Development Academy: D.C. United’s Dainkeh among U.S. U-18 callups

D.C. United Academy defender Suliaman Dainkeh (Reston, Va.) is among the three locals that have been called into the U-18 U.S. Men’s National Team camp at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Dainkeh, along with goalkeeper Zackary Steffen, who has committed to the University of Maryland, and midfielder Jacori Hayes of Baltimore Bays Chelsea (Bowie, Md.), were also selected.

The U-18 camp will run from November 17-24, with two friendlies against Canada on November 21 and 23. Trey Vinson (Manassas, Va.), recently participated in the U-15 U.S. Boy’s National Team camp that occurred from October 27-November 3, also at The Home Depot Center.

This season, Dainkeh has made five starts on the United U-18 academy team, helping the side compile a 6-2-1 record thus far. Last season, Dainkeh was named to the East Conference’s U-16 Academy Best XI team. Dainkeh has also suited up for reserve team games, including one against the New York Red Bulls on August 13. As a starter, Dainkeh made an immediate impact, scoring in the 6th minute in an eventual 3-1 United victory.

Dainkeh last represented the U.S. U-18’s in an 11-day European training camp in the Netherlands in September. The squad played four matches against transatlantic competition – with Dainkeh playing in all four games – and tallied a 3-1-0 record.

Vinson started in U-15 U.S. Boys National team scrimmages against Strikers FC (playing the full 90 minutes), a 4-2 win, and versus San Diego Surf U-16’s, a 6-0 loss. Vinson first made a splash on the national scene at The Home Depot Center at a U-14 U.S. Boys National Team Identification Camp in August of 2011. Since then, Vinson has been selected to numerous U-14 and U-15 national team training camps.

Vinson has made seven starts on the season with United’s U-16’s, helping to guide the team to a first place 8-0-1 start to the 2012-13 campaign.

United faces Players Development Academy in U-16 and U-18 action Saturday at PDA Facility. PDA U-18s are led by Alec Neumann’s five goals, while Max Kroschwitz has four for undefeated PDA (5-0-0). United, at 6-2-1, will be without Dainkeh against PDA, but has six-goal scorer Denis Najar among the 12 players that have scored at least once for DCU’s U-18 academy side.

In the U-16 matchup, United (8-0-1) is led by Gerson Umana’s eight goals and Jean-Christopher Koffi’s six, while PDA, at 3-1-1, has four players with two goals each.

In other matchups Saturday, Richmond Strikers host NJSA 04 at Striker Park, while Baltimore Bays Chelsea travels to face FC DELCO Sunday, the Richmond Kickers head north to face Match Fit Chelsea and McLean hosts NJSA 04.