Category Archives: Important Other Stuff

USDA’s u14 division and UEFA’s Youth League

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The US Development Academy’s decision to expand a u14 division and UEFA’s introduction of a unified continental youth competition share a common storyline.  They are both examples of a private enterprise exercising the initiative in an area of soccer that is in need of professionalized structure before the respective governing body stepped in to oversee operations.

As a Tottenham Hotspur supporter of many years and a fan of high level European competition I was intrigued by the NextGen Series.  NextGen is an independent youth tournament for elite clubs in Europe, including Spurs, which features clubs’ under 19 squads.  The idea for a junior version of the almighty Champions League was crafted by League One club Brentford’s Sporting Director Mark Walburton and television producer Justin Andrews.  This dream culminated in the debut season of the NextGen tournament in August of 2011.

It kicked off on August 17th 2011 and includes famous clubs such as Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter, Sporting Lisbon and Liverpool, producers of stars such as Messi, Ronaldo and Gerrard. The opening season saw Inter emerge champions after beating Ajax in a thrilling penalty shoot-out.

The second season starts this August, and for young talents it offers the unique opportunity to experience all aspects of a competitive, large, international tournament. The challenges they will be facing, such as adapting to unfamiliar styles of play, prolonged periods of travel and two match weeks, will help them when making the transition to the first team.

For football fans the tournament is a great chance to watch young players in the making and to experience the new football stars of the future.

The teams involved in the 2011-2012 tournament were some of the most well-known clubs in Europe: Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur (ENG), VfL Wolfsburg (GER), Internazionale (ITA), Marseille (FRA), Ajax, PSV Eindhoven (HOL), Molde FK, Rosenborg (NOR), Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR), Celtic (SCO), Barcelona (SPA), FC Basel (SWI), Fenerbahçe (TUR).

The 2012-2013 edition saw FC Basel leave while 9 more clubs joined, namely: Arsenal, Chelsea (ENG), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Anderlecht (BEL), CSKA Moscow (RUS), Athletic Bilbao (SPA), Juventus (ITA), Borussia Dortmund (GER), Olympiacos (GRE).

UEFA decided in 2012 to create their own competition for 2013 which would mirror the senior Champions League and all but neuter the NextGen Series.  The Daily Mail reported at the end of June that UEFA was planning a tournament to rival NextGen.  ”The competition seems to have been set up to limit the growing influence of the NextGen series, which last year included Barcelona, Inter Milan and Juventus, in addition to Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City.”  The cynical (but not entirely incorrect) view holds that UEFA followed through on their Youth League, which was announced in early December, purely for monetary reasons.  NextGen has been successfully pulling in Europe’s best clubs (including the most renowned academy programs) while increasing their television and sponsorship deals.  Giving UEFA the benefit of the doubt, they saw a budding competition and sought to use that format as a basis to institutionalize a continental u-19 club competition.

Across the pond in the United States, there is a quite different story playing out with similar conclusions.  The American soccer development environment is very much behind that of European countries, nevertheless significant progress has been made in the last few years.  The advent of the national Development Academy, which now has 80 participating clubs, in 2007 was a milestone for American youth soccer but there is still much to do.

US Club Soccer, an independent organization not connected to U.S. Soccer, set about creating “pre-academy leagues” among its series of National Premier Leagues.  The National Premier Leagues website spells out the following goals among others:

More specifically, the NPL provides a platform:

  • focused on long-term player development;
  • for the country’s top soccer clubs, allowing consistent, meaningful high-level games appropriately scheduled with higher training-to-game ratios;
  • that allows players to be scouted and evaluated by U.S. Soccer National Staff and Technical Advisors

    The NPL is an important component of US Club Soccer’s 10-year vision to refine the landscape for competitive youth soccer. This vision recognizes that:
  • Properly-structured youth soccer clubs are the vehicle through which player development does and must occur in the United States.
  • Clubs should play in leagues that provide meaningful games, allow establishment of the proper training-to-game ratio, and eliminate calendar congestion.

This is the language used by USSF to describe their premier youth leagues system:

What is the Development Academy?
The Development Academy is a partnership between U.S. Soccer and the top youth clubs around the country to provide the best youth players in the U.S. with an every day environment designed to produce the next generation of National Team players. The Academy’s programming philosophy is based on increased training, less total games and more competitive games.

The Academy also connects National Team coaches directly with the Academy clubs to develop and identify players and coaches for future Youth National Teams. Each Academy team is evaluated by a member of the Men’s Scouting Network at least ten times each year and each

From the initial press release announcing the creation of the Development Academy “…the youth clubs chosen to be part of the Development Academy will increase the amount of time spent on meaningful training while also increasing the quality of their matches.”

Upon further review, it seems like US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues provides the same opportunities for u-14 teams that the Development Academy does for u-16 and u-18 teams.  Take also into consideration the fact that 38 of the 40 clubs participating in the initial three “pre-academy leagues” were clubs which fielded teams in the two divisions of the Development Academy.  This first wave of NPLs were the Northest Pre-Academy League, the Southeast Pre-Academy League, and the Texas Pre-Academy League.

I’ve said in a previous post that US Club Soccer’s National Premier League program has done the heavy lifting for the recently announced expansion of the Development Academy’s directive to the u14 level.

“US Club Soccer has already laid down the framework to allow the Development Academy to grow.  In many respects, USCS has done the dirty work on the ground level by establishing regional leagues for the most competitive youth clubs around the country.  Participation in the youngest division may increase the likelihood that new clubs will strive to join the DA at the u-16 and u-18 levels, by adhering to a stringent set of regulations and operation guidelines.  Because the Pre-Academy League allow clubs that participate in the Development Academy League the chance to play their younger players in a similar formatted competition, with regard to the training to game time ratio, the transition to the new age levels in the DA will be much smoother.”

If US Soccer’s Development Academy carries through with its plan to incorporate the very best u14 programs into a national league, undoubtedly it will have to choose many (if not all) of the clubs currently enrolled in US Club Soccer’s NPL program.  The teams in the Pre-Academy Leagues as well as other leagues which feature clubs who participate in the u16 and u18 division of the Development Academy will be better able to adjust institutionally with the travel, training, and competitive rigors of the Development Academy system.

This therefore represents another example of the central governing body attempting to improve (or co-opt) an existing youth competition structure.  In the case of the u14 division of the Development Academy, there is very little (if any) money to be made.  There is, however, an opportunity to allow high level clubs the chance to groom talented players in a professional academy manner from a younger age.  The US Soccer Federation also has the chance to give young referees new to the national program a chance to officiate more youth games before assigning them to professional leagues.

Mark Warburton, co-founder of NextGen, said at the time: “We want to fill a void. Apart from an exceptional few capable of jumping straight into first teams, many promising academy graduates have not been provided with enough consistent high-quality challenges. We think we can avoid wasting talent by helping more young players reach senior level.”

NextGen directors put forth the organizational effort to get the ball rolling.  Aside from a few unclear rules (Tottenham breached squad rules by fielding a player who was too young) and scheduling mishaps, the NextGen series has been very successful.  Due to the commercial success, monetary gain, and overall contentment from clubs involved, it is not a far-fetched argument to claim UEFA are not trying to save NextGen but to prevent the privately operated league from establishing itself.  Instead of supporting the existing league, UEFA’s Youth League will attempt to replace NextGen by capitalizing upon its framework.

In the vastly different footballing worlds of the United States and Europe, similar stories can remind us what is important.  The American national u14 developmental league stresses that first and foremost is the attempt to provide young soccer players the adequate platforms to best grow and showcase their talents in a nurturing and conducive environment.  Any potential rivalry or clash between NextGen and UEFA’s Youth League is a lesson that we should not lose sight of player-first aims of youth soccer.  It certainly does require capital investment to design the logistical framework for a continental league season, but if UEFA tries to market the Youth League in the same ways it commercializes the Champions League, priority will not be given to the well-being and development of players but rather the interests of corporate sponsors.

Upstate New York’s Elite Youth League: Thruway Soccer League

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What is the best option for aspiring and talented young players in Western New York?  Take a look at Upstate New York’s Thruway Soccer League.

The Thruway Soccer League has at least one division for both boys and girls from the u11 to the u18/19 level.  Teams from throughout Upstate in each division play an 8 game schedule mostly on the weekends of the summer months.

For me the cornerstones of the Thruway League are the three separate Empire United teams playing in the u18/19 division.  The U.S. Soccer Development Academy League is made up of 80 elite youth clubs from around the country.  One of these clubs, Revolution Empire (formerly Empire United), was formed from independent organizations from Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse.  Each city has their own local teams from age 9 to 18 and the standouts from these teams form the Development Academy squads for the u15/16 and u17/18 divisions.  The Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse teams play in the Thruway League alongside other strong and stable youth clubs.

Clubs in the Thruway League range geographically from Buffalo to the Capital region.  Games are played throughout upstate, including the following cities and town: Albany, Schenectady, Liverpool, Oneonta, Spencerport, Brighton, Henrietta, Buffalo, Clarence, Elmira, Endicott, West Seneca, Hilton, Corning, Utica, Binghamton, Batavia, Webster, Akron, Rochester, Lansing, Lockport, Big Flats, North Tonawanda, Guilderland, Sarasota Springs, Getzville, Orchard Park, Watertown, Cicero, Fairport, Lancaster, Tonawanda.

Some of the other teams in the lower age groups are from: Loudonville, Apalachin, Glenmount, Troy, Caledonia, Chittenango, Clifton Park, Cohocton, Depew, Elma, Williamsville, Fredonia, Pittsford, Herkimer, Owego, Homer, Youngstown, New Hartford, Lewiston, Hamburg, Wampsville, Yorkshire, Mattydale, Schuylerville, Solvay, Stillwater, Lagrangeville, Dryden, Grand Island, Victor, Kenmore, Westmoreland.

The league is relatively young, having been formed in this framework in 2011.  The Thruway Soccer League appears financially solvent and added a number of teams for the 2012 season.

Is this league the cream of the crop in the state? I think so.

The Thruway Soccer League affords young players the opportunity to compete at a higher level than the traditional regional leagues within Upstate New York; Rochester District Youth Soccer League, Central New York Junior Soccer League, Genesee Youth Soccer League, Broome County Soccer Association, Capital District Youth Soccer League, and the Buffalo and WNY Junior Soccer League.  The Thruway league also offers a path to compete in both the Colonial League and Presidents Cup, competitions that feature youth teams from across US Youth Soccer’s Region 1 (Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine).  In addition, exceptional players have a chance to impress coaches from Revolution Empire during league play and could earn an invite to the Development Academy squad, now an established pipeline to youth national teams.

For more information, visit the Thruway Soccer League’s website: http://thruway.demosphere.com

Future Professional and Rochester Native Jordan Allen

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Get excited, Rochester.

2012 saw former Aquinas, Empire United, and FC Buffalo player Krystian Witkowski sign with Philadelphia Union, but the Polish-American didn’t make a single appearance for the MLS club before being released.  Another Aquinas and Empire United product could eclipse that accomplishment in 2013.  Jordan Allen is set to showcase himself as the most talented soccer player born in the Rochester area.

Krystian Witkowski was only the seventh player from a Rochester area high school to sign with MLS.  Brian Bliss, Dema Kovalenko, Aleksey Korol, Yuri Lavrinenko, Jamil Walker, and Ian Pilarski are the other players that have been signed by MLS clubs.  However, Witkowski didn’t seen the field in MLS or the Reserve League.  The Union had 10 Reserve League fixtures in 2012 and Witkowski failed to make an appearance even once.  By that standard, Allen has actually accomplished more than his fellow Rochesterian before young Jordan’s professional career has even begun.

The 17 year old Jordan Allen has been training with Real Salt Lake while playing for their u-16 and u-18 Academy sides the past year.  Allen has even featured in a number of Real Salt Lake’s Reserve League matches as an Academy player alongside and against professionals.

National Recognition
Allen has been exceeding expectations at every step in his development.  In the 2011-2012 Academy season, Jordan was the only ’95 on a team of very talented ’94s and ’93s at Real Salt Lake’s Academy.  Allen has even earned plaudits for his performances at multiple positions for youth national teams.  Jordan has twice been named the Development Academy’s national player of the week and is firmly on the national radar.

On February 23, 2011, U.S. Soccer Development Academy named Jordan Allen the top performer across both age divisions nationally for Week 22.  The release stated that, “Jordan Allen of the Real Salt Lake AZ U-15/16 team played up on the older U-17/18 team for 60 minutes as it defeated Pateadores 5-0 on Saturday. Throughout the 2011-12 season, Allen has started all 14 fixtures for the club with 10 appearances coming from the U-17/18 age group. Allen has three goals this season.”

Then on April 16, the Development Academy league named Allen the Player of the Week again, this time for his performance in Week 29.  ”Jordan Allen has regularly played up with Real Salt Lake AZ’s U-17/18 team, and he was a part of two more victories this past weekend. He started and played 75 minutes during Real Salt Lake’s 3-0 win against the San Diego Surf on Saturday, then came on as a halftime substitute to help RSL earn a 4-1 win against Nomads SC on Sunday. Allen now has 13 appearances with the U-17/18 team… Allen played the full 90 minutes during Tuesday’s RSL Reserve League match against FC Dallas. He is the first repeat Player of the Week honoree this season.”

Allen was named the u16 Western Conference Player of the Year for the Development Academy for his outstanding play in both the u-15/16 and the u-17/18 age divisions.

The youth soccer experts over at Top Drawer Soccer have ranked Jordan Allen #4 nationally for his graduation year, 2013.  Allen sits behind only Diego Fagundez, Zach Pfeffer, and Jack McBean, which makes Allen the best non-professional in his year as Fagundez is signed with the New England Revolution, Pfeffer with the Philadelphia Union, and McBean with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Can Allen be a Homegrown Player?
Because MLS rules are subject to change and interpretation at any point, this is a difficult question to answer.  The Homegrown Player initiative allows MLS clubs to sign rising stars from their Academy teams without going through a draft or lottery process.  Allen certainly has met the surface requirements of the Homegrown Rule; he’s played in an MLS academy for a year.

There is however a snag in the details that HG players cannot play for youth national teams before joining an MLS academy.  Allen was a member of the u-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida, and was on the team that won the Concacaf u17 championship in February 2011, months before joining RSL’s Casa Grande Academy.  

However, MLS is known to shift the murky details of its rules to accommodate teams’ wishes in the past.  Specific to the Homegrown Rule, MLS has allowed the Portland Timbers to sign Brent Richards despite not spending the full year required in their development system and Los Angeles Galaxy to sign Jose Villarreal even though the young forward played for the Pateadores academy team which is not affiliated with the MLS team.

How Allen Projects in the Future
For me, Jordan Allen sounds a lot like another youth sensation in MLS circles; Andy Najar. The Honduran D.C. United Academy graduate played the beginning of his career as a right midfielder.  When he returned from national team duty at the Olympics, head coach Ben Olsen transitioned Najar to the right back position.  This allows Najar to make lung busting overlapping runs (like Tottenham’s Kyle Walker or an early Gareth Bale) while still keeping the team solid in the back.

That transition is precisely the course u-18 coach Javier Perez instructed as he moved Allen to right back for the Lisbon International Tournament in May.  American soccer guru Ives Galarcep said of Najar (I can’t find the exact quote) that he could either be a great winger for MLS or a European quality right back.  Having spoken to people who haven seen Jordan Allen play, that’s the impression I get of the youngster.  His dynamism and two-footed dribbling ability make him a constant threat to the opposition going forward, but his well trained soccer brain make him able to adjust his position in defense while his athleticism allow to track back and catch up with any opposing forward.

2013 will be a big year for Jordan Allen.  He has a chance to improve his already large reputation nationally while collecting accolades for his club play and impressing with the u-18 national team.  Allen has committed to the University of Virginia for college, but don’t be surprised if Real Salt Lake puts an offer on the table before the college season starts.  It is not a matter of if, but rather, when Jordan Allen turns pro.  Rochester may have to wait a few years to still to see the best prospect to come out of their city sign a professional contract after college.

Get excited Rochester, this kid is the real deal.

2013 Wishlist for Lower Division Soccer

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In the spirit of other 2013 wishlists (see here for Liga MX, here for U.S. Soccer, and here for Canada), I’ve decided to compile a little list of my own for lower division soccer.  Let me know what you think about my list and what you would include in your own list in the comments.

1) Strong showings off the field from the USL expansion teams
More important than grinding out tough away results in my opinion, is the ability of the two USL-Pro expansion cities to establish themselves at home.  This isn’t just getting wins against weaker teams, but doing the marketing and community work to draw in big crowds.  Phoenix FC has already been doing some of this legwork and feel confident about their prospects for success off the field.

According to an article on Our Sports Central, more than 500 season ticket deposits have been collected for Phoenix FC’s first season.  AZ Kicks It reported that the club, “expects to sell out every game but [club president Tim Thomas] said 3,500+ per game would be great”

A turnout of 3,500 would squarely situate the Phoenix franchise in the top half of attendance in the league.  Based on my numbers for the 2012 campaign, that attendance would rank the Phoenix FC Wolves around fifth in the USL-Pro in terms of attendance.

VSI Tampa Bay faces a different set of challenges.  They have a network of youth teams and leagues in the community, but may struggle for turnout.  The team plans to play at the JC Handly Sports Complex in Brandon, Florida, but could find themselves competing for fans in the heart of Tampa with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of NASL located in nearby St Petersburg.

Both of these teams need to perform well off the field to show the viability of the USL-Pro business model.  If these teams bounce games around venues like LA Blues, Dayton Dutch Lions, and Charlotte Eagles did in 2012 or if they replicate those teams’ attendance numbers (well under 1000 each) professional soccer in Phoenix or east Tampa might be fleeting.

2) New York Cosmos and Puerto Rico Islanders join NASL for their fall season
When NASL released the announcement in early September that the 2013 season would be split into two short tournaments, similar to much of Latin America, there was one question resounding from lower division soccer fans around the country: why?

“Our Scheduling Sub-Committee arrived at this recommendation after an exhaustive review of a number of alternatives,” said NASL Commissioner David Downs, “and the new format takes into consideration a variety of factors including fan and player comfort in our many warm-weather cities.”  “But the bottom line,” Downs added, “is that we believe this new competitive format will bring more excitement and meaning to each of our regular season matches for all of our teams throughout the year.”

Apparently the interests of the many warm-weather cities beat out the cold weather teams like Minnesota, Vancouver and 2014′s Ottawa.  Perhaps this announcement was also made with the knowledge (or hunch) that the Cosmos would not be ready for the spring kick-off.  Brian Quarstad of IMSoccer reported December 2 that the Cosmos will skip the spring tournament as well as the U.S. Open Cup.

Due to potential changes in Puerto Rico’s government policy, funding of the Islanders is uncertain for 2013 and onward.  Neil Morris of IndyWeek reported December 21 that the Islanders will miss the spring tournament but that the league expects the team to participate in the fall tournament in 2013.  This leaves only 7 teams in the spring and either 8 or 9 teams in the fall.

Though in different realms, both of these franchises have a rich soccer history.  With the NASL trying to establish a legitimacy above USL, two teams stuttering off the field (one before they had even started) could challenge the league’s hopes.  On the other hand, taking a half-season off could provide the stability necessary for long-term success for both the individual teams and the league as a whole.

3. Continued positive performances in the U.S. Open Cup
The 2012 edition of the Cup saw three USL-Pro clubs reach the quarterfinals.  Lower division teams beat MLS clubs in 9 matches, 4 by USL-Pro teams and 3 by NASL teams.  While the format for this year’s tournament is not yet set in stone, it should be similar to last year’s with all the professional teams in the county participating.  However, there are two more domestic based USL-Pro clubs to incorporate into the cup this year so things could be a little different.

Regardless of whether all USL-Pro clubs take part in the U.S. Open Cup, upsets make the competition more interesting.  The cup draws attention to the lower leagues of soccer in the U.S. and amateur side Cal FC’s Cinderella run to the Fourth Round brought an appearance on Fox Soccer Channel.  If the 2013 Cup brings more interest in USL-Pro and NASL among MLS fans or more televised cup matches, it would be a good year for American soccer.

These may seem like tame requests for a wishlist.  After all I’m only asking that the new USL-Pro teams perform better off the field than the worst organizations in that league, that NASL not lose or postpone its teams, and that clubs from these two leagues kick off a cup fever for American soccer fans.  My hopes would go far to provide stability and spark interest in leagues that need both.  Even if these things aren’t in the cards for 2013, there will still be a lot of news, excitement, and speculation in lower division soccer in this country.

Cubans Deserting in Canada and Potential Emigration Reform

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As with many things on the island, details are hard to come by with regard to soccer in Cuba.  Reports on Spanish language news sites in the days after Cuba’s controversial loss in Canada have listed the four players who were missing.  These players are goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper (31 March 1992), defender Raisender Fernandez (22 August 1984), and attacking midfielders Maikel Chang (18 April 1991) and Evier Cordovez (10 November 1989).

One of these things is not like the other; later reports in English have said that one player was sick and the other three had deserted the team hotel.  If that’s the case then the defecting players are probably Cooper, Chang, and Cordovez because they are young players with futures in the game.  It doesn’t make as much sense for a 28 year old to abandon his life in Cuba for a shot at a career in the United States.

Cuba left three starters and four impact players with the potential to change a game on the island when they traveled to Canada.  Raul Gonzalez elected to only bring 15 players with him to the World Cup Qualifying match in Toronto amid whispers that he overlooked players who might have thoughts about jumping ship while on the continent.  This plan perhaps lacked foresight as 3 young players brought in as replacements ended up deserting the national team anyway.  Rumors on Twitter said that Cooper, Chang, and Cordovez, (along with team psychologist Ignacio Abreu) attempted to cross the border the night of Cuba’s match in Canada.

As is often the case with Cuban defectors, we may see these players pop up in American lower division clubs (as I’ve written about here) or we may never hear these names again outside of the timeline of Cuban international defections.  The pure fan in me wants to see these young players make it as professional footballers and make a living in the United States.  I know many second and third division teams in this country could use adaptable attacking midfielders/forwards.

In the future however, perhaps players won’t have to desert their country in order to ply their craft outside of the island nation.  Raul Castro made a symbolic step forward Tuesday, October 16, by reforming the exit visa process to leave Cuba.  Castro announced that now most Cubans (aside from doctors and certain other crucial professions) are free to apply for and pursue visas to leave the communist island.  Under previous rules, Cubans were not able to leave the country legally and any clandestine actions (such as desertion abroad or fleeing to Florida) were met with retribution toward’s the person’s family.  What is not clear is whether soccer players who leave Cuba under these terms will be welcome to play for the national team, or whether these athletes would want to represent the country they (may have) suffered in.

According to the BBC, the reforms set to take place in January will make it easier for Cubans to legally come to the United States.  ”Cuba previously saw people attempting to leave the country as traitors or enemies of the revolution, but official recognition is growing that many Cubans want to leave for economic reasons and that the country can benefit from the cash and knowledge they bring back with them.”  The potential remittances could be remarkable for Cuba as these payments make up a sizable chunk of the economies of several Latin American countries.

This reform is a small and mostly ceremonious step, but a step nonetheless, towards the ambitious reforms outlined shortly after Raul took power.  If the emigration reform is perceived true and successful, Cuba could see the fulfillment of other lofty promises such as the implementation of certain capitalistic practices.  I am merely speculating here, but if this occurs Cuban football could undergo a radical transformation into a destination league; firstly for investors and then for talented players from around the Caribbean.  In five or ten years if the USL still operates professional soccer, imagine them tapping into Cuba in a more successful mirror of their failed venture into Puerto Rican waters.  Or perhaps a united Cuban club could field a team in the United States following the model of the Puerto Rico Islanders.

No matter what imagined outcome awaits Cuba, further reforms can only help the football of the island nation.  Economic and social reforms that forge a strong middle class will buoy any independently operated soccer leagues in Cuba while national team players venture off the island in search of growth as athletes.  Both of these processes can improve the development of the Cuban national team and ensure future success beyond the group stage of the Gold Cup and the third round of World Cup Qualifying.

Surveying the Soccer Scene: The National Impact of US Club Soccer’s Pre-Academy Leagues

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An important contributing factor to Mexico’s recent domination at seemingly every age level has been the implementation of a comprehensive youth development system.  The centerpieces of that system are the national u-15 and u-18 leagues.  Several organizations in the United States have taken steps in past few years to create a similarly comprehensive and productive development path in this country.

There are 80 professional affiliates and independent youth clubs that participate in the United States Soccer Federation Development Academy League.  The DA has operated a u-15/16 age division and a u-17/18 age division since its founding in 2009.  There is currently nothing available on a national scale above or below those age groups.  While there remains no centrally organized u-20 league in the United States, there is a rapidly expanding youth system below the Development Academy.  These leagues may provide the basis for the recently announced u-13/14 Development Academy age division starting in the fall of 2013.  One of these programs, conveniently enough, is called the Pre-Academy Leagues.

Operating under the auspices of U.S. Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues directive, the Pre-Academy Leagues offer the same high level of competition and intelligent training schedule that incited the initial drive for the Development Academy, only for the u-11 though u-15 age groups.  Across several geographic divisions, youth clubs (a large percentage of which are currently participating in the USDA) now have the chance to develop players in a competitive atmosphere at a younger age.  This allows clubs with several age brackets the opportunity to groom their players from as early as 10 or 11 and keep these players on a well-thought out training regimen to best develop young talent.

There were three conferences in the Pre-Academy League for the 2011-12 season: Northeast, Southeast, and Texas.


The Northeast Pre-Academy League is split into two divisions, a majority of which currently participate in the USDA.
Liberty Division:
Albertson SC (NY)
Cosmos Academy East (NY)
FC Greater Boston (MA)
FC Westchester (NY)
Met Oval (NY)
Oakwood SC (CT)
PDA (NJ)
Seacoast United (NH)
South Central Premier (NY)

Mid-Atlantic Division:
Baltimore Bays Chelsea (MD)
D.C. United (DC)
FC DELCO (PA)
Match Fit (NJ)
McLean Youth Soccer (VA)
New York Red Bulls (NY)
NJSA 04 (NJ)
PA Classics (PA)
Potomac SA (MD)


The Southeast Pre-Academy League, is made up of 13 clubs which all field older teams in U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy:
CASL (NC)
Charlotte SA (NC)
Clearwater Chargers (FL)
Concorde Fire (GA)
Georgia United Soccer Alliance (GA)
IMG Soccer Academy (FL)
North Meck SC (NC)
Kendall SC (FL)
Richmond Kickers (VA)
Richmond Strikers (VA)
South Carolina United Battery (SC)
Virginia Rush (VA)
Weston FC (FL)


The nine clubs in the Texas Pre-Academy League, which all field teams in the Development Academy, include two MLS clubs and the world renowned Dallas Texans youth club:
Andromeda
Classics Elite
Dallas Texans
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo
Lonestar SC
Solar
Texans SC
Texas Rush

USCS Beyond the Pre-Academy Leagues
These three Pre-Academy Leagues are the jewels in the crown of US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues (NPL).  According to their website, “The NPL has been created to provide a unified, league-based national developmental platform with the highest level of competition in given geographic areas, and to elevate and change the competitive youth soccer landscape based upon fundamental principles outlined in US Club Soccer’s 10-year vision.”  NPL currently oversees 17 regional leagues focused on the development of young soccer players.

Starting in the fall of 2012, US Club Soccer will add the South Atlantic Premier League and the Mountain Developmental League to its list of regional youth structures.  The South Atlantic Premier League will have six clubs running a u-13 and a u-14 division.
Atlanta Fire United (Ga.)
Augusta Arsenal (Ga.)
Charlotte United (N.C.)
FC Alliance (Tenn.)
Roanoke Stars (Va.)
Triangle United (N.C.)

The following quotes are taken from USCS’s press release.  “FC Alliance is very excited to join the South Atlantic Premier League,” said FC Alliance Director of Coaching Josh Gray. “The league and the quality clubs that have entered it will enhance our club model for player development and provide our teams with great competition.”

“Triangle United is excited about the opportunity to participate in the South Atlantic Premier League,” said Triangle United Director of Soccer John Cirillo. “Each of the clubs involved in the league are well-recognized clubs with great leadership and great teams. Having these teams to compete against is only going to make our club stronger. We are looking forward to many great years of competition as the league develops.”

The Mountain Developmental League will consist of 12 clubs playing in age divisions ranging from u-13 to u-17.  Two of the clubs, Real Colorado and Colorado Rush, currently participate in the USDA at the u-16 and u-18 levels.
Arsenal Colorado (Colo.)
Blackhawks (Ariz.)
Colorado Rush (Colo.)
Colorado Storm (Colo.)
FC Boulder (Colo.)
Gilbert SC (Ariz.)
New Mexico Rush (N.M.)
Pride Soccer Club (Colo.)
Real Colorado (Colo.)
Rio SC (N.M.)
SC Del Sol (Ariz.)
Sereno SC (Ariz.)

The following two quotes were published by USCS here.  “Colorado Rush is extremely excited to be part of the Mountain Developmental League,” said Colorado Rush SC Director of Coaching Wes Hart. “The landscape of youth soccer has changed drastically over the past few years and we believe that the NPL is another positive step in helping our sport grow.”

“Rio Soccer Club is excited about the opportunity to participate in the Mountain Developmental League,” said Chris Cartlidge, Director of Coaching at Rio SC (formerly Rio Vista FC). “The participating clubs have a track record of developing quality teams and players. NPL affiliation will enhance the diversity and the quality of our competitive games and we are looking forward to this outstanding developmental opportunity for our membership.”

Why is it important nationally?
The expansion of US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues, especially the Pre-Academy Leagues, is crucial nationally because of the recent announcement that the Development Academy will hold a u-13/14 age division in the 2013-14 season.  Because NPL regional leagues contain both current DA clubs and other independent youth clubs they will be an important resource for the newly announced national league.  In accordance with the information hitherto released by the DA, the youngest age division will consist of some clubs already playing in the older divisions and some new clubs that aren’t not currently members of the Development Academy.

US Club Soccer has already laid down the framework to allow the Development Academy to grow.  In many respects, USCS has done the dirty work on the ground level by establishing regional leagues for the most competitive youth clubs around the country.  Participation in the youngest division may increase the likelihood that new clubs will strive to join the DA at the u-16 and u-18 levels, by adhering to a stringent set of regulations and operation guidelines.  Because the Pre-Academy League allow clubs that participate in the Development Academy League the chance to play their younger players in a similarly formatted competition, with regard to the training to game time ratio, the transition to the new age division in the DA will be much smoother.

For more information..
The following overview and more information can be found on the National Premier Leagues website.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PREMIER LEAGUES:

US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues have been created to provide a national competitive developmental platform:

• focused on long-term player development;

• for the country’s top soccer clubs, allowing consistent, meaningful high-level games appropriately scheduled with higher training-to-game ratios;

• that allows players to be scouted and evaluated by U.S. Soccer National Staff and Technical Advisors;

• that is designed and structured by the clubs, based on the needs of the clubs;

• using international rules of competition;

• that provides an avenue for qualification for the NPL Champions Cup.

The NPL is an important component of US Club Soccer’s 10-year vision to refine the landscape for competitive youth soccer. This vision recognizes that:

• properly-structured youth soccer clubs are the vehicle through which player development does and must occur in the United States.

• clubs should play in leagues that provide meaningful games, allow establishment of the proper training-to-game ratio, and eliminate calendar congestion.

• National Premier Leagues, as well as the best clubs, should be integrated in US Club Soccer’s id2 National Identification and Development Program, include Player Development Programs (PDPs) in select local markets, and work closely with U.S. Soccer staff regarding player identification, and player and coach development.

The One Where I Watched an NASL Game

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What conclusions can I draw from watching one full NASL match?  Quite a few apparently…

On Sunday afternoon I took the time to watch the full 90 minutes between the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and FC Edmonton.  After watching Tottenham Hotspur squeak out their first win at home this season in the morning and grabbing lunch off campus but before I started reading for my Monday classes, I was able to watch the whole NASL match.  Previously this season I had only caught a few minutes here or there of NASL action in addition to seeing the weekly highlights show on YouTube.  I was initially blown away by the product on the field.

During the USL-Pro season I attended all Rhinos’ home games and tried to watch every away game on U-Nation’s streaming service.  I also watched all of the United States’ and Mexico’s international matches and the Euro Tournament.  Now that fall is upon us, I watch college soccer (both my own school and nationally ranked division I colleges on television), Mexican league and cup games, and a fair share of European club soccer.  During this whole time I’ve been watching every Red Bulls’ game and a number of other MLS matches of national significance.  The point is I watch a good deal of soccer and NASL ranks pretty highly in that pantheon.

I’m not arguing that NASL is the end-all be-all for American soccer; that’d be silly.  MLS clearly operates at a higher level on and off the field, but the style of play utilized by many teams in NASL is very promising.  Watching this NASL game, between 5th placed Fort Lauderdale and 8th placed (out of 8 teams) Edmonton, I observed a more exciting brand of soccer than the average MLS match exhibits.  Several MLS clubs boast world class players like Robbie Keane, Thierry Henry and Fredy Montero, but as a whole this NASL game had a much more attacking feel than an average MLS game. Continue reading →

The College Soccer Season is Kicking Off

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NCAA Division 1 has 203 nationally ranked teams, 13 of which are in Upstate New York in 7 different athletic conferences.  Teams are ranked according to the Rankings Percentage Index (RPI) was released today, a system in based on a school’s record and the strength of their schedule.

The 13 Upstate Division 1 Men’s Soccer programs from a variety of conferences finished the 2011 season with varying degrees of success.  SUNY Binghamton (154) and SUNY Albany (156) play in America East.  Syracuse (179) plays in the Big East.  Niagara (105), Siena (173), Marist (122), and Canisius (197) play in Metro Atlantic. Hartwick (108) and Universtity at Buffalo (146) play in Mid-American.  Colgate (90) and Army (177) play in Patriot.  Cornell (64) plays in Ivy.  St Bonaventure (198) plays in Atlantic 10.

In the full list of rankings for the 2011 season can be found here.  The best represented conference is the Atlantic Coast, which has 3 teams in the top 10.  Sadly my college (Hamilton) does not have a Division 1 athletic program, but I will be following these 13 teams throughout the season and living vicariously through their relative successes.  Somehow the NCAA secured a TV deal with Fox Soccer Channel to broadcast a couple games a week for the duration of the college soccer season.  Unfortunately none of the Upstate schools will be broadcast this year.

Every year after the MLS Draft, dozens of promising college soccer talents are signed by the MLS club while several others are waived.  Some of these players wind up in the lower divisions of American soccer like Rhinos break out star J.C. Banks.  Others still opt to ply their trade in Europe with Scandinavia still a popular destination. Continue reading →

Robbie Keane’s Red Card, José Alfredo Peñaloza Soto, and CCL Refereeing

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This probably isn’t the first time you’ve heard of a controversy with CONCACAF referees and, undoubtedly, it won’t be the last.  In the past week there has been a big fuss about referees in MLS.  Mark Geiger seemingly threw a game between Philadelphia and D.C. United out of whack by himself.  Jasen Anno pretended no one has ears or eyes and tried to take back a penalty he called in Portland’s visit to the New York Red Bulls.  Neither of those botched referee calls can compare to the performance of José Alfredo Peñaloza Soto on Thursday night in Los Angeles.

“Hold on guys, hold on, hold on.. I totally got this!” says a clearly confused Peñaloza during Thursday night’s CCL match.

Because the Champions League is a CONCACAF competition, the referees are provided by all (or most) member nation federations.  Peñaloza became a referee in Mexico’s Primera Division in 2007 but has not demonstrated an improved control of games since that time.  

Players and coaches and spectators look for a few things in a good referee.  First is fairness, followed by consistency, and then maybe modesty.  You could make an argument that Peñaloza displayed none of those traits in his controversial performance.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about by now, have a look at the following incident.

Robbie Keane audaciously tries to run between two Metapan defenders and is clipped in the process.  Instead of awarding the free kick, Peñaloza penalizes Keane for diving and produces the yellow card.  If you’ve followed any part of Robbie Keane’s career, you could have guessed that wouldn’t go over well with the Irishman.  In the video you can see Robbie Keane signal for a substitution and yell “No!” at the referee.  He may have said other things that this highlight video doesn’t show as Mike Magee tries to separate him from Peñaloza and Beckham looks on in disbelief.  I watched the game last night and there wasn’t any physical contact on the referee and Keane didn’t stand yelling in his face.

Keane disagreed with the call and wanted to get off the field.  This was an immature move by Robbie Keane but an even more egregious act by the referee.  Peñaloza wanted the spotlight on himself.  What’s particularly interesting was the fact that Keane was not shown a second yellow, but rather a straight red card for apparent dissent.  Saying “No!” to a referee and gesturing to your bench is now worthy of a red card in CONCACAF competitions.

At one end of the spectrum, Peñaloza had it out for the American team.  At the other, Keane dove to earn a foul in a promising position and then exploded at a match official.  The truth is Keane may have been looking for a foul but he was hit.  There was contact on his shin before he went down  and then he was stepped on.  Even if Keane went down softly that’s still a foul anywhere, even in Mexico.

Peñaloza has been refereeing professionally in Mexico’s top flight since 2007.  In 2010 he was FIFA certified which allowed him to officiate international matches and the CONCACAF Champions League.  But his track record is more than a bit baffling.  In the calendar year of 2012, which includes the Clausura 2012 and the handful of matches in the Apertura of the reformatted Liga MX, Peñaloza has officiated 13 league games and issued 53 cautions and 11 ejections.  That makes 4.08 yellow cards per game and .85 red cards per game in 2012.  While the 4 yellows is about average across the board, averaging almost one red card in every game is alarming for a professional referee.

In his first match of the new season, between León and Querétaro, he showed 7 yellow cards and 2 straight red cards.  While many of those calls may have been warranted on an individual basis, if you put them all in context Peñaloza has absolutely no game-management skills.  Unless you’re talking about great club rivalries in global football, the referee should be able to control the wild tackles and late hits in a game.  A referee’s consistency provides the benchmark for players to know what is acceptable and what isn’t in each game.  This is why the first yellow card in a game is so important to the complexion of the rest of the match.  The first yellow card sets the tone for fouls during the remainder of the game.  Peñaloza showed no such sense and absolutely zero professionalism.

Peñaloza showed three yellow cards in the game on Thursday night; one to A.J. DeLaGarza early in the game, one to Robbie Keane and one to either Michael Stephens or David Beckham.  It appeared that Michael Stephens received the card for time wasting as he came on for Beckham in the 80th minute.  The card was later charged to Beckham for taking his time getting off the field while he was actually trying to give the captain’s armband to Mike Magee.  No Metapan players were issued yellow cards.

Here are Todd Dunivant’s postgame quotes:
(On his perspective of the Keane red card…)

DUNIVANT:  “Your guess is as good as mine. First he gives a yellow card for diving, and then compounds that mistake by giving him a red card. But a lot of times referees like to be bigger than the game and that was the case tonight.”

(On whether or not the referee was a typical CCL moment…)

DUNIVANT: “It was strange. You’d have to ask him. It’s crazy that a professional referee would come out and want to take over a game like that. It’s about the guys on the field; it’s not about the guys in the stripes. It blows your mind when things like that happen. There was a lot of frustration on our part with that, and we’ve got to learn from it and on move on.”

And Bruce Arena’s postgame quotes:
(On Robbie Keane’s red card…)

ARENA: “I don’t know. The ref missed the call and typical, we’ve seen in these competitions, the referees think they’re bigger than the game itself and they’ve got to put themselves ahead of everything, I guess he felt he should not be, I don’t know.  Robbie spoke, said something, whatever, but when a referee misses a call like that, he’s got to be big enough to kind of ignore it and let the game go on. So a player gets a yellow card for diving when he’s fouled and then obviously a red card for, I don’t even know. They didn’t explain anything to us.”

From CCL’s website, “Robbie Keane was yellow carded for what Mexican referee Alfredo Penaloza apparently thought was a dive and then was ejected for complaining.”  Since when has “complaining” been a red card warranted offense?

Sifting through CONCACAF Champions League’s regulations, I’ve found there is an appeal process.  However, there is no mention of a club appealing a red card.  In other leagues a player can’t appeal if he is sent off through two yellows, however Keane was shown a straight red card by Peñaloza.

For his dismissal Keane will have to sit for two games in the CCL, an appeal of which is strictly forbidden.  This is just one more example of how crooked and backward CONCACAF is.  If ever there is an apt red card to appeal, it is Keane’s.  In a better world, CONCACAF would use this incident as an opportunity to improve their disciplinary practices.  Writing into the competition regulations that players cannot appeal red cards is a way for the tournament organizers and federation to cover themselves from the stink of incompetent referees.  Instead of hiding behind the league regulations, CONCACAF should take a stand to refine both officiating and the appeals process.

6.5 The following decisions of the CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee shall not be subject to appeal:
a. Cautions and censures imposed on players, referees, assistant referees, fourth officials, team staff and officials, other persons or national associations.
b. Suspensions of up to two matches, or of up to two months, imposed on players, referees, assistant referees, fourth officials, team staff and officials or other persons.
c. Fines imposed on players, referees, assistant referees, fourth officials, team staff and officials, other persons (not exceeding $10,000US) or Member Associations (not exceeding $30,000US).

6.22 No protests may be made against the referee’s decisions on points of fact connected with play, such decisions being final.

6.27 Notwithstanding the above provisions, any player cautioned or sent from the field of play by the referee shall be subject to the punishments specified in 6.28, 6.29 and 6.30. Such punishments are automatic and are not subject to appeal. These punishments may be augmented by the CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee and any such augmentation is subject to the appeals process previously defined.

El Tri Stutters Against the United States

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I was lucky enough to be a part of something special on Wednesday night.  Not only was I with a group of other American Outlaws watching the United States Men’s National Team make history with their 1-0 victory at Estadio Azteca, but we were part of a dual fan base effort at a Rochester area Mexican restaurant.  I said in an earlier post about the U.S.-Mexico rivalry that the two footballing nations are intrinsically intertwined and this came to light on Wednesday as well.  Here are the conclusions I reached about the Mexican national team after two car ride discussions Thursday afternoon with my girlfriend, a lifelong Mexico supporter.

By most accounts, Mexico should have done better than they did against their biggest rivals.  El Tri was missing two players from their first choice XI, Carlos Salcido and Giovani dos Santos, but Mexico still trotted out a much more experienced starting lineup than the United States.  Mexico dominated in all statistics but one; the score.  Mexico had 19 attempts on goal to 7 for the United States, 13 total shots to 7, 10 corner kicks to 0, 34 crosses to 4, 490 passes to 248, 66.2% possession to 33.8%.  The point is, quite simply, that Mexico could not score.

Jorge Torres Nilo is Mexico’s first choice left back and the pairing of Hector Moreno and Maza (Francisco Javier Rodriguez) is the partnership for the next World Cup cycle.  Hiram Mier, an Olympic breakout player, is one for the future but at age 22 he isn’t better than either center back who started.  Severo Meza is the right back that started the last two World Cup Qualifiers and he is some way better than late game substitute Enrique Perez and Efrain Juarez at the moment.  This means that in each of the four defensive positions, Mexico played their strongest option.

Jesus Zavala is a starting XI player for Mexico in central midfield.  The other starter in Chepo de la Torre’s 4-2-3-1 is Carlos Salcido.  The former Fulham left back now plays one of the two holding midfield roles for Mexico and he was missed against the United States  In his place, 24 year old Manuel Viniegra made his debut for El Tri as Salcido recovered from his participation in the Olympic Games.

In the Olympic Final, Mexico was solid for many of the same reasons the U.S. was strong against Mexico Wednesday night.  All of the pressure was on Mexico to beat the United States because El Tri has never lost to the Yanks on home soil.  Similarly, in the Olympics there was an overwhelming pressure on Brazil to win gold.  In the gold medal match, Mexico had already surpassed expectations by guaranteeing themselves at least a silver medal.  In the same way, the U.S. had already met expectations by holding off Mexico for so long and even controlling play for stretches in the first half.  Mexico was forced to press harder in the second half and left themselves vulnerable to a U.S. counterattack.  The Mexican players were almost solely focused on pushing up the field to support the attack, that’s why Severo Meza was embarrassingly swept aside by Brek Shea, Maza was dragged out of position to the byline by the FC Dallas winger, nobody stepped in front of the passing lane to Terrence Boyd, and no Mexican player was able to put a body on Michael Orozco Fiscal.

Missing Giovani dos Santos hurt Mexico a great deal against the United States.  Everything going forward for Mexico runs through Gio.  The two holding midfielders consistently using Gio as their outlet from the back.  Gio can dependably spread the play wide with accurate passes to Guardado and Barrera in the channels.  When the cross isn’t available for the wingers, Gio is usually open at the top of the box to lay the ball off to after cutting inside.  Gio has the composure on the ball and foot skills to open up a yard of space to get his shot off or play a ball into the stride of Chicharito.  During the Olympics, Marco Fabian announced himself to Mexico fans as the heir apparent to Giovani’s role playing in the hole.  If ever Gio is hurt for a major fixture in the future, Fabian should be able to slot into the trequarista position for Mexico rather seamlessly.

Instead of either of those players, who both participated in the Olympics along with Salcido, Mexico had a few choices for that position.  In the World Cup Qualifier against Guyana, Mexico played Chicharito in the hole behind Aldo de Nigris.  This experiment wasn’t very successful but it would have still been an option.  Angel Reyna beat out Edgar Gerardo Lugo and Elias Hernandez for the start behind Chicharito.  Reyna is a decent attacking midfielder who has excelled at the highest levels in Mexican domestic football with América and Monterrey, but that isn’t his natural position or role on the field.

The other three attacking positions are Mexico’s star players; recent Valencia signing Andres Guardado, recent Cruz Azul signing Pablo Barrera, and still Manchester United striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez.  These three players were Mexico’s starters in their triumphant Gold Cup run and look to be very important on the road to Brazil 2014.  There were a couple notes to take away from the front three against the United States though.

Barrera wasn’t altogether poor, but he did not have a great game against the U.S. and was subbed out at halftime.  His replacement Elias Hernandez was explosive down the right side and almost instinctively attacked directly at American left back Edgar Castillo.  Mexico’s right flank was much more dangerous in the second half than it was in the first.

And then there’s Chicharito.  The hopes and dreams of an entire nation of football fans rest on the striker’s diminutive shoulders.  There’s certainly an argument to be made for saying Chicharito is out of form.  He didn’t really play consistently for Manchester United last season due to concussion symptoms and the meteoric rise of Danny Welbeck.  Perhaps Chicharito just never showed up for the match mentally.  But then there’s also a lot to be said for the job Geoff Cameron did on Mexico’s forward.  Cameron made his presence known to Chicharito often and early by putting a body on him.

Chicharito is not a big guy so when he gets pushed around by guys half a foot taller than him and maybe 60 pounds heavier than him… he’s going to feel it.  A player only has to get hit three or four times like that before he decides maybe not to go for a header or not to drive at defenders with the ball at his foot.  When Chicharito plays in England, all the defenders are bigger and stronger than him but he’s as good as anyone in the world at making darting runs in the box to open up yards of space for himself.  Perhaps he just didn’t feel the same hunger on Wednesday night that he has in the past for big club games against the likes of Chelsea.

Chicharito’s dramatics after missing his headers late in the game, laying face down on the field, aptly displayed the frustration that all of the Mexican players must have felt internally.  After the U.S. scored Mexico went into full panic mode and everyone was sprinting up the field like chickens with their heads cut off.

I had the game going down as a 2-1 victory to Mexico.  I thought Mexico would control more of the ball and have a lot more chances and corner kicks than their rivals; which came true.  I thought the U.S. would be able to battle back through grit and determination to snatch a goal on the counterattack; which also came true.  However Mexico just couldn’t figure out a way to get past the back four and Tim Howard.

While El Tricolor is still very much a stronger team than the United States, especially looking at future national team prospects, this loss will hurt Mexico.  Despite all of the recent successes of Mexico at the u-17, u-20, u-23 and senior level, there is still the feeling among Mexico fans that they could falter.  How typical of the old Mexico national team to hit their ceiling just as they approach the pinnacle of global football, to fumble as they are nearing favorites status for the 2014 World Cup.

This Mexico squad was very much a first choice team at the kickoff against a United States lineup that was purposely weakened by Jurgen Klinsmann.  Losing to the U.S. B-team hurts even more than the obvious shock of losing in the Azteca for just the ninth time since 1966.  Not only was it the first loss to the United States in their football cathedral, their national cauldron, but the U.S. was missing players at right back, both center backs, central midfield and forward.  I feel a bit sorry for Costa Rica who have to brace themselves for the full wrath of Mexico when they play two World Cup Qualifiers against El Tri in September.  Mexico will be champing at the bit to get back on the field and show the clinical finishing and desire to win that was lacking against the United States on Wednesday night.