MLS Next U16: Houston Rangers vs. AC River

The club soccer season continues to progress at full pace and teams from around the country are competing in their respective leagues in the first of several months of traveling and playing.   We, at Prep Soccer Texas, will follow as many matches and players as possible, paying close attention to everything that happens in the MLS Next, ECNL National and Regional Leagues and Girls Academy League, as well as showcases and tournaments, giving the talented players from the Lone Star State the exposure they deserve.   On Saturday, October 19, we were at Paul D. Rushing Park, in Katy, to follow the MLS Next U16 duel between the Houston Rangers and AC River.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2024/10/mls-next-u16-houston-rangers-vs-ac-river-photos/">MLS Next U16: Houston Rangers vs. AC River - Photos</a></li> </ul>   The Rangers managed to turn their superiority into dominance right from the start and scored twice in the first half, with Alejandro Gomez and Patrick McHugh. In the second, with super sub Sebastian Guerra contributing two goals, Gomez adding another one and Ronaldo Arzate also scoring, the team from Houston consolidated its 6-0 victory.   The victory has the Rangers in fifth place in the MLS Next Flex Frontier Conference with 13 points (four wins, two losses, one tie). AC River lost all their four matches and are 13th.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players of the Match</h2>    Gomez was the focal point of the Rangers' offense and delivered a great all-around performance, contributing to the team's chance-creation and scoring. The forward had the freedom to roam around the attacking half and made the most of it, appearing in different spots to get on the ball and make plays. A very technical player, Gomez was very strong in 1v1 situations, but also operated well with his back to the goal, connecting with his teammates around the penalty box. He scored the first goal of the match by connecting with a corner kick with a beautiful one-time finish and sent the ball into the back fo the net again in the second half after he won a physical duel inside the penalty box.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/10/IMG_0447.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-270487" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Rangers U16 vs. AC River U16</figcaption></figure>    Guerra came off the bench after halftime and boosted the Rangers' offense with his intense and creative game. He played with a lot of energy in midfield, winning possession and immediately taking the ball forward with his dribbling or passing. Guerra displayed great vision to find his teammates in good spots and was very aggressive with his play. He showed good presence inside the penalty box to score the team's third goal and then tallied the sixth with a powerful shot from outside the penalty box - Guerra also assisted in the team's fourth goal.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/10/IMG_0485.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-270493" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Rangers U16 vs. AC River U16</figcaption></figure>    McHugh was used as a left back and was another important weapon in the Rangers' offensive system. He bombed forward the entire time, offering an option to his teammates and having success in his plays out wide, displaying good pace and technique to beat opponents off the dribble. McHugh appeared inside the penalty box quite often and in one of those runs managed to score the team's second goal. Halfway through the second half, he was moved to an attacking midfielder role and displayed quality to play there as well, engaging in combination plays with his teammates.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/10/IMG_0420.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-270474" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Rangers U16 vs. AC River U16</figcaption></figure>    The Rangers captain played an excellent match, with no hiccups on the defensive side of the ball and a lot of quality in possession. With his team having the ball for the vast majority of the time, Salguero spent more time on AC River's half than on his own, offering great support to the Rangers' offense with impressive vision and great passing range. Salguero, who got more touches than any other player on the field, was also very talkative, consistently communicating with his teammates and making adjustments in their positioning and the team's strategy. He played very well on a back four and on a back three, doing a great job of dismantling AC River's attacking attempts with solid positioning and firmness to win duels.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/10/IMG_0495.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-270498" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Rangers U16 vs. AC River U16</figcaption></figure>    A defensive midfielder, Cuevas covered a lot of ground in midfield and helped the Rangers dominate the center of the field and control the flow of the game. He was very quick to the ball and managed to shut down many of AC River's attempts to hit in transition. Cuevas also did a good job with the ball, helping his team move it quickly and finding solutions to keep possession when under pressure. At the end of the match, he was moved to the backline and kept her level of play steady.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/10/IMG_0528.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-270508" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Rangers U16 vs. AC River U16</figcaption></figure>

The club soccer season continues to progress at full pace and teams from around the country are competing in their respective leagues in the first of several months of traveling and playing.