PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers Academy teams closed out a three-match road stretch to open the 2012-13 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season over the weekend by earning points on the road against the Seattle Sounders FC Academy teams at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash.
The Timbers U-18 Academy (0-2-1, 1pt) earned their first point and scored their first goal of the season in a 1-1 draw against the Sounders FC U-18s on Saturday. Forward Christian Desir (Portland, Ore.) scored the Timbers U-18 Academy’s first-ever goal in the 13th minute off a corner kick by midfielder Gustavo Gonzalez (Beaverton, Ore.). Seattle’s Ike Crook scored the equalizer in the 85th minute. The Timbers U-18s had opportunities to regain the lead in the final moments of the match, including midfielder James Nosack’s (Ridgefield, Wash.) attempt off the crossbar.
The Timbers U-16 Academy (2-0-1, 5pts) earned their first win of the season, defeating the Sounders FC U-16 Academy, 2-1. Midfielder Jesse Garcia-Aguilar (Hillsboro, Ore.) recorded the team’s first multiple-goal performance as the Timbers U-16s continued an unbeaten start to the campaign. After a scoreless first half, Garcia-Aguilar scored the first two goals of the match in the 57th and 63rd minutes. Seattle’s Shane Gomez cut the lead in half with a goal in the 75th minute, but the Timbers U-16s defense did well to close out the team’s first win.
The Timbers U-18 and U-16 Academy teams play their first home matches on Saturday, Oct. 6, against Real So Cal, and Sunday, Oct. 7, against Arsenal FC at the adidas Timbers Training Center. Against Real So Cal, the U-18s kick off at 1 p.m. (Pacific), with the U-16s kicking off at 3:30 p.m. (Pacific). On Sunday Oct. 7, the U-18s kick off at 12 noon (Pacific) and the U-16s follow at 2:30 p.m. (Pacific) against Arsenal FC.
Timbers U-16s forward Rubio Rubin named to tournament roster for U.S. U-17 National Team
Timbers U-16 Academy forward Rubio Rubin was selected to a 20-player roster for the U.S. U-17 National Team for the upcoming AGS Cup in Alicante, Spain, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6. The tournament begins Saturday as the U.S. squares off against Azerbaijan.
The U.S. U-17 National Team will compete in Group B against Azerbaijan, Georgia and United Arab Emirates. Following the tournament opener, the U.S. faces Georgia on Sunday and ends group play Monday, Oct. 1, against United Arab Emirates. Click here for full tournament details.
All 20 players for the U.S. are members of the 2012 fall semester roster at the U-17 Men’s National Team Residency Program and train full-time in Bradenton, Fla., under head coach Richie Williams.
Welshman’s Player of the Week honors highlights latest college achievements for Timbers U-23s players
Oregon State University forward Emery Welshman, who played for the Timbers U-23s during the 2012 Premier Development League season, was named the TopDrawerSoccer.com Player of the Week following an outstanding weekend for the Beavers. Welshman scored a hat trick in a 6-1 win over Wisconsin-Green Bay, which marked the Beavers’ 200th victory in school history, on Friday. Two days later, he scored the golden goal in double overtime in a 1-0 victory against UC Irvine.
Over the weekend, Timbers U-23s and University of Portland midfielder Steven Evans (Troutdale, Ore.) logged a hat trick, scoring all three goals in the first half, in a 4-3 loss to Seattle University as part of the Husky Fever Classic in Seattle. Evans scored in the 10th and 13th minutes to knot the score at 2-2 and then added a third goal in the 39th minute. Evans is the Pilots’ leading goal-scorer with seven goals in seven games.
Additionally, Timbers U-23s defender Anthony Hobbs, playing his senior season at Florida International University, was recently named one of 30 NCAA men’s soccer players nominated for the prestigious 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition. A national media committee will select 10 finalists for the award in early October. Those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote, including a fan vote.
