THE SAA-REAL MADRID-CASTILLA U14 BOYS PARTICIPATED IN "THE DISNEY CUP INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SOCCER TOURNAMENT", JULY 14 - 19. THIS TOURNAMENT HAD TEAMS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AS WELL OTHER STATES IN THE US. THEY OPENED THE TOURNAMENT WITH 1 - 0 VICTORY AGAINST "CHIVAS HOUSTON", THE #5 RANKED TEAM IN SOUTH TEXAS. THE LONE GOAL WAS SCORED WITH LESS THAN 4 MINUTES LEFT TO PLAY. THE NEXT GAME WAS AGAINST "ECP - FUTEBOL BASE (BRAZIL), THE BRAZILIAN TEAM WAS NO MATCH FOR A FIRED UP CASTILLA TEAM THAT WAS EXCITED TO PLAY ITS 1ST INTERNATIONAL OPPONENT. THE TEAM PUT ON A SCORING CLINIC WITH MULTIPLE BOYS SCORING MULTIPLE TIMES. THE FINAL SCORE WAS 7 - 0. THE 3RD GAME WAS AGAINST ANOTHER TOP RANKED TEAM FROM TEXAS, "CLUB ATLETICO FC". "CLUB ATLETICO" TOOK THE LEAD EARLY, BUT DESPITE PLAYING ITS MOST PHYSICAL GAME AND PLAYING 20 PLUS MINUTES WITH 10 PLAYERS DUE TO A RED CARD. THE TEAM CAME FROM BEHIND TO WIN 2 TO 1. IN ADDITION, THIS WIN WOULD BE COSTLY, THE TEAM LOST ONE PLAYER TO A RED CARD AND 2 PLAYERS TO INJURIES. IN THE 4TH AND FINAL GAME OF ROUND ROBIN PLAY THE BOYS WOULD TAKE ON THE "TRINIDAD LIONS" FROM BERMUDA. A WIN WOULD MEAN AN AUTOMATIC PASS TO THE FINALS. WITH THREE PLAYERS OUT, RED CARD AND INJURIES, THE TEAM ONLY HAD 12 PLAYERS FOR THIS GAME. THEY WENT ON TO WIN THIS GAME 2 - 0.
ON JULY 19TH, THEY PLAYED IN THE FINALS, A REMATCH OF GAME 1 AGAINST "CHIVAS HOUSTON". ALL THE PLAYERS RETURNED FOR THIS GAME MANY STILL WITH INJURIES. "CHIVAS" CAME FIRED UP, LOOKING TO AVENGE ITS ONLY LOSS OF THE TOURNAMENT. THE BOYS SCORED 3 FIRST HALF GOALS TO TAKE A 3 - 1 LEAD INTO HALFTIME. THE SECOND HALF WOULD PROVE TO BE A DEFENSIVE BATTLE AND THE FINAL SCORE WOULD REMAIN THE SAME, REAL MADRID - CASTILLA 3 CHIVAS HOUSTON 1.
SAA-REAL MADRID - CASTILLA U14 BOYS WERE CROWNED CHAMPIONS OF THE DISNEY CUP, U14 CLUB DIVISION.
THIS TEAM HAD ENDURED A SEASON WHERE MANY A TIMES THEY WERE A GOAL SHORT TO ADVANCE TO HIGHER ROUNDS. THEY STARTED THE SEASON WITH ABEL VELASQUEZ AS COACH AND HE TAUGHT THEM HOW TO PLAY AGGRESSIVE WHILE MAKING THEM BELIEVE THEY COULD WIN AGAINST ANYONE! COACH ORLANDO HERRERA, TOOK OVER AT THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON AND PUSHED THEM, TAUGHT THEM AND GOT THE TEAM READY FOR THIS TOURNAMENT. COACH ORLANDO TOLD THEM THEY WOULD REACH THE FINALS BASED ON THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION. HE WAS ABLE TO GET THEM TO WIN THEIR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP, GO UNDEFEATED AND ONLY ALLOW 2 GOALS AGAINST THEM IN THE DISNEY CUP. A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO END THE SEASON AS THE TEAM LOOKS TO REACH HIGHER IN THE UPCOMING SEASON.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE REAL MADRID - CASTILLA U14 BOYS FOR A SUCCESSFUL TOURNAMENT AND SEASON!!!!
THANKS TO THE PARENTS FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
