Photo: Academy U19 captain Chris Mannella (left) & winger Omari Morris.
Toronto FC Academy wrapped up its Columbus tour on Sunday, leaving the Ohio capital unbeaten after nine games played by its Under-15, 17 & 19 teams. Director of player development Paul Mariner and Academy director Thomas Rongen were with the squads, giving guidance to coaches and players on way to a successful preseason trip for the young Reds. Overall, the teams won seven matches against two draws. On Sunday alone, the three teams outscored their Columbus counterparts 12-6.
U19 Report: Big Comeback In Columbus
Toronto FC’s Under-19 team came back to erase a three-goal deficit on Sunday afternoon, to earn a 3-3 draw against Crew Soccer Academy’s senior side.
Reds fell behind 3-0 at halftime due to defensive errors and what head coach Danny Dichio describes as a “dubious” call for a penalty.
The coach was sure that with a few “adjustments at the back” the Reds could get back in this one and that’s exactly what happened 10 minutes from restart when Brandon John got one back for Toronto to make it 3-1.
Another seven minutes went by before the Reds pulled within one when Sergio Camargo played Omari Morris through on goal for the winger to make it a 3-2 game.
Led by team captain Chris Mannella, the Reds were after the equalizer and it came at the 78th minute. Tyler Pasher put Keith Makubuya through on goal, and the 19-year old Academy graduate leveled the score at 3-3.
Both sides used some first team reserve players in the contest.
Toronto was on the front foot and looked likely to complete the comeback with all three points, but were denied a “stone-wall penalty,” said Dichio and had two chances from Camargo cleared off the line late in the affair.
“I was very proud of the group, not only after this game, but for the effort and desire that they showed in their last two games,” Dichio wrote in his correspondence.
“We had a couple of clear the air meetings after the first game and I asked to see an improvement in their overall desire to play for this team. The unity & character that they showed afterwards, on and off the field was pleasing to see and confirmed to me that we are heading in the right direction.”
The U19s won two prior to this draw on their three-game Columbus trip.
U17 Report: Wadid Bags Four For Reds
After 2-1 and 3-1 wins in its first two matches, The Under-17 boys turned it up a notch in the final game of the tour beating 16 Crew Soccer Academy 5-2 on Sunday afternoon with Mark Wadid bagging four goals himself.
The match was at Columbus Crew Stadium and for head coach Jimmy Brennan, it was his first victory enjoyed there either as a TFC player or coach.
“We wanted to finish our last game with a win to have a clean sweep of Columbus,” Brennan said on Sunday and his players delivered.
Stephen Piliotis opened the scoring at the 10th minute for Toronto. Then it was the Wadid show. The forward struck the score sheet in his two previous games, and with goals at 20, 35, 63 and 70 minute marks of the match, Wadid brought his three-game totals to six goals against Ohio opposition.
Columbus did manage to interrupt Wadid, but only slightly by scoring at the 56th and 66th minutes.
Brennan admitted being on the winning side of a 5-2 score line at Crew Stadium was “pleasing” for him. More importantly for the coach, his youngsters “played some great football and finished (their) chances around the box.”
While this is still preseason and there’s more work to do, Brennan is happy that “all-round it was a great tour for all teams and great to see the young boys work hard for the badge on their chest.”
U15 Report: Age Difference Not An Issue
The Under-15 boys devastated their Columbus counterparts early on way to a 4-1 win over the ’95 Crew Pre-Academy team that had players two and three years older on the squad.
Assistant coach Michael Stefano told TorontoFC.ca that this being the final match of the Columbus tour “anticipation had been building for some time” and “our boys would not be denied on the day.”
Reds struck early and often with Luca Uccello (3’) and Sergiu Anton (7’) putting Toronto up 2-0 inside the opening 10 minutes.
A Crew foul inside the area against Anton set the forward up for a spot kick that he converted at the 36th minute for his brace and a 3-0 TFC lead.
Toronto made changes at the restart, but the “total football” formula remained the same, according to Stefano, as the boys kept up the barrage of attacks into the Columbus third, giving Andre Lewin the fourth goal of the contest at the 57th minute.
Columbus responded a minute later to make it 4-1 to round out the final score.
With two wins and a draw, Stefano said the Columbus trip “was an absolute pleasure to be a part of,” and that the U15 boys exemplified “picture-perfect professionalism from their conduct off the pitch to their progressively exceptional performances throughout the tour.”
“we are proud of each and every one of the players for this.”
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