Frustrating second day for Georgia United at US Soccer Development Academy playoffs

A loss and a draw for the Georgia United academy teams put their possibility for advancing in jeopardy in this year’s US Soccer Development Academy playofffs. The U16’s lost to Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1 and the U18’s drew 2-2 with Texas Rush. Both teams need to win in their final group games on Sunday and hope for other results to go their way.

Chiek Fofana, who will play for the Atlanta United U18’s next year, scored his third goal of the playoffs to open the scoring for the U16’s in the first ten minutes of their match with the Galaxy. A breakaway after a free kick for Georgia saw LA tie the game 1-1 before halftime.

United took the game to the Galaxy in large stretches of the second half, but could not find a breakthrough. El Salvador youth national team player Carlos Pineda hit the post. A long ball combined with a defensive mistake led to the go ahead goal for the Galaxy. Deep in stoppage time, Georgia threw everyone forward on a free kick. LA cleared it and took advantage of the lack of defenders to add a third goal.

In the nightcap for the U18’s, Atlanta United Homegrown signing Andrew Carleton added his third goal of the playoffs. Future Atlanta United U18 Patrick Okonkwo also scored for Georgia in the 2-2 draw with Texas Rush.

Alongside the Academy playoffs, there is a showcase event for the U14 age group and the U16 teams that did not qualify for the playoffs.

Concorde Fire sent a team in each age group to the showcase. The U14’s went 1-1-1 and were led in goals by Lucas Anderson and future Atlanta United U16 Michael Johnson with three goals each. The U16’s went 0-2-1 and were paced in scoring by Atlanta United Academy signing Mike Ille.

Georgia United’s U14’s went 1-1-1 in their three games. Future Atlanta United U16 player Jackson Conway had a hat trick and a brace to finish with five goals in the event.