United Academy standouts Julio Arjona and Shaquille Phillips were called back from the U.S. U-17 residency program in Bradenton, Fla. to play in the match held at RFK Stadium. An early goal in the second half was enough Real Madrid to come away with a narrow victory.
"It was a great chance for us to measure ourselves against one of the top clubs in the world," said D.C. United director of youth development John Maessner. "These experiences are invaluable for young players who aspire to play at the highest level. I thought that we showed very well as a club and I believe we made a big statement to the growth this country has made on the soccer field with our youngsters in the last several years. I was very happy with our first-half performance in particular. We were able to combine well throughout the field, get forward and create scoring opportunities."
The D.C. U-16s then fell to Maryland powerhouse Pachuca FC USA, 2-1, and Saprissa of Costa Rica, 3-1.
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