Action from the Aspire Academy and LA Galaxy match.
Aspire Academy's U-18s side defeated an U-18s team from Greek club Olympiacos twice last week in the latest Tri-Series tournament.
In the first match, Mohammed Al Bayati’s converted penalty gave the Academy team their first win.
In the second game, two days later, the visitors took the lead through Athanasios Kostanasious eight minutes after the starting whistle.
Their lead did not last long however as Raben Boussafi equalised just two minutes later. Substitute Eisa Palangi scored the second goal for the Academy in the 47th minute securing victory for the home team.
After the second game against Olympiacos, Head Coach of Aspire Academy’s U-18's Hedider Abderrazak, said:
“Both games against Olympiacos were very competitive. The challenge we faced and the experience of competing was as important as the results themselves. The way our players responded to what the opposition threw at them was very positive and encouraging to see.
"I'm very impressed with the team's efforts against such strong opposition. Olympiacos is one of the strongest academies in Greece, if not the strongest, and one of the best in Europe as well. Many players move to big teams from Olympaicos. To play against a side that is strong physically and technically is great experience. I’m very pleased with the team's performance.”
As well as involving U-18s teams, the latest Tri-Series football tournament also featured competition between U-16s teams, with LA Galaxy running out winners over Olympiacos and hosts Aspire Academy in that competition.
Gordon Kljestan, Director of Soccer Operations at LA Galaxy praised the Tri-Series tournament, and said:
“This is a great competition and gives our players useful international experience. The team from Aspire Academy were committed and well organized and really gave their all. The Academy team were also well disciplined and you could tell they have been playing together for some time.”
Olympiacos and LA Galaxy visited Qatar at the same time as senior international 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches were taking place. In relation to youth development and building teams for the future, Gordon Kljestan said: “Qatar as a country has a very good system for youth development and Aspire Academy is a great set up. If I could offer any words of encouragement, I would simply say that with youth development is a process.
"Winning is not everything at this point, it is about bringing the players on. We are in a similar situation in America. Our league is only 22 year old and we cannot yet say that we are amongst the best leagues in the world. Of course winning is important, but it is a process and it is going to take time and requires patience too. So we are in a similar position in the US, and we share similar aims and objectives in terms of development."
