The 2015-2016 Generation adidas Cup east region qualifying continued on Saturday at the Kia Training Grounds with D.C. United taking on Orlando City SC followed by the New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution. TFC Academy would wrap up day two with a match against the Philadelphia Union.
D.C. United 2-2 Orlando City SC (4-5 on penalties)
D.C. United and Orlando City SC kicked off day two of the 2015-2016 MLS Generation adidas Cup qualifying for the east region on Saturday.
Orlando City got off to a quick start as Mario Licor hit a left-footed shot that D.C.’s goalkeeper got a hand to but wasn’t able to keep out.
Orlando City extended their lead through Alejandro Duran who pounced on a rebound and finished in tight to give his team a 2-0 lead.
D.C. United pulled one back just before halftime as Sahrfelix Sandy scored his second goal in qualifying to cut Orlando City’s lead down to one.
The match took a turn two minutes into the second half when Jacob Garzon received a straight red card for tripping up a D.C. midfielder off the ball.
Garzon seemed to be displeased with the slide tackle on him by the D.C. midfielder prior and retaliated with a kick out that knocked the D.C. United player back down.
D.C. mounted the pressure on following the red card as they continued to look for an equalizer.
Chris Durkin finally grabbed the equalizer for D.C. three minutes before fulltime, collecting a clearance by Orlando City and striking it into the bottom left corner to tie things up at two goals apiece.
A tie at the end of regulation would mean a penalty shootout would determine who came away with two points.
Orlando City goalkeeper Justin Hunt Bauer came up huge in the shootout, making two saves to help his team come away with a 5-4 victory in the penalty shootout.
New York Red Bulls 5-1 New England Revolution
It was a strong performance by the New York Red Bulls in the second match of the day at the Kia Training Grounds.
Omir Fernandez scored his first of three goals on the day in the 15th minute, calmly tapping in a low cross from around the 6-yard box to give the Red Bulls a 1-0 lead.
Fernandez picked up his second of the match within the first few minutes of the second half.
The Revolution responded shortly after as Calvin Aroh headed in a set piece cross to cut New York’s lead down to one.
Fernandez got his hat trick ten minutes later finishing off a cross in close, similar to his first goal, to put New York up 3-1.
Jack Valderrabano made it 4-1, getting into the box and sliding a shot under the New England goalkeeper.
Six minutes before fulltime Bratislav Petkovic made it five for the Red Bulls, rushing down the right wing and releasing a shot into the bottom left corner that struck the inside of the post before going in.
Toronto FC Academy 2-1 Philadelphia Union
Toronto FC Academy took on the Philadelphia Union to finish off the second day of the Generation adidas Cup east region qualifying.
Forward Ayo Akinola opened up the scoring for the TFC Academy in the 21st minute, hammering in a one-timed shot from the edge of box after a clearance by the Union was deflected right into the path of Akinola.
Akinola came close to his second of the match on two occasions, a header off a corner in the 32nd minute and a shot three minutes later, both of which sailed just over the bar.
TFC Academy goalkeeper Gianluca Catalano came up huge three minutes before halftime, making an unbelievable diving save to rob the Union’s Kalil El Medkhar who’s shot was sailing into the top right corner of the net.
Catalano followed up a minute later with another big save from in close on the Union’s Josue Monge to preserve his team’s lead.
In the second half TFC Academy’s captain Dante Campbell came close to put his team up by two but his header off a corner kick struck the wrong side of the post.
The Philadelphia Union found the equalizer twenty minutes into the second half. Issa Rayyan latched onto a long pass from the backend and chipped the ball over an onrushing Catalano to level the match.
TFC Academy retook the lead a few minutes before the final whistle. Second half substitute Armando Caracciolo beat his defender one-on-one with a stepover, cut to his left and slid the ball under Union goalkeeper Carlos dos Santos to put TFCA up 2-1.
Caracciolo’s goal held up to be the game winner for TFC Academy who have won both of their qualifying games by a 2-1 margin.
Watch the full match here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2897&v=p3uNUbyiPlo
Final Match Day Schedule:
For information on the tournament click here: http://bit.ly/1RsufZZ
Day 1 Recap: //www.torontofc.ca/news/2015/10/day-1-recap-generation-adidas-cup-east-region-qualifiers
Be sure to follow @tfcacademy on Twitter for live updates of the qualifiers.
