CDL, the Club Directors League, started play this past weekend.  The CDL is the league where our second tier (known as White) teams play their regular season games.

The weekend’s results were mixed for both the boys and the girls, but all of our teams performed admirably. This week, we highlight the Boys U16 White squad, who fell 1-0 on the road to FC Sarasota.

The match against turned out to be quite a good battle for both sides. Our lads set the tempo from the kickoff, and pressed early and often with the exciting new 4-2-3-1 formation.

"I was very impressed how our boys made the attempt to set the tempo early for the match,” said Coach Tim Roberts. “They have had a lot thrown at them in a short amount of time and worked really hard with some new positions and the responsibilities that go along with them."

The hard work nearly got the Lions ahead early. A great ball was played through the seam on the left side.  Brendan Rothman got onto the end of it and buried into the back of the net. Unfortunately, for the Lions, Rothman was judged offside.

Undeterred, our boys continued to control of the match.  An unfortunate deflection took momentum away from City temporarily in the 37th minute, but the Lions continued to play well despite the 1-0 deficit.

The battle continued in the second half, and with the young Lions again holding the primary share of possession and quality attempts on goal.  FC Sarasota’s lone scoring opportunity came in the 64th minute, but was snuffed out by City Keeper Cameron Nix’s big save.

Rotham was nearly the hero again in the 72nd minute, but his far post effort skimmed just wide of the woodwork.  Although our lads controlled possession, they were unable to find an equalizer.

"The boys showed a lot of heart and character and never lost faith in the system,” said Coach Roberts.  “Once the little mistakes are minimized and our midfield becomes more consistent, we will get the results. This is a great starting point for the boys.  We’re looking forward to a very competitive season.”

Man of the Match:
Centerbacks, Brandon Scherr and Kyle Wilder, were the men of the match. They played well under brand-new conditions and handled everything thrown at them.

Other CDL results:

Boys:
U17 White 8, FC Sarasota 0
U18 White 1, FC Sarasota 1

Girls:
U17 White 1, FC Sarasota 2
U18 White 0, Strictly Soccer 4

For more information on Orlando City Youth Soccer and our programs for all ages and skill levels, visit www.orlandocityyouth.org today!