The Development Academy teams had a tough test at home this past weekend.
The U14s came out victorious over Kendall SC at home on Saturday. The boys won 3-2 with Alejandro Pereira leading the charge, scoring two goals in the first half. Allen Seals sealed the deal with the game winner in the 73rd minute.
While discussing the game, Orlando City’s U14s Coach Darren Powell said, “The U14’s played well in a very competitive first half. We had some good passages of play that led to chances on goal. Kendall played well and had some good attacks also. The second half was a very tight contest and the boys showed good character and determination throughout the game which was pleasing to see. All in all, it was a very good game for both teams.”
The U16s came out with the same scoreboard as the U14s, securing a 3-2 win over Kendall.
Nathaniel Adamolekun scored the first goal of the game in the 3rd minute, putting the pressure on Kendall early. The opposing team responded with two goals in the first half, but Asyed Sanchez managed to equalize for the Lions. With eight minutes remaining in the match, Caleb Franke scored the game-winning goal.
When asked about the game, Head Coach Jeff Negalha said, “We competed very well in the match with all three goals coming off some very good sequential play. In fact, we had other opportunities that found the post from either a very good attacking sequence or intense defensive pressing. Overall, we must continue to improve the speed of play as well as our decisions on and off the ball.”
The U18s played a hard fought match against Kendall. After conceding early against the South Florida-based side, the Lions made a concerted effort to push forward in search of an equalizer.
However, Kendall managed to double their lead 15 minutes before the final whistle after converting a free-kick, resulting in a 2-0 defeat for Orlando who were riding a three game win-streak.
Orlando City’s U18s Head Coach Paul Shaw spoke about the match on Saturday, “The U18s had a tough day against a very well organized team. After winning their last three games, it was a disappointing result, but the boys must bounce back next week against IMG.”
