[Sun., Feb. 14 | 8:05 p.m. CST] The group returned home from Germany yesterday after falling by a 6-3 scoreline to Borussia Dortmund on a snow- and ice-covered field at the Borussia Dortmund Training Complex.
The first four video journal installments are available, as are photos from Feb. 10 and 11.
The players have departed Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on the way to their respective home cities.
Additional photos and recaps will be updated shortly, and the fifth and final video journal will be posted on Monday evening.
[Fri., Feb. 12 | 9:24 p.m. CET] - Coming off a 3-2 win over Ajax C2 (1996), US Club Soccer's id2 National Selection (1996-97) battled hard against an older-age PSV Eindhoven C1 squad (1995-96) on Thursday, but came up short by a 6-0 scoreline.
"[PSV Eindhoven] was an excellent team in terms of technique, movement, alertness," said head coach Gerry McKeown. "They had all the qualities of a really solid team. It was a good opportunity for our guys to see where we need to be. It was a great experience. I hope the boys learn from it, and it's very valuable for their career."
[Tue., Feb. 9 | 11:02 p.m. CET] - US Club Soccer’s id2 National Selection (1996-97) earned its second win in as many games Tuesday evening, a 3-2 defeat of Ajax C2 (1996) at the Ajax Training Complex in Amsterdam.
Photos and a game report are available, as are the first two video journal installments (Feb. 7 and Feb. 9 editions).
"This afternoon’s game against Ajax was a great opportunity for the [players] as we knew it would be," said Gerry McKeown, US Club Soccer's id2 Boys' Program Director and head coach of the id2 National Selection. "The result maybe could have been a little bit easier for us. During the end of the game they put a lot of pressure and took a lot of risks. Overall, it was pretty exciting for our boys to be able play and also beat a team like Ajax."
Corey Baird (Escondido, Calif./San Diego Surf) gave the id2 National Selection a 1-0 lead at halftime with a goal in the 17th minute on an assist from Chet Castellaw (Hidden Hills, Calif./Real So Cal).
It did not take the id2 National Selection long to increase that lead once they came out of the locker room at halftime, as Wesley Wade (South Orange, N.J./New Jersey Rangers) ran onto a ball from Collin Fernandez (Downers Grove, Ill./Chicago Fire Juniors) and tucked the ball away for a 2-0 lead just three minutes into the second half.
Ade Taiwo (Raleigh, N.C./Triangle FC) added what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 61st minute on assists from Baird and Benny Swanson (Grove City, Ohio/Team Ohio FC).
Ajax stormed back and added goals in the 62nd and 67th minutes, putting the id2 National Selection under heavy pressure, but the final whistle blew to secure the win for the Americans.
The id2 National Selection held a slight advantage in shots (10-9), while both squads took six corner kicks.
Wade and Taiwo have scored in each of id2 National Selection's first two games.
The squad ate both a pre-game meal and post-game dinner in the Ajax clubhouse, experiencing the complete European soccer experience on- and off-the-field.
After a Wednesday morning regeneration session, the squad will return to Amsterdam for a tour of Amsterdam ArenA and the city.
The id2 National Selection travels to PSV Eindhoven on Thurs., Feb. 11 for its third of four games on the trip.
[Sun., Feb. 7 | 11:00 p.m. CET] US Club Soccer's id2 National Selection (1996-97s) defeated Quick Den Haag's C1 team (1995s), 2-0, Sunday morning and also witnessed AFC Ajax's 3-0 win over FC Twente in the famed Amsterdam ArenA to round out Day 2 of the 2010 id2 National Selection International Tour.
The first video journal is now available, as is a game recap and updated photos.
Goals by Wes Wade (City / New Jersey Rangers) and Ade Taiwo (Raleigh, N.C. / Triangle FC) propelled the squad to its victory this morning.
The team trained together only one time before taking the field on Sunday, but after a back-and-forth first half, the visiting id2 National Selection applied increasing pressure and outshot Quick Den Haag by a 10-3 margin in the second half.
Wade started off the scoring in the 57th minute when he put a through ball from Declan McCabe (Weston, Mass. / MPS) past the goalkeeper.
A 67th-minute insurance tally was added with the help of Corey Baird (Escondido, Calif. / San Diego Surf), who accelerated past his defender around the corner and cut the ball back to an onrushing Taiwo, who made no mistake from 10 yards out.
Goalkeeper Carter Richardson (Dublin, Ohio / Team Ohio) earned the win in goal and made several quality saves, including one on a dangerous free kick just outside the 18-yard box towards the end of the first half.
After the game, the team had lunch with their opponents and interacted at the Quick Den Haag clubhouse before taking in AFC Ajax’s 3-0 victory over FC Twente in a battle of two of the best teams in the Eredivisie at Amsterdam ArenA, the same venue which will host the U.S. Men's National Team on March 3 in an international friendly against the Netherlands.
US Club Soccer's id2 National Selection arrived safely in Holland on Saturday and hit the training ground shortly thereafter.
The traveling party arrived at Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport around 10 a.m. local time, cleared customs and then departed via bus to Den Haag, which will serve as the team's base for much of the trip.
We received an inadvertent hour-long bus tour through Den Haag city center, largely caused by closed roads in an attempt by the city to limit automobile traffic.
After settling into the hotel, the team went for a walk and then made its way over to the facilities of HSV Escamp for the first training session of the trip - and the only one before facing Quick Den Haag's C1 squad tomorrow. The opponent's team consists of players born in 1995, and as such, are at least one year older than the id2 National Selection players.
