The Chicago Fire Academy teams hosted the St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri for a pair of matches at the Toyota Park turf fields on Sunday morning, going 3-1-0 against their competitors from just down I-55.
The U-18s kicked things off bright and early, and were forced to battle back from behind after SLSG's Jack Foster bagged the game's opening goal 24 minutes in. The Fire's Alan Salmeron would eventually find the equalizer in the 67th minute, followed just three minutes later by the game-winner from Victor Bezerra. The match marked the second time this season that the Fire U-18's negated an early SLSG Missouri goal to win, having additionally won the Creve Coeur, Mo. fixture by a 2-1 score back on Nov. 12.
The U-16 match followed, and this time it was SLSG leveling a 32nd minute Adrian Lara finish with a goal from Nikiphoros Vlastos in the 60th minute. Chicago's Andrew Akindele would then play the hero late, scoring in the 77th minute to give the Fire a 2-1 victory on the day. Coincidentally, it was also the U-16's second consecutive 2-1 victory over SLSG Missouri dating back to their last match in Creve Coeur, Mo. on Nov. 12.
In Sunday's other matchups, the U-14s were additionally victorious by a 1-0 scoreline, while the U-15s were dealt a 2-1 defeat and the U-13s fell 3-0.
The Academy resumes action on Saturday, April 29 with matches against Sockers FC in Naperville, Ill.
