Don't have subscription so can somebody post the text?I guess the rankings are necessary in some way but they don't mean much IMO and yes my player has been on several high to top "ranked" teams.
CHULA VISTA, Calif. - The U.S. U14 Boys National Team took on Club Tijuana youth teams and Albion on Friday in three Scrimmages at the Olympic Training Center. The games came at the end of a weeklong camp in Southern California for the youngest youth national team.
Alex Monis, FC United - Monis scored the opening goal in the first game on Friday. He had a strike from outside the box early in the contest that rattled off the crossbar. He was on point with his next shot as he placed past the Xolos keeper. He played on the right wing and looked to be the most dangerous option in the final third for the U.S.
Daniel Leyva,
Seattle Sounders - Leyva is a soccer player. He reads the game well. He makes intelligent passes, and he makes the players around him better. He only played in the first half in the first game against Xolos, but he stood out from his brief appearance in the game.
Andres Cardenas, Weston FC - Cardenas was the option in the build-up for the U.S. He was playing on the left wing and seemed to be getting a lot of touches throughout the game. He was good on the ball, and allowed the left back to join in the attack. Cardenas finished his day with the third goal in a 3-0 win.
Ulysses Martinez, Portland Timbers - Martinez, the left back, was a standout on Friday. He did well defensively against Xolos, and added to the attack with precise passing and control under pressure. Martinez is already playing with the Timbers U17 squad and that experience was obvious in the game against Xolos.
Caden Clark,
Barca Academy - Clark came on at halftime of the first game and scored the second goal for the U.S. He made a great run through the porous Xolos center and took his chance well. He had some good moments in keeping possession for his group.
Dante Huckaby,
Philadelphia Union - Huckaby looks like he is in the middle of a growth spurt and still figuring out how to adjust to his new height, but it’s clear he had the right ideas and saw the game with some intelligence. He could be one to watch for the future as he matures.
Niklas Dossman, De Anza Force - Dossman was the best center back on the day. He was excellent on the ball and did well in his positioning. The competition in the first game against Xolos was not that competitive, as the Tijuana side struggled to break pressure. Dossman looked good in that setting, but it would’ve been good to see him against the older Xolos side in the second game.
Dantouma Toure,
PDA - Toure scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over the Xolos’ side in the second game, which was a more competitive contest. His talent is undeniable. He possesses rare athletic gifts combined with a competitive spirit that makes him a rare prospect. He was all of the talk of the camp after scoring three goals during the intersquad scrimmage on Wednesday and adding the lone goal on Friday. He will be in the picture for the youth national teams for a long time.
Diego Luna,
San Jose Earthquakes - Luna set up Toure’s goal. He poked the ball off a Xolos midfielder and into the path of Toure. The Earthquakes’ midfielder is one of the more intriguing players in the group. He has moments where he looks great with the ball at his feet. Then there are some moments when he is sloppy with possession and does not have a chance at winning it back. He has some soccer intelligence so it’s hard to see him getting let behind, but he does not have the physique of a U.S. Soccer player so it’ll be fascinating to see how he is utilized with his club and the national team.
Dante Sealy,
FC Dallas - Sealy had some moments in the game against Xolos. He was able to turn his defender and get racing toward the goal a few times, but a Xolos defender would trip him just before he could take off on one of those Sealy runs through the defense. The constant fouling added up to a frustrating day for the winger, who could be getting a look with the 2002 Youth National Team in Florida next month.
Selmir Miscic,
Philadelphia Union - Miscic’s highlight from his second half appearance was a nifty heel flick to get the ball past a defender and start the attack for the U.S. He had a couple of chances in his appearance, and looked like he fit in well with this group as he battles
Tyler Freeman,
Dante Sealy, and others for playing time in the future.
Andre Cordes, Colorado Rapids - Cordes played the whole game in the 1-0 win over Xolos on Friday. He didn’t have to make many saves, but he was consistent and handled the challenges in front of him. He did have a tough time with a couple of crosses, which is an area for him to improve in the future.
Adrian Aguilar,
LA Galaxy - The Galaxy left back did well on the day. He was physical against a bruising winger and bested the opposition on most occasions. He was also good on the ball and made some sublime passes.
Nicholas Pariano,
Philadelphia Union - Pariano played as a center midfielder in the third game of the day. He was one of the players pulling the strings for the group. He’s good on the ball and can play while under pressure.
Aidan Wolf, Columbus Crew - Wolf set up the first goal of the game against Albion on Friday. He was deployed as an attacking center midfielder along with Pariano and he did well when he was on the ball. He made a couple of questionable passes, but his athleticism helped him erase those mistakes quickly.
Ricardo Pepi,
FC Dallas - Pepi scored the opener against Albion in the final game of the day. His height came in handy on the goal as he flicked a header over a defender and a goalkeeper. He looked good outside of the goal too. He has good feet and created some chances.
Brian Lopez, Weston FC - Lopez had a tough time against Albion’s
Jacob Silva, but he stood out because he did not shy away from the challenge. He had some good moments on the ball too.