The U-17 squad will look for redemption after losing in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy finals in 2017. The team is on a mission to grab the title this season and their play in the regular season is something to build off of.
“It hurt last year,” midfielder Tanner Tessman said. “We all remember that feeling and we don’t want it again.”
The team grabbed the number one overall seed in the playoffs with a 23-1-1 record in the regular season.
FCD has a plus-72 goal differential this season and won 13 games this season by at least three goals. They have had a mentality all season, to not only win, but to dominate teams, and that will be the outlook that will continue into the playoffs.
“We want to get all the points we can,” Tessman said. “We don’t want to go for ties or losses, we want to win every game and we want to destroy teams.”
The team is in Group F with the LA Galaxy, Chargers Soccer Club and Columbus Crew SC. Group play will begin on Tuesday against the Crew. Although the two have not played against each other in the regular season, they have crossed paths in a qualifier earlier this year.
Columbus has only allowed two goals in the team’s last four games. FCD will need to be sharp offensively, and it will start at the top with Johan Gomez. The forward has 20 goals in 21 games this season and has been the team’s offensive pulse this season.
Gomez has high hopes for the squad in the playoffs.
“We have the trophy in our sights and we’re going to go out and get it,” he said.
After playing Columbus, the team will play Chargers Soccer Club on Thursday and the Galaxy on Saturday. If they get out of the group and advance to the knockout stage, the quarterfinals will be on June 26.
After having a year to prepare to get back on this stage, the team is ready to go.
“We’ve been training all year for this moment,” defender Julian Hinojosa said.