Team Chicago Academy-Bahia hosted a very successful MRL Premier I Division weekend at the Commissioners Park turf field beating Ohio Premier North 4-0 on Saturday and Omaha FC 1-0 on Sunday to move into a tie for 4th place with two games to go. With these wins Bahia now controls its own destiny. Wins in both the final games would see Bahia finish as runners-up and earning a spot at the USYSA Region II Championships in Fox Cities, WI.

In Saturday’s game Sophia Majher put on a clinic netting a beautiful hat-trick before an OP North defender scored the own goal of the century on a diving header off a Mia Marconi corner kick. Abbie Brennan and Reagan Sanders earned the shutout in goal.

Sunday’s game against an undefeated Omaha FC team was much tighter. Bahia was the better team in terms of possession and play, and 10 minutes in Paige Miller got the eventual game-winner when she ran onto Sophia Majher’s through-ball and calmly slotted it home. Needing the win to stay in contention, Bahia played a disciplined 2nd half to hang onto the lead. Especially, after having lost starting center-back Erin McCarthy 5 minutes into the game through injury. Abbie Brennan earned the shutout in goal.

The final two MRL games are Wednesday 6/3 at Campton and Sunday 6/7 at Kalamazoo College v. MI Jaguars. Up next for Bahia is its third and final State Cup round-robin game against Arlington Aces at Gentile Field on Saturday at 2:30pm. Bahia needs a tie to secure a spot in the Semi-Final.

2015-16 TEAM CHICAGO COACHING PLAN

U18 GIRLS VASCO JOE MOREAU
U17 BOYS PALMEIRAS HERB SCHULER
U17 GIRLS BRASILIA DAVE LOVERCHECK
U16 BOYS GREMIO JOSH ROBINSON
U16 GIRLS CRUZEIRO PHIL NIELSEN
U15 BOYS OLIMPICO DAVE LOVERCHECK
U15 GIRLS BAHIA PHIL NIELSEN
U15 GIRLS PONTE PRETA JESSE SALAZAR
U14 BOYS BOA HERB SCHULER
U14 GIRLS SANTOS MATT CHURA
U13 BOYS CORINTHIANS HERB SCHULER
U13 GIRLS VITORIA PHIL NIELSEN
U13 GIRLS RIO BEN TATHAM
U12 BOYS SAO PAULO+ROMA HERB SCHULER
U12 GIRLS NACIONAL PETE LAMBERT
U12 GIRLS HUSKIES NIKKI SCHULER
U11 BOYS LIGHTNING+PORTUGUESA MAGNO BARRETO
U11 GIRLS FLAMENGO DAVE LOVERCHECK
U11 GIRLS CHELSEA MAGNO BARRETO
U10 BOYS FLUMINENSE+BRASIL BOYS JESSE SALAZAR
U10 GIRLS AMARELINHA DAVE LOVERCHECK
U9 BOYS RECIFE+CORITIBA JESSE SALAZAR
U9 GIRLS SANTA CRUZ BRIAN BIERMAN
U8 BOYS ATLETICO BRIAN BIERMAN
U8 GIRLS REAL BRIAN BIERMAN

This past weekend, both Team Chicago Boys U9 teams – Fluminense and Brasil Boys – traveled to Racine, WI to compete in the Ace Midwest Spring Soccerfest. Like Buffalo Grove and Glen Ellyn in the fall, TC left its mark on another area as the boys battled through adverse weather conditions, physically challenging opponents, and consistently inconsistent officiating.

Brasil Boys, who were punching a bit above their weight, finished with a 1-2-1 record to settle right in the middle of its group. The most impressive games were both on Saturday as the boys battled back multiple times from being down goals to beat KUBA Elite by one and tie the hosts Ace South Arsenal, both in the dying minutes. The now nicknamed Cardiac Kids earned this title through fitness, a stubborn commitment to employ their 1v1 skills, and support from both teams’ players and parents.

Fluminense’s road was more evenly matched, and the players also persisted to show off their skills and teamwork en route to dispatching every opponent to finish a perfect 4-0. The most impressive game came in closing the tournament when facing a strong and very emotional KUBA Elite team. It took more than a half for the boys to gain control of the game, but once they did, KUBA made it clear they were not used to compete against the individual skill Fluminense possesses. So with the sidelines heated and the game still in flux, frustrations boiled onto the adjacent field enough to distract spectators from their priorities as they watched the boys patiently play through KUBA’s blatent attempts to knock them off their game. On two separate card-able occasions, the boys proved that the best way to retaliate is on the scoreboard by finishing their own free-kicks, celebrating, and finishing off the game and tournament in style.

By the end of the weekend some stats were impressive such as both teams’ versatility: A combined 13 different goal scorers and 10 different goalies. However, the lessons learned, not only by players, but possibly even more so by parents – like play to the whistle or the hustle rule – will be used both on and off the field. Another huge positive was the club feel of having both teams’ players and families at the pool and cheering from the sidelines in support.This made the tournament’s challenges like weather or refereeing an even sweeter success. Thank you to all the families that made this possible, and may the boys carry these lessons far past this weekend. Go TC!

Team Chicago Academy-Santos continued its U13 MRL First Division league play on Saturday afternoon in St. Louis. Santos came away with a 1-0 win against Lou Fusz to leapfrog into first place in the standings..

Most of the play in the first half was played in the middle third of the field with neither team creating many chances. Grace Barz had successive trips where she was able to get in behind the Lou Fusz defense and unfortunately her deliveries into the box didn’t result in a goal. The best chance in the first half came when Sophia Majher beat two players and was in on goal only to be denied by the goal keeper.

The second half saw Santos maintaining possession deeper in the opponent’s end and the chances started to flow. Amy Flores had a fantastic run at goal where she beat three players and was able to drive to the end line before serving a ball back to Sophia Majher for a one time finish that somehow was ruled off-side. Although disappointed, Santos continued to outwork its opponent and it paid off when Brooke Lipscomb won a ball in the middle third of the field and found Amy Flores who beat her mark and then threaded a great ball behind the Lou Fusz defense. Sophia Majher timed her run to stay on-side and then drove to goal. After getting the goal keeper to commit to the near post she slotted the ball across the goal to Darby Wade who finished her chance first time for the only goal of the game.

A spirited defensive performance lead by Tamara Hernandez, Sophia Molina, Sam Mollenhauer, Yanna Papoutsis, and Nikki Coryell proved to be the difference in the second half and secured the result.

The win sets up a huge final game against Galaxy on Saturday 5/30 at 3pm at Gentile Field with the winner claiming the MRL First Division title and promotion to the Premier Division II for the Fall.

Last Sunday Team Chicago Academy-Olimpico beat FC United 2-0 to advance to the round-robin stage of the IYSA U14 Boys State Cup.

It was a hard fought battle played in 30 mph winds. Olimpico battled the wind in the first half, and wanted to make it to half time at worst with a 0-0 score. Olimpico held it scoreless through great defensive play by Alex Bass, Danny Fritz, Abraham Antar, and Reilly Corken on the back line.

Olimpico entered the second half with the wind advantage and began to attack at will. There were many quick transition attacks started by Holden Beinhauer and Liam Duffy in the central midfield. From there Bryan Torres found the ball and created chances for the other attackers. After ten minutes Bryan found Sergio Reyes for the first goal off a brilliant cross to put Olimpico up 1-0. Then Holden Beinhauer converted a few minutes later from another Torres cross to put Olimpico up 2-0.

The 2-0 score was enough to put Olimpico into the final sixteen group stage of State Cup. Nolan Lacyszinki kept the shut out in goal. Group stages for Olimpico will start next week against FC 1974.