The Real Salt Lake U-16s are on the cusp of reaching their own greatness as they face FC Dallas in the semifinals of the 2016-17 USSDA Playoffs on Friday in Carson, California. The young squad will have a chance to win the club’s second Academy championship with two wins in the next few days against the top U-16 teams in the country.
2nd half:
1st half:
With the first championship team in 2013 producing the likes of future RSL standouts Brooks Lennon, Justen Glad and Sebastian Saucedo, all of whom represented the U.S. in the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, the bar is set high for the current crop of players. But with a pair of Western Conference Best XI selections and a 25-8-7 record that includes an eight-match unbeaten streak, the team is right to be confident, even when facing top-seeded FC Dallas in the semifinals.
On Thursday, forward Sebastian Soto and midfielder Richard Ledezma were named to the USSDA West Conference Best XI after each had standout seasons. Soto led that nation in scoring with 34 goals while Ledezma had five of his own from the midfield. Soto paced the RSL youth, but a strong supporting cast has ensured that he is put into the best positions to succeed against each opponent. An additional 17 goals from Luis Arriaga have also put RSL into the upper echelon, outscoring the opposition 96-38 in 40 matches this year, including the playoffs.
After reaching the postseason as the No. 9 seed, RSL went 2-0-1 in Indiana in the playoffs to reach the quarterfinal round. There the Claret-and-Cobalt traveled to the midwest to face Sporting Kansas City last week. There, Juan Obeso opened the scoring in the 6th minute and RSL never looked back. Benjamin Ortiz added to the lead in the 30th minute and Julian Vazquez finished the scoring in the 57th minute to make it 3-0. RSL controlled possession throughout the match and reached the semifinals with a resounding 3-0 road win.
The U-18s had a successful season as well, reaching the quarterfinals after a 24-6-6 regular season record. Like the U-16s, the older group went 2-0-1 in Indiana to reach the quarterfinals, however, a 1-1 draw against the LA Galaxy went the way of the visitors in the shootout, ending RSL’s season in Arizona. Defender Glademir Mendoza earned West Conference Best XI honors while Martin Vasquez was named West Conference Coach of the Year.
In August, both U-16 and U-18 squads will move their homes to Herriman, Utah, at the newly-constructed, state-of-the-art Zions Bank Real Academy.
