D.C. United Academy Update - November 5, 2012

Washington, D.C. (November 5, 2012) –D.C. United’s U-18 and U-16 Academy teams continued their winning ways by defeating VA Rush’s U-18 and U-16 squads 7-1 and 3-0, respectively, this past Saturday at Long Bridge Park in Arlington, Va.

Braces from three players – Denis Najar (Alexandria, Va.), Patrick Foss (South Riding, Va.) and Timothy Wilson (Frederick, Md.) – helped the U-18’s cruise to a 7-1 win in which the squad notched the highest goals total in a single match this season. Michael Seaton (Hyattsville, Md.) tallied a goal in the 46th minute to add to the scoring as well.

Najar opened the U-18’s account with a one-time finish from a Nigel Robinson (Woodbridge, Va.) cross in just the 9th minute. First-half goals also came from a Foss long-range shot in the 43rd minute and another Najar strike, a screamer from 25 yards out in the 45th minute. Seaton struck the back of the net less than a minute after the interval, and 18 minutes later, Foss converted a penalty kick. Wilson closed the match with two goals in the final five minutes to put a definitive stamp on the team’s dominant offensive performance. 

"Today's match showcased the number of quality attacking players on this team,・said Head Coach Nolan Sheldon. “Nigel Robinson and Denis Najar were dangerous throughout the match and forced VA Rush to respect their pace and creativity.  We have placed a great emphasis on scoring first and the impact it has on the game.  To the team's credit, they have successfully scored first in each of the past five matches and, as a result, have picked up some good results recently."

Sharp one-touch and two-touch passing, quick attacks and strong defensive play guided the U-16’s to a 3-0 victory over the VA Rush U-16 squad. Julian Cummings (Fredericksburg, Va.) put the U-16’s ahead 1-0 off of a Christophe Koffi (Potomac, Md.) pass across the six-yard box. The two other goals also came in the first half, with Koffi and Gerson Umana (Lorton, Va.) setting each other up for one strike apiece.

The boys played a solid match,・said Tom Torres, head of D.C. United’s U-16 Academy team. They did not give their opponent much room to find a rhythm. Playing in the other team's end is something we continuously demand of the players, and they were very successful in that aspect this week. With two tough northern road matches before the Showcase, we will need to make sure the boys continue to put a lot of work into training.”

The U-18’s and U-16’s will next take on FC DELCO’s U-18 and U-16 teams on Saturday, November 10 at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively, at Radnor High School in Radnor Township, Pa.