Sounders U-23 win Western Conference final, will travel to Ontario next

The Sounders U-23′s celebrate advancing to the PDL national ‘final four.’ (Chris Coulter / SoundersU23.com)

Three years running now the Northwest Division of the PDL has put a club in the national final four. In 2010 it was the eventual champion Portland Timbers U-23′s. In 2011 it was the eventual champion Kitsap Pumas. In 2012 the division is represented by the Sounders U-23′s after a 2:0 win over the home-standing Ventura County Fusion.

Darwin Jones (Des Moines, WA, University of Washington) scored in the 58th minute to give the U-23′s the lead and Jamael Cox (Tacoma, WA) added insurance in the 85th for the club, playing its first season under the “Sounders” banner. From 2006-2011 the side were called Tacoma Tide FC. The former Tide never advanced this far in the post-season in six years.

On Saturday the Sounders advanced to the Western final with a 2:1 win over FC Tuscon. Ventura County got to the final by beating the Portland Timbers U-23′s 1:0 in overtime.

Joining the Sounders U-23 in the last four are Orlando City U-23′s, Forest City London and the Carolina Dynamo.

Read a match report from the Ventura County Star here.

Sounders U-23 to travel to face FC London (Ontaro, Canada)

TAMPA, Fla. – The PDL announced today the match-ups for its Playoffs’ National Semifinals, with the Eastern Conference Champion Carolina Dynamo hosting the Southern Conference Champion Orlando City U23, and Western Conference Champion the Sounders FC U23 traveling to face Central Conference Champion FC London.

Carolina will host Orlando on Saturday, July 28 at 7 p.m. ET at Macpherson Stadium in Greensboro, N.C., while London’s German Club will play host to the Sounders FC U23s on the same night at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Carolina needed late dramatics in both of its contests to claim the club’s first national semifinal berth since 2004, earning victory against Reading United on Saturday night 8-7 in a penalty shootout after the teams had played to a 1-1 draw through regulation and extra time. The Dynamo then got a goal in second-half-stoppage time from Sebastian Ibeagha to advance past the Ottawa Fury in Sunday’s final.

The Lions U23s defeated a pair of sides from the Mid South Division to advance from the Southern Conference, upsetting the division champion Laredo Heat 2-1 behind goals from Nicolas Russo and Drew Helm. Orlando then earned a 4-2 victory against the Austin Aztex on Sunday night to advance to face the Dynamo. Saturday’s game is a rematch of Carolina’s last trip to the National Semifinals in 2004, when the then Central Florida Kraze took victory on penalty kicks on their way to the championship.

FC London is the biggest surprise of the semifinalists, with the club securing victories against the two teams with the best regular-season records in the PDL. London, which had never previously won a PDL Playoff contest, took a 1-0 win against the Thunder Bay Chill through a goal by Jordan Ayris. The side then upset the PDL regular-season champion Michigan Bucks in Sunday’s final, with Ayris and Martin Lange getting the goals in a 2-1 victory.

The Sounders FC U23 completed the quartet with an impressive pair of victories against FC Tucson and the Ventura County Fusion. The Northwest Division champion fell behind in their semifinal on Saturday against the Arizona side, but goals by Darwin Jones and Sean Morris allowed them to take a 2-1 victory. Jones struck again in the conference final on Sunday, scoring the opening goal before Jamael Cox sealed a 2-0 victory late against the host Fusion.

Following next weekend’s semifinals, the PDL Championship will be played on Saturday, August 4 at the home of one of the semifinal winners.

NATIONAL SEMIFINALS SCHEDULE

Saturday, July 28

Orlando City U23 at Carolina Dynamo, 7 p.m. ET

At Macpherson Stadium, Greensboro, N.C.

Sounders FC U23 at FC London, 7:30 p.m. ET

At German Club, London, Ontario

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Eastern Conference Championships

Conference Semifinals

Saturday, July 21

Ottawa Fury 1, Ocean City Nor’easters 0

Carolina Dynamo 1, Reading United 1, AET

Carolina wins 8-7 in a penalty shootout

Conference Championship

Sunday, July 22

Carolina Dynamo 1, Ottawa Fury 0

Central Conference Championships

Conference Semifinals

Saturday, July 21

Michigan Bucks 1, Real Colorado Foxes 0

Forest City London 1, Thunder Bay Chill 0

Conference Championship

Sunday, July 22

Forest City London 2, Michigan Bucks 1

Southern Conference Championships

Conference Semifinals

Friday, July 20

Orlando City U23 2, Laredo Heat 1

Austin Aztex 3, Ocala Stampede 2

Conference Championship

Sunday, July 22

Orlando City U23 4, Austin Aztex 2

Western Conference Championships

Conference Semifinals

Saturday, July 21

Ventura County Fusion 1, Portland Timbers U-23s 0, AET

Sounders FC U23 2, FC Tucson 1

Conference Championship

Sunday, July 22

Sounders FC U23 2, Ventura County Fusion 0

PDL

The top developmental men’s league in North American, the PDL features 73 teams within four conferences across the United States and Canada. The PDL season consists of 16 regular season matches for each team, eight home and eight away, and provides elite collegiate players the opportunity to taste a higher level of competition while maintaining their eligibility. In addition to league play, PDL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various exhibitions. The PDL has proven to be an important stepping-stone for top professionals now playing throughout the world.

Des Moines, Washington native Darwin Jones scored the match-winner for the U-23′s. (Chris Coulter / SoundersU23.com)

About these ads