MLS Next Cup Playoffs: U-17 – Standout Outside Backs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The best MLS academies and boys club teams in the country were in Frisco, Texas, during nine days in June wrapping up their seasons with the MLS Next Cup Playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Champions were crowned in each division and several players stood out with excellent performances throughout the week while Prep Soccer watched the action very closely.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I was in attendance during the first weekend of play and watched as many Round of 32 matches as I could, picking several players to highlight. With the tournament now over, we're running that list down, and this week we'll look at the U-17s. Here are some outside backs who had major roles in their teams:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["7685"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Awarded as the division's Most Valuable Player with champions LA Galaxy, Miller was intrumental for the Californian victory in Frisco. His versatility was one of his main assets and he played mulitiple positions with the Galaxy, but was in absolute excellent form when I watched him in action at right back against NYCFC. Miller is very skilled on the ball and is very aggressive in possession, always pushing forward and going at opponents. He is very talented on the final third, passing, crossing and finishing at a high level, and also works very hard on defense, using his athleticism and his anticipation to win balls.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64ac48f2d5a36"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct61EneRu_6/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct61EneRu_6/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["15048"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Jura was one of the bright spots of a Portland Timbers team that was knocked out in the Round of 32. A right-footed player, he is mostly used as a left back and helps the team in a variety of ways. Jura is very solid defensively, taking great care of his side of the field, but also plays a big role when the team had possession. He often stays back to help the start of the buildup and uses his good passing and vision to break lines and get the ball upfield. When the ball is further up, the pushes forward and makes good runs off the ball to provide a passing option to his teammates.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64ac48f2d5aa9"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq1crnvL1AM/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq1crnvL1AM/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Benjamin Gooding","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Charlotte FC","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Gooding did a fine job with his team Charlotte FC, providing some interesting defensive stability on both sides of the backline. He started the match against Toronto FC at left back but had to move to the right because of an injury to a teammate and maintaned his consistency and reliability. Gooding was very strong defensively, doing well against attackers of different profiles and winning most 1v1 duels he was involved with. He also did a fine job with the ball, finding good passing options from the back and helping his team stretch the field.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64ac48f2d5b6a"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CuBOO1xOh4z/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/CuBOO1xOh4z/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["15114"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Krueger was a part of a strong Philadelphia Union backline, which saw the team be knocked out in the Round of 16 wihtout conceding a single goal during regulation. Although he can also play center back, he was used as a right back and used his physical tools to dominate opponents. Krueger is strong in the air and also in 1v1 duels and knows how to prevail against every kind of offensive player. Very efficient in possession, conneting short passes from the back, he also played a big leadership role with Philadelphia as the team captain.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64ac48f2d5bd0"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CrHyL2mOX14/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/CrHyL2mOX14/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Chimere Omeze","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Toronto FC","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"A Youth Canadian international, Omeze displayed a very promising game playing right back for Toronto FC. He used his physicality and his energy to do a good job on the right, pushing forward frequenlty with and without the ball and offering an interesting offensive option to his team. He got to the endline quite often and had some good crosses sent into the penalty box. Omeze also did well in the defensive side of the game and also spent some time at center back, doing fine in the middle of the backline and helping the team's buildup.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64ac48f2d5c72"} /--> <!-- wp:image {"id":140697,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/06/IMG_8606.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-140697" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Charlotte FC vs. Toronto FC</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->