ECNL Florida: Texas Forwards who Can Make an Impact

<p>The 2026 year will come fast and furious for teams competing in the ECNL League, as the first National Event of the year for the Boys is set to take place in the very first weekend of the year, from January 3-5, in Florida.</p>   <p>Designed for teams in the U16, U17 and U18-19 age groups, the showcase will be held in Lakewood Ranch, in the Sarasota area, having the Premier Sports Campus facility as the venue.</p>   <p>The event will reunite 230 teams, and Texas will be largely represented, accounting for 19 of them, from five clubs in the Lone Star State - [program_tooltip program_id='283274' first='BVB' last='IA Texas'], [program_tooltip program_id='283311' first='Dallas' last='Texans'], [program_tooltip program_id='283317' first='[program_tooltip program_id='280767' first='DKSC' last='']' last=''], [program_tooltip program_id='283648' first='FC' last='Dallas'] and [program_tooltip program_id='283397' first='[program_tooltip program_id='278668' first='Lonestar' last='']' last='SC'].</p>   <p>With the ECNL Florida showcase starting in just a few days, it's time we know some of the Texas players who will be in action in Lakewood Ranch. It's now the forwards' turn:</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Fitzgerald plays for the [program_tooltip program_id='283274' first='BVB' last='IA Texas'] team that will face Richmond United, Alabama FC and Union KC in the U16 division in Florida. A dynamic attacking player, he's one of the team's main offensive threats, combining quickness and quality on the ball. Fitzgerald is extremely dangerous around the goal, making strong runs behind the backline, getting into good spots inside the box and displaying tremendous quality to finish chances with either foot or his head. He can also make an impact by dropping a little bit deeper to make runs on the ball and fire long-distance shots.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">Mendoza and his [program_tooltip program_id='283311' first='Dallas' last='Texans'] Academy U17 team are scheduled to meet Match Fit Surf, FL Premier FC and Tennessee SC in Florida. A left-footed attacking player, he can play a variety of roles in the final third, always getting very involved with this team's offensive actions. Mendoza plays primarily on the right, so he can bring the ball inside to finish and deliver passes to his teammates. He's very good at beating opponents off the dribble, playing very directly in the final third, and is a lethal finisher who can find ways to get the ball into the back of the net even when under pressure or working in tight spaces.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qolyPelRO1c </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Osinowo plays for [program_tooltip program_id='283648' first='FC' last='Dallas'] Red in the U17 division and will be with the team in their matches against United Futbol Academy, Space Coast United and HEX FC Dominion. Capable of playing as a winger or as a striker, he uses his pace to make runs at defenders and is a real threat in transition. Osinowo also does a very good job with his first touch, intelligently getting the ball away from pressure and getting a head start on defenders. He also thrives when playing more centrally, working well with his back to the goal, finding space to make plays in crowded areas and showing solid positioning and finishing skills.</p>   <p><strong><a href="https://www.ncsasports.org/mens-soccer-recruiting/texas/frisco/panther-creek-high-school/oluwagbolade-osinowo1">Highlights</a></strong></p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Alvarez will lead the line for DKSC in their U17 matches against LVU Rush, FC Wisconsin and Concorde Fire Platinum in Lakewood Ranch. A striker, he knows his way inside the penalty box and consistently gets into good spots to finish chances, most of them with first-time shots and tap-ins. Alvarez is also very good at creating space just outside the box with quick moves and is very accurate with his mid-range shots. A threat in the air in set pieces, he can also drift wide and make plays on the wing, showing interesting tools to beat defenders 1v1.</p>    <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/DDD8x5SotUS/ </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Gonzalez and his [program_tooltip program_id='283397' first='Lonestar' last='SC'] Red team will be faced with Match Fit Surf, NCFC Youth Academy and South Carolina Surf in the event's U18-19 age group. A crafty left-footed playmaker, he is versatile enough to play different roles for them, appearing mostly centrally and on the right side of their attack. Gonzalez is an excellent dribbler who can beat opponents in space or in crowded areas and is unpredictable with his moves. He also finishes very well and can put the ball into the back of the net out of nowhere, thanks to his creativity and his ability to make plays.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kitkUJAXb_I </div></figure>   <p></p>

The 2026 year will come fast and furious for teams competing in the ECNL League, as the first National Event of the year for the Boys is set to take place in the very first weekend of the year, from January 3-5, in Florida.