With both USSDA teams in action in Boston, the U14s playing a friendly versus the Revs as well, and the U23 team concluding play in the University League, there was plenty of action for the Academy this past week, but with little result.
Following a 1-1 draw with l'Université de Montréal (1-1) and a win versus Concordia (2-1), the U23s lost for the first time, falling 1-0 last Sunday to l'Université de Laval in Quebec to conclude the 2014 University League season.
The U23s finished the University League with a record of 4-1-2. The team will then play seven or eight exhibition games before kicking off the PDL season.
The Impact U23 will take on Chaudière this weekend before heading out to Rochester to play the Rhinos (USL Pro).
U16s and U18s defeated in New England
The Impact U18 team was doubled up by its opponents, the New England Revolution, on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
After falling behind 2-0, the U18s rallied back to tie the game with goals by Alexander Kulic and Samuel Duffek. The team ultimately fell 4-2 when the Revs scored a PK in the 55th minute and a stoppage time marker in the 91st minute.
“It was a very disappointing performance overall,” said Impact U18 head coach Jason DiTullio. “We knew the Revs were going to come out motivated after our 5-0 victory in Montreal back in October. From the start, we didn't match their intensity. We were poor in transition, in our defensive technique and we were technically sloppy, going down by two in the first 30 minutes. Although in the second half we showed a bit more fight and tied it up at 2-2, we didn't have enough quality and maturity to win a high level game like this one.”
The U16s faired a little better, losing 2-1 in a close match on Sunday versus the Revs in the second game of the day. Thomas Meilleur-Giguère scored the lone goal for the road team.
Antoine Guldner, head coach of the Impact U13 side, ran the bench as U16 head coach Wilfried Nancy is in France for coach training provided by a special MLS program.
“Globally, we were the better team in the first half, but we conceded a bad goal on a cross to the second post,” explained Guldner. “We are still a little too slow to regroup defensively. After the goal, we were able to regain control of the play and created good chances, finding an equalizer, but they managed to score again on one of their rare counter attack opportunities. We finished the game well, creating good situations, but their goalkeeper came up with a number of good saves.”
The Impact U14s also played a friendly at Gillette Stadium, with goals by Alexis Stevens and Samuel Cloutier in a 3-2 loss.
