Who are the top U.S. players at the U-15 Concacaf Championships?
The United States U15 team just completed the group stage of the Concacaf Championships. They finished with a perfect nine points, beating Qatar 3-2, Cuba 10-0 and Haiti 3-0. It is tough to take too much away from these games…
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Continue ReadingThe United States U15 team just completed the group stage of the Concacaf Championships. They finished with a perfect nine points, beating Qatar 3-2, Cuba 10-0 and Haiti 3-0. It is tough to take too much away from these games because the competition has been low and the field conditions have been poor. The United States will play Guatemala in the quarter-finals and will be considered heavy favorites, though they will probably present the toughest test so far.
The United States brought 18 players to this tournament — here are my top five rated players:
AM, Cavan Sullivan Cavan Sullivan M State #1 Nation PA , Philadelphia Union (2009)
Sullivan is the only 2009 born player on the United States team and he is considered by many as the most talented youth prospect in the United States national team pool. That is quite a title to carry for a thirteen year old, but the hype does not seem to faze him whatsoever. Sullivan hasn’t had to play too much so far, but his quality on the field has been obvious. He plays the game at a totally different speed and often times looks like he is many steps ahead of both his opponents and teammates. He is also starting to grow, so while he has always had to rely on skill and intelligence to win in the past, his physical profile is starting to catch up which is terrifying for his opponents. As we move into the knockout portion of the tournament, Sullivan’s role and impact will likely increase drastically.
CM, Jude Terry, LAFC (2008)
Terry has been one of the brightest players in the tournament thus far and he shows me something new every time I watch him. He has played as a defensive midfielder, center midfielder and center-back. Terry has been a ball winner in the midfield and a ball progressor in possession. His versatility has been very useful in a tournament where you are playing almost every day and you only have a squad of 18. In addition to that, Ramiz Hamouda, one of three center-backs on the roster injured himself in the first minutes of the first game and has yet to return to action. Terry’s size and soccer intelligence have allowed him to step in and cover in the backline.
WING, Julian Hall, New York Red Bulls (2008)
Hall is the United States most dynamic and dangerous attacker. He has yet to really put it all together in this tournament, but he has shown his ability to break down full-backs, penetrate the backline and find teammates in dangerous areas. He continues to be a little bit wasteful with the ball, but his awareness and explosiveness are going to be problems for opponents all tournament and I expect he will have a breakout game very soon.
CB, Ramiz Hamouda, Sporting Kansas City (2008)
Hamouda came into the tournament as my top rated center-back in the 2008 class, but unfortunately he has not been able to put those skills on display because of an injury he picked up in the early minutes of the first game. It’s unclear if or when he will be able to return during this tournament, which is a big shame. Hamouda provides great mobility, strength in duels and an elite ability to break lines by dribbling and passing.
CM, Luca Moisa, Real Salt Lake (2008)
I have been very impressed with Moisa thus far in the tournament. He has shown a little more mobility and burst than I have seen from him in the past and he is also showing some value defensively — showing good awareness and positioning, which is leading to ball winning. Offensively he is showing his quick feet, quick thinking, vision, passing ability and finishing. A potential midfield trio of Terry, Moisa and Sullivan could be an unbeatable combination later in the tournament.