The Chicago Fire ’99 Academy team was honored to be a part of the Liga Bancomer MX U-15 International Tournament last week in Mexico City. Making their way to the competition finals saw the U-15 Academy get three matches against their Mexican counterparts as the club strives to challenge its younger players with top competition.
Upon returning from Mexico last week, Fire Academy Director Larry Sunderland explained the importance of international trips for the club’s academy sides.
“There’s a common theme with all of our international trips and that’s to gage ourselves against the football nations of the world and the football academies that everyone recognizes,” Sunderland told Chicago-Fire.com. “I think we accomplished that. And that’s getting there, getting a gage of where we are, and getting these kids used to international competition, playing at a different level, stuff that we just can’t do here.”
Although the 4-1 loss to Pachuca in the Fire’s first game of the tournament was not the desired result, Sunderland acknowledged the difficulty in adjusting to new environments and how games such as the Fire’s opening match are incredibly important to academy teams.
“When we first got there, obviously, the environment and the stage that we were playing on was bigger than these kids were ever used to. Playing our first game against Pachuca, they were rattled. Kids that we normally see play with a lot of confidence were shaken right off the bat, but that’s why we go.”
Fire Academy lined up with Pachuca at Estadio Azteca on September 20 / CREDIT: Ligabancomer.MX
Following the opening game of group play, the Fire drew Houston Dynamo 1-1 and lost 3-2 to Chivas de Guadalajara.
The tournament was set up so the top MLS and top Mexican Academy sides in each group advanced to the semifinals, so despite its 0-2-1 record in group play, the Fire Academy continued on to play Toronto FC in the tournament semifinals.
Exemplifying the improvement since the team’s first game, the Fire used goals from David Portugal and Sebastian Joffre in a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Toronto FC to setup a final rematch against Pachuca.
“Over the course of their matches they continually got better, more confident and figured out that they could play at that level -- that they can play with the academies of the rest of the world. I think that was evident not only in our results, but in the confidence in which we played our style of football.”
The reward of beating Toronto FC in the semifinals not only booked a championship game ticket but meant the team would face Pachuca at the famed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Down 1-0 at halftime, the Fire came after the equalizer in the second half and found it two minutes from time as David Portugal converted from the penalty spot to send the championship match to a shootout.
And though the team lost 3-1 on penalties, the matches provided growth for the academy and individual players they might not have gained domestically.
“Playing on a stage like Azteca against Pachuca again, who had soundly beat us our first game, we proved how much we had grown individually and as a team over the course of the tournament by taking them to PK’s, and eventually losing in PK’s to them. So, it was a great experience for us.”
Overall, the participation in Liga Bancomer MX U-15 International Tournament provided the Chicago Fire Academy team with a new level of play to strive for.
“When they’re in the States, I can approach things a little bit differently. We can be very patient with the missed players and really focus on the development and now, all of a sudden, you get into a competition, something like this, where it’s Liga MX vs. MLS and you’re playing to win, there’s a different set of pressures on the players. I think they all grew from that and they all understood that this is an eye opener because when we get to this level, you need to compete.”
Fire players gather during penalty kick shootout at Estadio Azteca / CREDIT: Ligabancomer.MX
Understanding the importance of playing in international matches, the club has sent Academy teams to Qatar, Italy, Germany, and Mexico just over the course of 2014. Plans to continue the international travel are in the works heading into next year.
“Each of the teams that went abroad got better as they figured out that this is the tempo of play, that this physicality and athleticism that these teams play with. The guys came back with a new standard for themselves -- a new standard to train and compete to.”
Now, the Chicago Fire Academy focuses on maintaining the momentum that follows international matches once back in the United States.
“It’s hard to replicate what you get when you play against other MLS teams and hard to replicate play against other international competition. All we can continue to do is just remind the players of that experience and try to replicate it in training. That’s the best we can do.”
Domestic Play
Back home in U.S. Soccer Development Academy play, the Chicago Fire U-18s fell 2-0 to Minnesota-based Shattuck-Saint Mary's on Saturday before playing to a 2-2 draw with Minnesota Thunder on Sunday, taking their 2014/15 record to 1-1-1.
The Fire U-16s opened USSDA play this weekend, using 52nd and 62nd minute goals from Todor Atlija and Djordje Mihalovic to beat Shattuck on Saturday before falling 3-2 to Minnesota Thunder on Sunday.
The Fire U-14s will open their season this Saturday with a triple-header vs. the Chicago Magic at the Toyota Park Turf Field. The U-18s are scheduled for 1:00pm, U-16s at 3:15pm and U-14s at 5:15pm.
