Academy Teams Continue MLS Next Action Against Indiana Fire
St. Louis CITY SC Academy continues its young MLS NEXT season with a quick road trip to Indiana Fire Academy on Saturday, September 18 at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Indiana. Fresh off their emphatic 11-0 victory against Midwest United FC, the U16 team will look to add another win when they kick off at 1:15 p.m. CST, while the U17 team will look to bounce back from their first loss at 11:00 a.m. CST.
STL CITY’s U16 team created continuous waves of attack against Midwest United, with Jackson Delkus netting an impressive 6 goals, taking his tally to 8 goals in 2 games. Omar Cilic, Landon Weber, Gavin Netzel and Nathan Harmon also found the back of the net, rounding off a ruthless display of entertaining and attacking soccer. The U16 team kept another clean sheet and will look to replicate a similar defensive mindset against a tough Indiana Fire Academy team, who have scored 6 goals in 2 games so far in MLS NEXT action.
“This game will be a good test for us,” said David Critchley, St. Louis CITY SC Academy Assistant Coach. “It is very easy for players to lose focus, especially after a big win, but the boys have been great in training. I have said before, we are playing the infinite game, so our main goal is to improve each week, regardless of the result.”
The U17 team put up a spirited fight against Midwest United but was just edged 3-2 after conceding a late goal. After going down a goal early in the game, the team fought back to take the lead just before half-time. STL CITY U17s have been tremendous in front of the net, scoring 14 goals in three games. While the boys continue to impress on the attacking end, they will be keen on putting in a complete defensive performance and limiting their opponents’ chances.
“In the grand scheme of things, last weekend’s result could be good for us” explained Luis Swisher, St. Louis CITY SC Academy Assistant Coach. “I think the guys are ready to get back to winning ways and I’ve noticed a positive reaction in the drive and attitude of the players in training. We have a very talented group, so for us it is all about focusing on our principles, especially on the defensive end.”
COACHES’ NOTES
Here’s what the St. Louis CITY SC Academy Coaches expect to see heading into this week’s match:
- Learn from our mistakes and apply our attacking and defensive principles against Indiana Fire Academy
- Continue building our identity by creating as many key actions as possible from our playing style
- Play with initiative and create continuous waves of attack
- Execute our highly active pressing, hunting like a Wolfpack to regain possession of the ball
- Start the game on the front foot by maintaining our solid defensive shape for the entire game
To learn more about the academy, find player bios and rosters here.
