Vancouver Whitecaps U18s got off to a fantastic start in the 2013 U18 USSDA playoffs in Dallas on Monday evening.
The young Caps were a dominant force throughout and appear to have impressed many of the neutrals watching.
Kianz Froese, clearly buoyed by his placing in the <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?4686-Whitecaps-Residency-Ones-To-Watch-2013-Part-One" target="_blank"><u>AFTN Residency "Ones To Watch"</u></a> Top Ten this morning, gave Vancouver a half time lead with a goal in the 25th minute with a stunning left foot strike into the top corner.
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Canadian U17 midfielder Marco Bustos put the Caps 2-0 up in the 70th minute with a superb curling strike from just outside the box (watch out for our interview with him on AFTN later this week).
Goal difference can be crucial in these group stages and the Caps got a vital third with five minutes remaining when Brody Huitema headed home a Bustos cross at the back post.
Huitema was the USSDA's leading scorer at the U18 level during the regular season and shows no signs of easing up in the playoffs.
So a great start for Vancouver, who lined up for the game as follows:
Sean Melvin; Quinton Duncan (Matthew van der Eyden 78), Nicholas Prasad (Alex Comsia 85), Jackson Farmer, Sam Adekugbe; Spencer DeBoice (Titouan Chopin 10), Mitch Piraux, Kianz Froese (Jordan Haynes 63), Marco Bustos; Yassin Essa (Matthew Chow 78), Brody Huitema.
In the other Group 1 game, Pennsylvania side PA Classics, who head into the playoffs having conceded the least goals in the regular season (just 15), kept up their impressive defensive record by blanking Houston Dynamo Academy 2-0, with Drew Mahoney grabbing the vital second on a counter attack late on.
It's shaping up to be the interesting top attack v top defence match up on Thursday that we thought it might be.
Next up for group topping Vancouver are Houston on Tuesday evening. The game kicks off at 5.15pm PST.
Good luck to the guys and keep the momentum going.
<i>[Many thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/TheCarloBert" target="_blank"><b>Carlo Bertelli</b></a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TopDrawerSoccer" target="_blank"><b>Top Drawer Soccer</b></a> for their Twitter updates. Follow both of these!]</i>
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