The Continuing Adventures of the Young Americans

The USA Under-17 Men's National Team suffered their first loss of their FIFA Under-17 World Cup campaign, losing to Uzbekistan, 2-1. Alfred Koroma scored the only goal for the USA, in the 47th minute.

The States must defeat New Zealand on June 25 to stand any chance of advancing to the knockout stages.


Youth Academy Update

The Los Angeles Galaxy Youth Academy announced this week that Mauricio Cienfuegos would be hired as a Technical Director for the Youth Academy sides.

Cienfuegos holds a USSF “A” coaching license and has experience as a head coach at the professional level, coaching Nejapa Futbol Club in El Salvador’s First Division in 2008.

“I’m very happy to be back with the club, and to have the opportunity to work with the young players in the Academy is something that I’m very much looking forward to,” Cienfuegos told reporters. “I’m going to be doing something that brings a lot of joy to me, which is teaching the game to kids. Hopefully, one of those players will go on to play for the first team, that’s everyone’s goal.”

Cienfuegos helped the Galaxy capture three of the club’s five championships, leading his team to the 2000 CONCACAF Champions Cup, the 2001 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the 2002 MLS Cup. Additionally, he led the Galaxy to the league semifinals six times (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002) and played in MLS Cup four times (1996, 1999, 2001 and 2002).

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Academy Under-18 and Under-16 teams are in action in Frisco, Texas for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs and Showcase.

The U-16’s, who are in the playoffs for the second time in the last three years, will open their playoff schedule against the No. 25 seed, Sporting Kansas City, on Saturday, June 25. The following day, they will take on the No. 19 seed IMG Soccer Academy before concluding group play against the Houston Dynamo, who are the No. 16 seed.

The winner of the group will then advance to the Development Academy Finals Week, which will be held in Milwaukee, Wisc. from July 9-16.


Landon Donovan has Gold Cup in sight

Landon Donovan came off the bench to assist on a Clint Dempsey goal late in the second half to give the USA a 1-0 victory over Panama in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Semifinals.

The USA will renew their rivalry with Mexico on Saturday, June 25 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. At stake is a berth in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.


Galaxy set for the U.S. Open Cup

The Los Angeles Galaxy will take on the Los Angeles Blues on Tuesday, June 28 in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.

“I think it’s a competition we want to do well in,” Galaxy manager Bruce Arena told LAGalaxy.com's Larry Morgan. “This particular game comes at a good time, so there’s no excuse why we can’t do well.”

The Galaxy have not won the Open Cup since 2005.

“That (Open Cup title) kind of set the tone for us in 2005,” said defender Todd Dunivant, who was a member of the 3005 championship squad. “We won that, and we kind of had that championship mentality. It helped give us confidence.

“When the playoffs started we were in a winning mode and we carried that all the way through.”

“We used to play the A-League (later renamed USL First Division) teams, and they were really difficult games,” Arena added. “I remember going to Hershey (Pa.) a couple of times and winning on penalty kicks. It’s never easy and we don’t expect it to be easy this time around, either.”

Well, not if you don't send out your first team, Bruce. It will be interesting who Bruce brings out on Tuesday. A full preview of this match has been posted on the View from Victoria Street and Bleacher Report.

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