The marquee game for the day for us here at 3rd Degree was the FC Dallas Academy U19 game against Botafogo this afternoon at MoneyGram. I have some notes on that game and then I will get into the other results in the Dallas Cup.
Most of these 19s I know quite well by now so I will really only have a note if something has changed in my takes on them.
FC Dallas U19s vs Botafogo
It’s important in a tournament like this to do some rotation so the names you see today will probably not be the same XI that will take on Real Madrid tomorrow.
Botafogo came out with relentless pressure in the first 10 minutes, they are a big, physical, and direct team, not what I expected from a Brazilian side. Once FCD weathered that pressure and knocked the ball about a bit they found their game and it was a good affair from there.
Michael Morales scored the game-winner in the late stages of the first half on a counter attack.
Ty Renolds was on hand with his leg in a hip-to-toe wrap and brace. He tore his meniscus training with/against North Texas and had surgery this week.
Dylan Lacy was deployed as a deep playmaking 8 in double-pivot. That’s a new spot for him under new 19s Coach Chuy Vera. I dig it, the kids got great touch and vision. He links the whole thing and can relieve a lot of pressure.
#61 Francisco is a new player that joined FCD this winter. I don’t have a last name yet. He wasn’t on the roster the Cup gave me two weeks ago. Then again, neither was…
Diego Pepi subbed in and I think it might be the first time he’s played for the Academy. He jumped right from ECNL to North Texas SC.
Other subs: Santiago Ferreira, Diego Hernandez, Anthony Ramirez, Ishmael Nieves, and Jordan Jones. I think I got everyone.
FC Dallas’ final shape was a 4-3-3 like this.
My dude, Diego Hernandez looks so much better. He finally looks back to normal after the awful car wreck he suffered over a year ago now. I’m glad to see him moving and playing well again.
Bowen McCloud got popped in the face, giving him a bloody nose. It was kind of a mess and he had to sub out in crunch time to get it taken care of.
FC Dallas had about 4 or 5 chances late to kill the game and didn’t convert but they were controlling play at the end.
Other Dallas Cup Results
Girls
ECNL 05/04 lost 1-2 to Australian Girls School and are now 1-1-0.
ECNL U18/19 Composite won 1-0 over This Girl Kicks are and now 2-0-0.
ECNL 06 lost to Dallas Texans 1-2 and are now 0-1-1.
ECNL RL 06 lost to Solar 0-4 and are now 1-1-0 as well.
ECNL 07 won 4-0 over BVB and are now 1-0-1.
ECNL RL 07 defeated CTSA GS Gold 9-0 and are now 2-0-0
ECNL 08 beat Surf Select 2-0 to move to 2-0-0.
ECNL RL 08 fell to Renegads 08 GA. RL is 0-2-0.
Boys
The boys side of the tournament started today and only a couple teams played.
FCD ETX 05 Premier fell 4-1 to OPD 2005 Delect.
Academy U12 South knocked off PRFC Scottsdale by a 4-0 line.
Pre-ECNL 11 tied San Antonio FC 2-2.
Academy U12 North won 3-0 over La Roca A Bakrim.
GA Cup Results
Academy U17s win 2-0 over Chicago Fire at the GA Cup today. Goals from Jared Salazar and Nayrobi Vargas. The 17s sit on 6 points and are in good shape to advance (all 1st place advance and 6 best seconds).
Academy U15s lost 0-2 to NYRB. They face Montreal in their final game but I don’t believe they can advance regardless of the result.
Dagnabbit. Massive bummer for Reynolds.