For the first time this season, the Impact U16 and U18 teams were playing two games in two days. These weekends always represent an additional challenge for the fitness and mental preparation because of the short recovery period between games.
The first games were between the Impact and Beachside SC, with the U18 taking the field first at University of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Gabriel Balbinotti scored his ninth goal in seven games in the third minute on a pass from Mathieu Choinière. Unfortunately, Beachside scored three unanswered goals to get the win.
The U18s had the chance to rally the next day when they faced Oakwood SC in Portland, Connecticut. Again, the Bleu-blanc-noir took the lead in the game, when Moulay Kanzi-Belghiti scored in the 25th minute. Unlike the day before, the team doubled its lead, with Vincent Lamy scoring in the 31st minute. Oakwook scored in the end of the game, but the Impact resisted to the numerous attacks to leave with the win.
“It’s never easy to play back-to-back games in 24 hours,” said Impact U18 head coach Yoann Damet. “The first game was not good. We showed sufficiency despite an early goal. We made too many individual mistakes and it cost us the game. The second game helped us see the reaction of the players and more quality in the play. We deserved to score more, but Oakwood never quit. The weekend is still a deception if you look at the content and the ambition we had for this trip.”
The Impact U16 faced the same opponents in its age category just after the U18 games. Against Beachside SC, the Impact allowed a quick goal in the second minute on a defensive mistake. Forward Jean-Arnaud Tano set the record straight in the second half when he found the back of the net. The score remained the same until the final whistle.
The U16 game against Oakwood Soccer Club the next finished with the same result. The Impact took the lead on a goal from Tano in the 70th minute, but Oakwood equalized in stoppage time on a penalty.
“We had our two best performances in the first two thirds of the field this year, but we had problems in our last pass and efficiency in front of the net,” said Impact U16 head coach Nicolas Gagnon. “It’s frustrating, but we have to understand that it’s our responsibility to have more quality on these elements to have a bigger impact on the game.”
The next Impact U18 games will be played between November 30 and December 4 as the team will play three games in the USSDA winter showcase in Florida. Before this tournament, the U16 will play a game on Saturday, November 19, at 3pm, against New York City FC.
