Dev. Academy Finals Week: U-17/18 – De Anza Force, Shattuck earn second group wins

HOUSTON – De Anza Force and Shattuck-Saint Mary’s Soccer Academy both improved to 2-0-0 in group play at the 2012-13 Development Academy Finals Week at the Houston Amateur Sports Complex. Shattuck leads Group 2 with its plus-4 goal differential following a 3-0 win against St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri, while De Anza Force is at plus-3 after Tuesday’s 2-1 victory against the New England Revolution.

That sets up an exciting matchup between the two sides on Thursday as they fight for the right to advance to the Finals Week title game on Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium.

De Anza Force 2, New England Revolution 1: De Anza Force’s Nicholas Lima scored two late second-half goals to help his team rally for a victory against the Revolution, improving to 2-0-0 in group play. New England’s Peguy Ngatcha scored a right-footed volley off of a corner kick in the 29th minute to take a 1-0 lead, but Lima tallied an 80th-minute equalizer and the 86th-minute game-winner.

Shattuck-Saint Mary’s Soccer Academy 3, St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri 0: Ricardo Lopez-Espin tallied a brace in the second half and Michael Bajza scored a penalty kick in the 57th minute to give Shattuck a 2-0 lead.

Albertson SC 5, Seattle Sounders 0: Jeongho Ahn scored three goals to lead Albertson to post its first win of the tournament and improve to 1-0-1 (4 points). Seattle’s Duncan McCormick picked up two first-half yellow cards and was ejected with Albertson leading 1-0 in the 32nd minute. Albertson’s Junior Rosero and Andrew Tineri tallied back-to-back goals in the 83rd and 84th minutes, respectively, to round out the scoring as Albertson took the Group 1 lead based on its significant plus-5 goal differential.

New York Red Bulls 1, Vancouver Whitecaps 0: Ethan Decker scored an 80th-minute goal to lead the Red Bulls (1-0-1, 4 points) to a victory against Vancouver (1-1-0, 3 points). Decker’s shot from just inside the right-hand side of the box was driven to the far left for the tally. The goal was a welcome moment for New York, which had a penalty kick chance by Alex Muyl in the 61st minute stopped by diving Whitecaps goalkeeper Sean Melvin.