IMG Boys Invitation Tournament 2014
                      Super group
              Saturday 20th December 2014 1pm 
                         Day 4

                 SPURS     v  US National U-17
             (White/Blue)     (Red/White/Blue)
                 4-3-3             4-3-3

                  0(0)             1(1)

Spurs:– Voss; Walker-Peters, Carter-Vickers, Maghoma, Muscatt(Ogilvie 64); Stylianides, Owens(Amos 41), Daly(Loft 41) Georgiou(Sonupe 64), Harrison(Walkes 73), Azzaoui

Unused subs:– McDermott; Paul, Ross

U.S. U-17:– W. Pulisic; Olosunde, Nelson, Velela, Arellano, Calvillo, Wright, Adams, Zendejas, C. Pulisic, Perez

Unused:– Lopez; Panchot, De Point, Dieterich, Gaines, Da Silva, Braima, Kelly, Taitague, Matzelevitch

Scorer:– Pulisic 10

Booked:– Perez 9(Foul), Calvillo 66(Foul), Pulisic 73(Time)

This was a game that should have been meaningless to the Americans due to Toluca beating Baltimore earlier in the day. However, it became a lot more to them. It may have had something to do with the fact that nine of the starting eleven played in the corresponding game last year when Spurs won 6-2 and Olosunde was sent off. Perhaps thee Americans wanted to leave their mark on the Spurs team. Spurs only started two players who started last year.

Spurs lined up with Voss in goal behind Maghoma and Carter-Vickers with Walker-Peters at right back and Muscatt on the left. Owens and Stylianides were joined in midfield by Daly while Harrison led the line with Georgiou on his right and Azzaoui on his left.

Spurs kicked off the first half attacking the South end and Azzaoui had an early effort saved by Pulisic, despite the close attention of Nelson and Perez. Perez was booked for pulling Azzaoui as he ran with the ball. The referee allowed Perez to hold onto the winger for over ten yards before blowing up.

The referee allowed a lot of holding by the Americans without punishing the offenders. From the free kick awarded for the foul on Azzaoui the ball was cleared to Walker-Peters sixty yards out who slipped after his first touch. The slip was punished by Pulisic who had a clear run at Voss to score the only goal of the game.

Spurs tried to respond with Muscatt firing over and Daly shooting wide, but they found the US side closing down quickly and hard, allowing Zendejas to fire over. Harrison drove wide as did Carter-Vickers, who was up for a free kick. Arellano headed wide from a corner while Carter-Vickers drew a save from his header. Zendejas played in Wright who fired wide. Zendejas picked up a loose ball to force a save from Voss to win a corner. Azzaoui held off Nelson to fire wide towards the end of the half.

Spurs made two changes for the start of the second half replacing Daly with Loft to lead the line, with Harrison dropping into midfield. Owens gave way to Amos.

Amos found to his cost that you could not take time against the US side who were very quick. Pulisic fired wide from a free kick and Perez drew a save before Calvillo was booked for chopping down Walker-Peters in mid-flight.

Spurs made two more changes, replacing Muscatt with Ogilvie, whilst Sonupe came on for Georgiou.

Loft laid the ball off for Azzaoui to attack and fire wide. Another run by Azzaoui ended with him again shooting wide. Walkes replaced Harrison to add strength in midfield as the Americans began to seek to close out the game. The keeper was booked for time wasting as they tried to slow down the play.

Carter-Vickers headed wide from a free kick by Ogilvie. Spurs should have had a penalty when Loft was pulled down having laid off the ball and turned Arellano, but the referee missed it somehow. When Loft turned the same player again wide on the right he was pulled to the ground again. The Spurs player reacted, grabbing Arellano as other Spurs players approached the referee to complain.

This sparked a reaction from the US players who surrounded the Spurs players with Nelson throwing punches at anyone he could see. They were joined by team-mates from the subs' bench. The Spurs players refused to be drawn into a punch-up pulling Loft away but the referee decided to end the game with at least two minutes left to play.

We will have to wait for the referee's report of the incident as to what punishment, if any, will be handed out befor the final days games. Spurs finish top of the group and will meet IMG Academy U-17 who drew with Brentford in the following game 1-1. IMG finished with a better goal difference than Brentford.

                   P  W  D  L   F-A  GD  Pts.

Spurs U-18         3  2  0  1   8-2   6   6 
Toluca FC          3  2  0  1   5-2   3   6
US U-17            3  1  1  1   4-4   0   4
Baltimore Celtic   3  0  1  2   4-13 -9   1

Ray

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