Greenwich United U19 wins Needham tournament
Winning five of the six games they competed in, the Old Greenwich-Riverside Community Center Greenwich United U19 boys Premier team won the Needham Memorial Day Tournament recently in Needham, Mass.
Following a loss in their first matchup of the tournament, which included teams from throughout the U.S., Canada and England, the OGRCC Greenwich United
U19 squad won its next four games to win the Under-19 Bunker Hill Division.
Qualifying for the championship game by winning the tournament’s Bunker Hill Division, OGRCC Greenwich United Premier team played Needham Soccer Club’s Thunder team for the U-19 title. Needham had earlier dealt Greenwich United Premier its lone loss of the tournament.
OGRCC Greenwich United tied the score at 2-2 against Needham late in the second half, before winning in a shootout.
“It was an exciting game, as the entire team pushed forward and we tied the game with less than a minute left in the game,” said Daniel Acebo, who is the OGRCC Greenwich United squad’s goalie.
Greenwich United edged Needham, 7-6, in the shootout, giving it a 3-2 victory and the tournament’s U-19 championship.
“The boys showed great fight, heart and grit throughout the game,” OGRCC Greenwich United coach Leigh Parsons said. “As their coach, I’m incredibly proud of the team’s overall character with a never-give-up attitude right to the very end. They dug deep and finished with a big win. It was an amazing team effort.”