The Impact USSDA team were in action last week in Indianapolis. While the U18s were playing the group phase of the USSDA playoffs, the U16s were playing in the showcase tournament.
The Impact U18 in quarterfinals
In their first game, the Impact U18 tied the Philadelphia Union 2-2. Head coach Jason Di Tullio’s players followed that with two straight wins: a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy and then a 2-1 win against Kendall SC, to qualify for the quarterfinals.
“Since we played in the playoffs last season, we were ready for this challenge,” explained head coach Jason Di Tullio. “Having finish first in the season, we felt a lot of respect from the other teams. I am proud of this because it shows the work that was done with the U18, the U16 and at the Academy in general over the first four years.”
The U16s were supporting the U18s in the stands during the whole week, screaming and singing during the games.
“The U16 were our biggest supporters,” added Di Tullio. “At the final whistle, they jumped on the field with us, it was incredible. It proves that we are a big family.”
“When you talk about a sense of belonging and having an identity, the U16 showed just that,” said Impact U16 head coach Wilfried Nancy. “They were proud of the older group. People from outside the club, scouts or coaches, came to congratulate us for this attitude. Observing the older group is also a good way to learn for these players.”
The quarterfinal game will be played on Tuesday, July 7 at 6pm, at Stade Saputo. Admission to the game is free.
Good tournament for the U16s
The U16s showed well in the showcase tournament. They won their first game 1-0 against the Chicago Fire, tied 1-1 against Real Salt Lake, and then lost their last game 3-2 to the Strikers FC.
“I’m happy with what I saw from the players,” said Nancy. “They didn’t make it to the playoffs, but it was a tournament where the players wanted to play well and finish on a positive note. We could have done a bit better on the results side, but it was good. If we talk about the content, I was really happy. The group progressed really well.”
The U14 in Portugal
The U14 team is now in Portugal playing in the IberCup, a prestigious youth international tournament, from June 30 to July 5. The team played other international clubs, including Deportivo La Coruna. It’s an important step for the group, as many players will be moving to the U16s to play in the next USSDA season at the end of the summer.
