The U15 Northern Virginia Royals run in the 2008 North American Super Y-League Championships ended just short of the final match, falling 1-0 to West Coast FC in the tournament semifinal. A second half of relentless pressure was not enough to equalize an early first half goal, leaving the Royals just shy of their second final match in two years.
West Coast FC came out of the gates with burst of intensity, rushing forward at the Royals goal in the opening moments. Their pressure would be rewarded, as they struck paydirt on a shot the glanced off the crossbar and crossed the line for the 1-0 advantage.
The Royals slowly regrouped and gradually increased offensive pressure of their own. The second half saw the pace of the game favor the Royals, and the final twenty minutes featured numerous attacks falling just short of equalizing. The West Coast defense held firm, and the final whistle earned them the shot at the North American title.
"The result was disappointing, but the intensity and heart of these kids was inspiring," commented Coach Tom Torres. "They spent all season fighting through adversity, and today's match showed just that regardless of leaving with hardware."
"These boys are the future of the Royals PDL and we couldn’t be happier with the way they’ve represented the club all season," concluded Torres.
