Youth Football Cup off to striking start
IMG Academy goalkeeper Luca Lewis dives for a save.
(CNS): Five matches kicked off the Cayman Airways Invitational Youth Cup at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex on Tuesday, 10 May. Seattle Sounders, Orlando City, Cuba National U-15 Team, Manchester City and LA Galaxy were winners on opening day with 29 goals scored and three teams coming from behind to win.
Here is a rundown of the first day’s matches:
Seattle Sounders 9, IMG Academy 2
In the first match of the day, IMG Academy from Bradenton, Florida jumped to the early lead against Seattle Sounders behind a pair of goals from Indiana Vassilev. Seattle’s Azriel Gonzales pulled his side within one minutes later before adding another to bring the score to 2-2 inside the first 10 minutes.
Camilo Santiago showed his scoring prowess with three first-half strikes. Ethan O’Brien also found the back of the net as Seattle entered the half with a 6-2 advantage. Gonzales added another on the other side of the break to join Santiago in recording a hat trick. Heston Minor and Ethan Dobbelaere also scored at Seattle had nine unanswered goals en-route to a 9-2 victory.
Orlando City 4, Swindon Town 0
Andres Ojeda slid one past Thomas Haddrell in the Swindon Town goal to open the scoring for Orlando City. Even possession from the teams from either side of the Atlantic failed to trouble the scorers for the rest of the first half. Ojeda doubled the lead in the 39th minute before Roberto Ydrach converted from the penalty spot and Mason Lamb beat the keeper to give the Florida side a 4-0 win that was much more evenly contested for most of the match than the score line might suggest.
Houston Dynamo 1, Cuba National U-15
A late goal from the boot of Yoendri Cabrera Camejo was the difference as the Cuba National U-15 team edged Houston Dynamo. Earlier, his teammate, Ribaldo Roldan Moreno, opened the scoring in the ninth minute before Houston forward Heriberto Soto equalised on a penalty kick. The keenly contested match entered the break deadlocked at 1-1 and continued that way until Camejo’s strike four minutes from full time put the Cubans ahead for good.
Manchester City 5, D.C. United 1
Manchester City dominated possession for much of the first half but the match remained scoreless until D.C. United’s Nelson Martinez carved through the defence and beat Mark Collins with a solid strike to put the American side in the lead 27 minutes into the contest. Manchester City drew level on a goal from Thomas Doyle. Collins was had a few “highlight reel worthy” saves to ensure the game went to the half 1-1.
Taylor Richards ensured the deadlock was broken, finding the back of the net off a set piece. Bobby Duncan added to Manchester City’s lead then Collins saved a penalty kick to prevent the flood gates being opened but Duncan and Richards added another goal each to their tally to see the English side win comfortably 5-1.
L.A. Galaxy 4, Cavalier Soccer Club 1
L.A Galaxy and Cavalier Soccer Club fought for the upper hand but either side failed to take the advantage until Rojeax Baines put the Jamaican side ahead two minutes before the half. It took only a minute in the second frame for Galaxy to pull level thanks to Arnold Castillo. Efrain Alvarez scored from the penalty spot to give the side from the City of Angels a 2-1 lead but it was defender Cesar Rivera who stole the show and delighted the crowd with the goal of the day when he rocketed the ball from about 35 yards out to beat Orville Smikle for the 3-1 lead. Alvarez added another to seal the deal as the American side brought the curtains down on the opening day with an entertaining victory.
Club Deportivo Victoria from Honduras and Academy Sports Club Select from the host country were not featured on the first day but open their campaigns today (11 May) when matches move to the Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay.
Scheduled for day two are Cavalier Soccer Club vs Swindon Town FC at 2pm; D.C. United vs Cuba National U-15, 3:30pm; Orlando City vs L.A. Galaxy, 5pm; Academy SC Select vs C.D. Victoria, 6:30pm; and Houston Dynamo vs Manchester City, 8pm.
For more information, go to the Cayman Youth Football Cup website
