id2 National Selection boys, girls teams continue strong start in England with wins over West Bromwich Albion FC
BIRMINGHAM, England (April 7, 2023) – The 2023 id2 National Selection boys and girls teams each defeated West Bromwich Albion FC, 5-1 and 4-0, respectively, Thursday afternoon in the outskirts of Birmingham, England. The boys game was held at Palm Training Ground against West Bromwich Albion’s U-14 academy team, while the girls played at the adjacent Aston University against West Bromwich Albion’s U-16 squad.
The wins maintain both id2 teams’ undefeated records with two more opponents to come in London. After spending the previous few days based in Manchester, the delegation transferred to London Thursday, stopping for their games along the way. After the West Bromwich Albion games, the group watched the England women’s national team host Brazil at Wembley Stadium.
The id2 boys team jumped out to an early lead, off the foot of captain Renden Thomas (LAFC SoCal), who scored in the fifth minute and again in the 30th. John Lewis (Florida Kraze Krush) smashed a free kick outside the box in the 19th minute and later scored again in the 33rd minute off an assist Anderson Torres (1974 Newark FC). Cyrus Kowall (Phoenix Rising FC) provided further insurance in the 36th minute with a curling shot past the West Bromwich keeper, which was assisted by Thomas. West Bromwich scored in the 73rd minute for the final 5-1 result.
The girls game had nearly the opposite effect with the id2 team scoring all four of its goals in the second half after a scoreless first half. Felicity Nguyen (SoCal Blues) scored in the 47th minute to break the deadlock, followed by Mia Corona (Legends FC) in the 50th and Miliani Makasini (Bay Area Surf) in the 64th and 70th minutes. Makasini’s second goal was assisted by Gabrielle Ferraro (San Juan SC).
The 2023 id2 National Selection boys and girls teams face five worthy challengers in England during the tour:
- April 3 vs. Leeds United FC (boys only)
- April 4 vs. Everton FC (girls only)
- April 6 vs. West Bromwich Albion FC
- April 8 vs. AFC Wimbledon (boys only)
- April 8 vs. Haringey Girls Academy (girls only)
- April 10 vs. Oxford United FC
The id2 National Selection girls squad will play the U-16 teams of their academy opponents, except for the Haringey Girls Academy U-15 team.
The matches take the teams to several sites in England, which speaks to the value of cultural immersion on this trip. These clubs offer unique training styles and developmental experiences that the id2 National Selection teams will see first-hand. Cultural immersion isn’t limited to matches and training sessions, though; the American delegation have also attended professional men’s and women’s games and toured stadiums in Manchester and London.
The 2023 id2 National Selection International Tour officially began March 30 with a two-day domestic camp in New Jersey before traveling to Manchester for the first half of the England stay and then London for the remainder. The tour, which concludes April 11, represents the final progression of the current id2 age group cycle targeting players born in 2009.
The id2 Program is a leader in player identification and development, as it provides opportunities for elite athletes to be identified, developed and scouted for inclusion in U.S. Soccer’s youth national team programming. The id2 Program is an Olympic Development Program approved by the United States Olympic Committee and the U.S. Soccer Federation. There is no cost for players to participate or be scouted, and all meals, lodging and gear are provided by US Club Soccer and Nike. For the international tour, all travel costs are also covered by US Club Soccer. This approach to eliminating barriers to entry helps ensure the best players are able to participate.
Follow @USClubSoccer throughout the 2023 id2 National Selection International Tour on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for coverage. A highlight video of each game will be available on social media.
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