Preliminary Games, Day 3 of 3
Scores & Standings
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Greensboro, N.C. (June 24, 2018) — Sunday brought an end to exciting preliminary games at the 2018 US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Championships at BB&T Soccer Complex at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C. The chase for the Regional and National Championship continues for the 112 teams who have qualified to move on from their preliminary groups.
The 13U Boys and all of the 14U-16U teams will play their quarterfinal matches tomorrow, June 25, while the remaining teams will finish their quarterfinal games Wednesday, June 26.
Regional winners of the 13U through 19/20U age groups earn a berth to the 2018 US Youth Soccer National Championships, which will be played July 24-29 at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.
The US Youth Soccer National Championships will consist of US Youth Soccer Regional Champions in the 13U through 19/20U Boys and Girls age groups, as well as the US Youth Soccer National League qualifiers in the 14U through 18U Boys and Girls age groups to complete the field of 96 teams.
Notes from a few games on the final day of group play…
13U Girls
In a drama filled 13U Girls Pool A, Liverpool 05 Elite (TX-N) advance as outright winners with three wins and were followed by the remaining teams who finished in a three-way tie with three points each. Sunrise Sting 2005 Black (FL) had a great chance heading into the final day but a 4-0 loss to Liverpool dropped them due to the goal differential tiebreaker. LA Fire Jrs Red (LA) earned its first win of the tournament against MS Rush Premier (MS) with a 2-1 result but Rush’ goal differential held it in second place. Due to the loss against Liverpool, Rush sneak ahead of Sunrise sting for the second place spot in Pool A to advance to the quarterfinals.
14U Boys
USA/MP 04 Premier (SC) defeated Germantown Legends 04 Black (TN), 1-0, to clinch second place in Pool A. USA and Germantown each came into the game with three points and a win would guarantee the victor a spot in the quarterfinals. It was a back and forth first half with the best action coming when USA’s keeper made a diving save to his left to keep the score level. Russell Smith played hero for USA when he scored in the 46th to give his team a 1-0 edge early in the second half. Germantown could not find an equalizing goal as USA’s defense held strong. The win clinched second place in the group for USA while Arkansas Comets 04 Premier (AR) won its third straight game to claim the top spot.
15U Girls
With both Liverpool 03 Elite (TX-N) and NTH Tophat 03 Navy (GA) each having three points heading into the final day of preliminary play, it was set up for a ‘win and move on’ scenario for each team. Liverpool almost took the lead early in the game but had a chance saved off the line by a Tophat defender. Liverpool got its goal late in the first half when Ella Morgan hit a looping header over the Tophat keeper. Amanda Walsh kept the scoring going for Liverpool in the second half scoring just a few minutes in as she outraced a defender to the ball and then hit her shot past the keeper. Caroline Kniffen added her fourth goal of the tournament to increase the lead to three just four minutes later. Liverpool did not let up and pushed to 4-0 thanks to Ashton Griffen and then Kara Campbell to push the lead to five. Kniffen added her fifth goal of the tournament in the 72nd minute, to tie her for at the top of the scorer board in the age group and Madison Lane finished off the scoring in the 78th minute. With the win, Liverpool finishes second in Pool A while HFC 03 Blue (AL) got the job done in its and finish on top of the group with a perfect nine points.
15U Boys
While there was tiebreaker drama in Pool C, Tormenta FC 03 Black (SC) and NFM GPS FL West (FL) battled it out for a spot in the quarterfinals from Pool D. NFM’s Ismael Madruga Corbalan almost opened the scoring early but saw his free kick saved by Tormenta’s Stephen O'Hearn. Each team saw multiple chances at corner kicks in the first half, but neither team could find a finishing touch. Chances in the box presented themselves for both teams but the defenses came up clutch in the first half. NFM’s Ilyas Kabbadj made a great sliding tackle to save a chance in on goal while Tormenta’s Grant Hampton made a strong block tackle to stop NFM’s Nicco Ramirez from getting in on goal. After a scoreless first half, NFM finally broke the deadlock in the 44th minute thanks to Dylan Bloch. The Florida side’s defense held and the 1-0 victory pushes it into the quarterfinals. In the other Pool D game, USA/MP 03 Premier (SC) earned a 1-0 win to seal its spot at the top of the Pool.
16U Girls
UFA 02 Premier (GA) beat Real Arkansas Gold (AR), 3-0, to grab the final Pool A spot in the quarterfinals. Real Arkansas needed a win to advance, but conceded late in the first half when Delaney Dawes hit a bomb from the left side over the Arkansas keeper's hands. Arkansas almost leveled late but UFA’s Haylee Dornan made a huge 1v1 save to secure the lead into halftime. UFA increased the lead in the 42rd minute when Gracie Brewer dribbled through three defenders on a long run to goal and slotted her shot beyond the keeper. Arkansas kept knocking but UFA scored next as Ashley Allen split the defense with a pass to Sarah Dieffenderfer and she expertly slid her shot into the right side of the goal to make it 3-0. UFA almost added another but had a chance saved off the line and then saw a 1v1 chance later go over the bar. UFA’s defense shut down any attempt at a comeback to earn itself a spot in the quarterfinal.
18U Boys
ACYS Spirit United (FL) defeated SCUFC 00 Elite (SC), 3-1, to earn the second place spot in Pool D in the 18U Boys age group. ACYS’ Tomas Roosen scored the game’s opening goal in the 24th minute to give his team the first half nudge towards a spot in the quarterfinals. After going down a man, ACYS kept battling and made its advantage 2-0 thanks to an Andrew Lizyness goal. The goal lit a fire under SCUFC who pushed to make a comeback. The South Carolina side pulled one back in the 56th minute thank to Jacob Ayala’s second goal in the tournament but ACYS’ William Hilal put the game to bed with a 90th minute goal to push the score to 3-1. The win puts ACYS into the quarterfinals right behind the group leaders, MS Rush Premier (MS).
19U Boys
PPA KSA 99 Pro-Profile (GA) defeated Barcelona 99 (TX-N), 4-1, to cement its spot at the top of the 19U Boys Pool A. Barcelona needed a positive result and help in the other game in order to advance, but went behind when Jonathan Lamarre found the back of the net to put KSA up early. KSA added a second as Yarkpazuo Mulbah got fouled in the box and teammate Alexander Rivera stepped up and hammered home the penalty kick. The advantage moved to three when a hard cross into the box deflected off a Barcelona defender and in for an own goal. Barcelona pushed for goals in the second half with a handful of opportunities that were parried over the bar or pushed wide by the KSA keeper. Barcelona finally got its goal in the 83rd minute from close range when Brian Rodriguez got on the end of a cross. Barcelona’s keeper made a huge 1v1 save only for Jose Boyzo to score shortly after to bring the final score to 4-1 in the final seconds of the game. KSA top Pool A and finish undefeated in preliminary play with the win and are joined by 99 NCFC Elite (NC) who earned a win today to finish second in the group.
Daily reports and complete results from the US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Championships are available on championships.usyouthsoccer.org/South.
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