Timber Joey only cut two log slabs today:
After yesterday’s blustery conditions, today was pretty much the perfect weather a soccer player could ask for. The D.C. United U-16s came out flying against the Portland Timbers on Tuesday, April 15.
Owen Marshall scored his second goal of the tournament in the 15th minute after Lucas Mendes beat his defender and found Marshall in the box. Portland converted a penalty kick in the 18th to tie the game up. Gerson Umana scored mere seconds before the halftime whistle when he ran onto a through ball provided by Antonio Bustamante. Portland wasn’t done and scored in the 41st minute to tie it up again. The rest of the game was tense and wide open until the final minutes. Goalkeeper Zachary McMurrer saved two point blank shots to keep the score tied at 2-2. With three minutes to go, Milton Juarez sliced his way into the six-yard box and was brought down by a Portland defender. Umana converted the resulting PK and solidified United’s 3-2 win over Portland.
“We were happy that the conditions were much more suitable to show quality play on day two,” said D.C. United U-16 Head Coach Tom Torres. “The boys showed a lot of character in a back-and-forth game where they overcame defensive challenges from a well-organized opponent. In the second half, the entry of Miles Robinson and Milton Juarez changed the group dynamic. Their mentality, work rate and solid play really brought an added presence into the midfield.”
Next Game:
D.C. United has the day off on Wednesday, April 16 and will play its third game on Thursday, April 17 at 5:00 p.m. CST against Chivas USA. The Black-and-Red is 1-1-0 at the Generation adidas Cup.
For photos from the U-16s' second day at GA Cup, click here.
