The National Team left Bradenton earlier this month for a weekend in Chicago, IL.  We were scheduled to play both the Chicago Magic and the Chicago Fire U-16 and U-18 Development Academy teams.

    Saturday we played the Chicago Magic at the Northwestern University fields at 1:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon.  My team played first and we scored the first goal about 15 minutes into the game on a break away that barely crept in the left corner, scored by Jamie Gutierrez (from CA).  I was subbed in the second half and played for 20 minutes up top.  About 5-10 minutes into my playing time I beat a defender and got tripped up inside the box and won a PK.  I grabbed the ball, shot it in the lower left corner, sending the keeper the wrong way.  We ended up winning that game 2-0.

    We stayed for the second game (the U-18 game) as well and the Magic struck first with a baseline shot that squirmed under our keeper and into the opposite post.  With about 5 minutes left one of our substitues, Eder Arreola (one of our ’91 players from CA), had a through ball and buried it in the opposite corner.  The game ended in a 1-1 tie.

    On Sunday, we also had 2 games against the Chicago Fire Development Academy team.  This time we played at Toyota Park where the Chicago Fire MLS team plays.  We started the game off strong but with 10 minutes left in the half, they scored to make it 0-1.  In the 70th minute we had a free-kick outside about 5 yards outside the box.  It was taken by “Scotty” (Caldwell; a ’91 from MA) who hit it off the upper 90 crossbar then bounced straight down and into the net, it was beautiful!  I finally got to go in, in about the 75th minute and had 2 chances but missed high and wide.  We did have an excellent chance to pull ahead in the last couple minutes.  Korey (Veeder; a ’91 from FL) crossed the ball to the back post where I headed it back across to Jamie (Gutierrez; CA) who was 1 on 1 with the goal keeper, but he sent it over the bar.

    We stayed for the U-18 game again which remained 0-0 all the way through to around the 60^th minute when Coach put Eder Arreola in the game.  The score ended up 5-0 and Eder had 4 goals and 1 assist.  Every goal was on a break away or a cross, but we were all excited.  We flew out of Chicago that night and returned very late to Bradenton.  It was a fun trip.