, Kevin O’Toole, Jared Gilbey, Ryan Mingachos, Callum Johnson (Samad Bouthong 80’), Pierre Reedy (Kyle Casey 70’) Brian Saramago (Cristian Martinez 88’), Barry Sharifi (Rodrigo D’Andrea 70’)
Subs not used: Sam Ilin
Man of the Match: Noah Powder
New York Red Bulls U-18 (1) vs. Vardar U-18 (4)
Lakewood Ranch, Fla. (December 6, 2015) – The Red Bulls concluded the showcase with a loss to Vardar, 4-1. The Red Bulls conceded two goals in each half. Vardar scored from two set pieces in the first half to give them edge going into the break, 2-1.
The Red Bulls committed numbers forward in the second half as they attempted to get back in the game and were caught by a swift Vardar counter-attack to give the team from Michigan a two-goal cushion. The fourth goal was a giveaway in the defensive third that provided Vardar the fourth goal of the match.
"The team was challenged with three very tough games, and I thought we played very well in certain spells during the games,” captain Mason Deeds said. “The showcase is a way for us to learn new ways to make the team better. The team is figuring out the up-tempo style of play the Red Bulls are all about, and with that the team can be even more dangerous moving forward."
The Red Bulls Academy will now take a break for the holidays and resume training in mid-January to gear up for the second half of the USSDA season.
Scoring Summary (Assist in parenthesis):
- Vardar 26’
- NY: Cristian Martinez (Brian Saramago) 30’
- Vardar 44’
- Vardar 55’
- Vardar 70’
Lineup: Wojciech Gajda, Noah Powder, Mason Deeds, Cristian Martinez, Kyle Perno (Kevin O’Toole 70’), Jared Gilbey, Ryan Mingachos, Samad Bouthong (Callum Johnson 45’), Pierre Reedy (Kyle Casey 45’) Brian Saramago, Barry Sharifi
Subs not used: Sam Ilin, Rodrigo D’Andrea, Bratislav Petkoric
Man of the Match: Ryan Mingachos
New York Red Bulls U-16 (4) vs. Real Salt Lake AZ U-16 (2)
Lakewood Ranch, Fla. (December 4, 2015) – The first game matched two of the top teams in the country with the Red Bulls facing Real Salt Lake. The Red Bulls came out strong, creating many chances early on and getting on the scoresheet first via Omir Fernandez, thanks to an assist from Zach Ryan. It was Fernandez who scored the second goal minutes later off a cross from Ben Mines and the Red Bulls headed into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
Ben Mines used his speed to get behind the RSL defense early in the second half and was taken down for a penalty that Zach Ryan converted to make it 3-0. RSL fought back with two goals before Bratislav Petkovik put the game away with his first goal of the season to clinch the win, 4-2.
Scoring Summary (Assist in parenthesis):
- NY: Omir Fernandez (Zach Ryan) 16’
- NY: Omir Fernandez (Ben Mines) 23’
- NY: Zach Ryan (PK) 47’
- Real Salt Lake 55’
- Real Salt Lake 67’
- NY: Bratislav Petkovik 71’
Lineup: Sam Ilin, Chris Gloster, Evan Peters, DeAndre Golding, Ben Bograd, Kazu Shigenobu, Ben Mines, Zach Ryan (Bratislav Petkovic 57’), Omir Fernandez (Chris Bermudez 65’), William Rojas (Nick Schimbeno 41’), Vincent Borden (Giuseppe Margiottiello 41’)
Subs not used: Jordan Bailon, Carlos Alvarado, Jack Valderabanno
Men of the Match: Kazu Shigenobu, Omir Fernandez
New York Red Bulls U-16 (4) vs. Sporting Kansas City U-16 (1)
Lakewood Ranch, Fla. (December 5, 2015) – In the second game of the showcase, the Red Bulls faced Sporting Kansas City. The Red Bulls scored right from the kickoff with Jack Valderabanno scoring off a rebound from Ben Mines’ initial shot on goal. New York continued to dominate with center midfielder Kazu Shigenobu being the engine of the team. They would be rewarded with a second goal when center forward Zach Ryan found a streaking Omir Fernandez who calmly chipped the oncoming goalkeeper to give the Red Bulls a 2-0 lead. Sporting KC pulled one back on a goal off a set piece header before halftime.
SKC came out strong in the second half looking for the equalizer as the fatigued Red Bulls midfielders and defenders fought to keep the lead. N took the game back over when substitutes Giuseppe Margiottiello, Willie Rojas, Jordan Bailon and Nick Shimbeno came on and injected instant energy. Ben Mines was pushed up front, beat two SKC defenders and completed a sliding a pass to Omir Fernandez for his fourth goal in two games. It was Mines again weaving through SKC defenders and laying off to Rojas who finished to give the Red Bulls a hard fought 4-1 win.
Scoring Summary (Assist in parenthesis):
- NY: Jack Valderabanno 1’
- NY: Omir Fernandez (Zach Ryan) 28’
- Sporting Kansas City 33’
- NY: Omir Fernandez (Ben Mines) 66’
- NY: Willie Rojas (Ben Mines) 77’
Lineup: Sam Ilin, Chris Gloster, Evan Peters (Jordan Bailon, 55’), DeAndre Golding, Ben Bograd, Kazu Shigenobu, Ben Mines, Zach Ryan (William Rojas 55’), Omir Fernandez (Chris Bermudez 68’), Vincent Borden (Giuseppe Margiottiello 50’), Jack Valderrabano (Nick Schimbeno 50’)
Subs not used: Matt Goodman, Carlos Alvarado
Man of the Match: Ben Mines
New York Red Bulls U-16 (6) vs. Pateadores U-16 (0)
Lakewood Ranch, Fla. (December 7, 2015) – In the third and final game of the showcase, the Red Bulls faced west coast perennial powerhouse Pateadores. New York came out and again scored in the first minute of the game when Ben Mines crossed to Omir Fernandez to give the Red Bulls the early lead, 1-0. New York did not let up and created many opportunities, finishing the game with a 25-4 advantage in shots.
Zach Ryan scored a penalty kick after midfielder Giuseppe Margiottiello was pulled down and it would be Margiottiello who would scored the third goal before halftime as the Red Bulls took a 3-0 into the break. It was much of the same in the second half as Margiottiello scored again, this time on a 30-yard blast which found the upper corner. Substitutes Nick Shimbeno and Bratislav Petkovik each added a goal to complete the scoring.
Scoring Summary (Assist in parenthesis):
- NY: Omir Fernandez (Ben Mines) 1’
- NY: Zach Ryan (PK) 14’
- NY: Giuseppe Margiottiello (Ben Mines) 31’
- NY: Giuseppe Margiottiello 52’
- NY: Nick Shimbeno 63’
- NY: Bratislav Petkovik (Jack Valderabanno) 74’
Lineup: Matthew Goodman, Chris Gloster, Evan Peters (Jordan Bailon 68’), DeAndre Golding, Carlos Alvarado (Ben Bograd 50’), Kazu Shigenobu, Ben Mines (Jack Valderrabano 57’), Zach Ryan, Omir Fernandez (Bratislav Petkovic 68’), Vincent Borden (Nick Schimbeno 50’), Giuseppe Margiottiello
Subs not used: Sam Illin, Chris Bermudez, Willie Rojas
Man of the Match: Giuseppe Margiottiello
