FC Dallas makes quarterfinal run at Copa Chivas

By Mike Woitalla

Founded in 1994, the Copa Chivas in Guadalajara is one of the world’s premier youth tournaments. U.S. teams invited to past editions include the U.S. U-18national team, Chivas USA, the Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas, which this year – in its third straight appearance – became the first U.S. team to advance to the knockout stage.

FCDallas, coached by Francisco Molina, sent the team that won the 2014-15 U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-15/16 national title and competed in the Copa Chivas division for playersborn in or after 1998, with each team allowed to field three players born in 1997. FC Dallas’ squad included Homegrown first-team players Coy Craft (’97) and AlexZendejas (’98).

Photo courtesyCopa Chivas

After opening with a 2-1 loss to Tijuana Xolos, FC Dallas beat Monterrey, 1-0, tied with Brazil’s Cruzeiro, 1-1, and beat Portugal’s Benfica, 3-1. FCDallas took a 1-0 lead in the quarterfinals against Danish club Midtjylland, which had upset host Chivas Guadalajara, 2-0, in group play, before falling, 2-1.

“We are very proud of theboys to compete so well at such a prestigious tournament,” said FC Dallas Academy Director Luchi Gonzalez.

Midjtyalland faces Japan’s Urawa Reds in the semifinals whileBoca Juniors, which beat archrival River Plate in the quarterfinals, faces Atlas.

While FC Dallas’ U-18s competed at the Copa Chivas, it’s U-14s traveledto Mexico for five games against Liga MX youth teams. FC Dallas leads MLS in Homegrown signings and in first-team minutes played by academy products.

CopaChivas Internacional Scotiabank 2016 FC Dallas Results
Quarterfinal
Jan. 21 Midtjylland 2 FC Dallas 1
GroupB
Jan. 15 Tijuana 2 FC Dallas 1. Goals: Barajas 39, Crespo 60; Montesdeoca 47.
Jan. 17 FC Dallas 1 Monterrey 0. Goal: Vega 56.
Jan. 18 FC Dallas 1 Cruzeiro 1. Goals: Yasuda 35; dos Santos 58.
Jan. 19 FC Dallas 3 Benfica 1. Goals: Yasuda 44, Zendejas 49, Montalvo 64; Martins 18.

FC Dallas Copa Chivas Roster
Carlos Avilez, Reggie Cannon, Coy Craft, Irvin Dominguez, Jesus Ferreira, Benji Granillo, Ben Hale, Damian Hernandez,Weston McKinnie, Hector Montalvo, Gio Montesdeoca, Eddie Munjoma, Paxton Pomykal, Phillip Ponder, Juan Ramirez, Jommar Reyes, Adrian Ramos, Brandon Servania, Brandon Terwege, Devin Vega, ToshikiYasuda, Alex Zendejas.

U.S. girls draw Mexico in U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying

The U.S. U-17 girlsnational team will face Mexico, Jamaica and Costa Rica in Group B play of the 2016 Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship that will determine the qualifiers for the 2016 U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Thequalifying tournament will be hosted by Grenada March 3-13. The U-17 World Cup takes place in Jordan Sept. 30-Oct. 21

Group A consists of Grenada, Guatemala, Canada and Haiti.

Aftergroup play, the top two finishers in each group will cross over for the semifinals with the winners of those games, along the winner of the third-place game, earning berths to the World Cup.

The USA failed to qualify for the 2014 U-17 World Cup when they finished third in the qualifying tournament behind runner-up Canada and champion Mexico, which beat the USA in a penalty-kicktiebreaker after their scoreless semifinal. Because Concacaf’s Costa Rica hosted that world championship, only two teams advanced from the qualifying tourney.

2016 Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship
USA Group B Schedule
March 4
USA vs. Jamaica
March 6
USA vs.Mexico
March 8
USA vs. Costa Rica

New faces as U.S. U-18 men gather for first 2016 camp

Recently named U.S. U-18 boys national team head coach Omid Namazi has called in 32 players roster (1999s) for the U-18s’ first camp of the year, Jan. 17-23 in Lakewood Ranch,Florida. Only 12 of the 36-player roster have previous youth national team experience. The squad’s first international play of 2016 will come in March in Argentina.

U.S. U-18 boys national team
GOALKEEPERS (4): James Fetterly (Texas Rush; The Woodlands, Texas), Eric Lopez (LA Galaxy; Westminster, Calif.), Alec Smir (NorthCarolina Fusion; Greensboro, N.C.), Seth Steibel (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; O’Fallon, Mo.).
DEFENDERS (11): Jose Alfaro Jr. (Morelia/MEX; West Chicago, Ill.),Corey Anton (FC Kaiserslautern/GER; Wollstein, Germany), McKay Eves (RSL Arizona; Casa Grande, Ariz.), Christopher Grey (San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.), Harold Hanson (FC Golden State;Ontario, Calif.), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union; Bear, Del.), Alessandro Milesi (Shattuck-St. Mary’s; Fairbault, Minn.), Matthew Real (Philadelphia Union; Drexel Hill. Pa.), Samual Rogers(Seattle Sounders; Seattle, Wash.), Callum Stretch (Aston Villa/ENG; Encino, Calif.), Carson Vom Steeg (Real So Cal; Santa Barbara, Calif.).
MIDFIELDERS (12): Faris Abdi (IMGAcademy; West Bradenton, Calif.), Alberto Alvarenga (Real So Cal; Canoga Park, Calif.), Omir Fernandez (NY Red Bulls; Bronx, N.Y.), Anthony Fontana (Philadelphia Union; Newark, Del.), Andrew Paoli(San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.), Emanuel Perez (Capital Area Railhawks Academy; Garner, N.C..), Nicholas Pergjini (Troyes/FRA; DIGAS, France), Stirling Russell (Seattle Sounders; Bellevue,Wash.), Kazuyoshi Shigenobu (NY Red Bulls; Ridgewood, N.J.), Gregory Tracey (Colorado Rapids, Arvada, Colo.), Erik Virgen (RSL Arizona; Tucson, Ariz.), Hanif Wright (Unattached; Los Angeles, Calif.).
FORWARDS (9): Arda Bulut (San Jose Earthquakes; Los Gatos, Calif.), Joshua Burnett (PDA; Glen Ridge, N.J.), Rhys de Sota (Real Colorado; Foxfield, Colo.), Damen Marcu (RealColorado; Arvada, Colo.), Leonardo Marquez-Ramirez (Leon/MEX; Vasilia, Calif.), Justin McMaster (Philadelphia Union, King of Prussia, Pa.), Cody Sundquist (Fiorentina/ITA; Lincoln, Calif.), KeiTomozawa (Seattle Sounders; Bellevue, Wash.), Alex Vedamanikam (RSL Arizona; Casa Grande, Ariz.).

U.S. U-19 women convene inFlorida

Coach Jitka Klimkova has named a 26-player roster for the U.S. U-19 women’s national team’s first camp of 2016. The squad for the Jan. 23-30 gathering inLakewood Ranch, Florida, consists of players eligible for the U.S. team that qualified for the 2016 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea in November.

Of the 26 players called up,six were born in 1996, 18 in 1997 and two in 1998. More than half (17) the players are collegians.

U.S. U-19 women’s national team
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ella Dederick (Washington State; Camarillo, Calif.), Devon Kerr (Ohio State; Barrie, Ontario), E.J. Proctor (Duke; Elm City N.C.).
DEFENDERS(7): Malia Berkeley (Michigan Hawks; Liberty Township, Ohio), Holly Daugirda (Utah Avalanche; Salt Lake City, Utah), Samantha Hiatt (Crossfire Premier; Newcastle, Wash.), Michaela Kovacs(Michigan State; Hudsonville, Mich.), Jacey Pederson (PSV Union; Palo Alto, Calif.), Ally Prisock (USC; Fontana, Calif.), Samantha Stabb (Clemson; San Diego, Calif.).
MIDFIELDERS(6): Betsy Brandon (Virginia; Littleton, Colo.), Rachel Corboz (Georgetown; Greenbrook, N.J.), Breanna Dewaal (Utah Celtic FC; Sandy, Utah), Kayla Hill (TCU; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), MadelineMcCracken (St. John’s; Lynch Station, Va.), Briana Solis (Florida; Orlando, Fla.).
FORWARDS (10): Marley Canales (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.), Stefani Doyle (DallasSting; Lewisville, Texas), Darriell Franklin (San Jose State; La Habra, Calif.), Imani Dorsey (Duke; Elkridge, Md.), Alissa Gorzak (Eclipse Select; Naperville, Ill.), Cyera Hintzen (Dallas Sting;Plano, Texas), Megan McCool (Virginia; Glenside, Penn.), Kayla McCoy (Duke; Lincolnwood, Ill.), Katie Pingel (Santa Clara; Torrance, Calif.), Michelle Xiao (Stanford; Omaha, Neb.).