As the calendar moves into 2016, the business end of the season comes in full force for the FC Dallas Academy and it begins this weekend as the FC Dallas U-18 Academy travels to Guadalajara, Mexico for the 2016 Copa Chivas.
It's the third straight year for the U-18s to compete in the prestigious tournament and this year they have been placed in a group with Liga MX sides Monterrey and Tijuana, Portugese giants Benfica and Brazilian powerhouse Cruzeiro. It should be a fantastic test for FC Dallas as they begin the second half of the Development Academy season.
"It’s a very important invitation-only tournament in Mexico with teams from all over the world and for us it’s a very important tournament," said U-18 head coach Francisco Molina. "We take our top U-18 players with some top U-16s as well so we’re very excited to be invited every year."
Not only is FC Dallas taking the team that won last year's US Soccer Development Academy U-16 National Championship, but they've added some extra firepower with Homegrowns Coy Craft and Alex Zendejas joining the squad for this year's tournament. They begin group play on Friday at 9:00AM against Club Tijuana, continue vs. Monterrey on Sunday, Cruzeiro on Monday and Benfica on Tuesday.
Each match has 35-minute halves and 15 teams in total are competing in the tournament. The top eight teams from the three groups will advance to quarterfinals with the final being played at Chivas Guadalajara’s Estadio Omnilife on Sunday, January 24th.
“I think that in Mexico and South America when they think about MLS youth, FC Dallas is the first name that everyone talks about so it is pressure but it’s positive pressure and we’re prepared,” said Molina. “They’re used to international competition and we have a lot of players who have been to national team camp. They’re used to the pressure and we’re up for the challenge.”
In addition to the U-18s, FC Dallas will be sending their U-14 team as well with five games planned against Liga MX sides in their first international competition.
Traveling U-18 Roster:
Carlos Avilez, Reggie Cannon, Coy Craft, Irvin Dominguez, Jesus Ferreira, Benji Granillo, Ben Hale, Damian Hernandez, Weston McKinnie, Hector Montalvo, Gio Montesdeoca, Eddie Munjoma, Paxton Pomykal, Phillip Ponder, Juan Ramirez, Jommar Reyes, Adrian Ramos, Brandon Servania, Brandon Terwege, Devin Vega, Toshiki Yasuda, Alex Zendejas