Man who?
Atlanta United’s Academy is something else, y’all, and the U-15’s just put on a proverbial clinic down in breezy Bradenton, Florida for their opener in the 2024 Generation Adidas Cup.
The squad, led by former University of Virginia and Seattle Sounders player Will Bates, dropped four goals on the perennial English titans Manchester United while keeping their own clean sheet. The talent and cohesion was on display for the entire sixty minutes (two thirty minute halves in this tournament), starting with a phenomenal opening goal stemming from their tenacious press and finished by Ivory Covington.
The Baby Stripes would then double their lead within the first 10 minutes with a goal by Ignacio Suarez and assisted by Amir Henry, and it was all Atlanta United for the rest of the match. While Manchester United struggled to chain many decent passes together, Atlanta were precise with their press to consistently win back possession. When they received the ball, players were making smart movements off the ball to throw Manchester’s defense into the blender.
Atlanta United’s defense wasn’t called on often, but when they were, they handled any danger quite comfortably. The tackles were clean and the positioning showed these boys have a solid grasp of the game. Even names with lasting pedigree for Manchester United, two being Rooney and Carrick, simply couldn’t get any foothold in this match.
It would ultimately be Amir Henry who would snag a goal of his own to make it 3-0 just before the half after expertly bringing down a long ball and slotting it home. Finally, Ivory Covington would add his second goal in the 41st minute courtesy of an assist by Ignacio Suarez to complete the score line at 4-0. While it’s tough to highlight any one player from this performance, Suarez has to be commended for his tenacity, technique, and goal contributions around midfield. The Academy truly has some strong talent following the likes of Caleb Wiley, George Campbell, and Noah Cobb.
There was tons of positivity in this Generation Adidas Cup opener, and Atlanta United should be thrilled at the way they played. Complacency can’t creep in, however, as they’re back in action tomorrow morning against St. Louis’ own academy. Meanwhile, the U-17’s begin their tournament today at 2 P.M. against Flamengo. Let us know what you thought in the comments below!
This match was a blast to watch. What a performance by our lads. And no fear or intimidation whatsoever.
and the interview with Garth at halftime was great listening as well.
So, was this the British academy team or just a team named MU?
Nope, every bit of the Red Devils! Wayne Rooney’s son actually played in the match.
A few of these guys could debut with the 2s either by the end of this season or early 2025. There is some real talent there. Suarez, Covington, and right-back Fred Bond all had very impressive games.
It was great to see Henry get a goal, too, since he was primarily doing the selfless important work you need to see from a 9 like creating space behind him, occupying both central defenders, and distributing to the wide player.
The GK Donaldson has also been getting a lot of attention from the US Youth National Teams, so he’s worth watching as a long-term project.
Another player who showed up for me was Dennis Totev. He has a no-nonsense style that could work very well in our system if he progresses as a 6 or CB.
Looking forward to the day these young guns bolster the top level team so we’re promoting from within because they’re just so dang good that we don’t have to gamble on unknowns and build serious depth across every position.
Absolutely, a good academy is the way to truly stand out in MLS.
Unless you bend roster rules or something