The US Under-16 national team got the better of their U-17 elders on Saturday night, as two rising MLS prospects scored in a 2-0 victory for the U-16s at the Nike International Friendlies, held at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
Seattle Sounders academy product Sota Kitahara entered the game at halftime and broke the scoreless deadlock some 20 minutes later, running on to a savvy pass by FC Dallas talent Dante Sealy – son of former MLS striker Scott Sealy and a live wire throughout the match – and stroking a calm angled finish into the side netting.
Young LA Galaxy goalkeeper Anthony Ramos made some quality saves to preserve his team’s advantage, including this denial of Philadelphia UnionHomegrown signing Jack de Vries:
… before another teenage Homegrown, D.C. United midfielder Moses Nyeman, iced the U-16s’ victory with a firm strike into the corner in the late going. The US U-16s are being coached by Larry Sunderland, the former Chicago Fire and Portland Timbers academy chief now serving as FC Cincinnati’s director of player development.
Saturday’s win, combined with their dramatic 3-3 comeback draw vs. the Netherlands on day one of the tournament, means the US U-16s sit in first place with one matchday remaining. They close out their schedule vs. Turkey on Monday at 3:30 pm ET, the first half of a doubleheader that closes with the US U-17s vs. the Netherlands at 6:30 pm ET (both games streamed live on U.S. Soccer’s social-media channels).
