STORM FC SNAG FIRST WIN OF SEASON

Youth can be good or bad when it comes to any team in any sport.

When you are trying to win close games they can go the other way, in the future one hopes it will go their way as those younger players mature.

That seems to be the case for NPSL expansion club Kraze United (4-4-0), which lost 1-0 to Storm FC on June 28 at the University of Central Florida.

The win was the Storm’s (1-2-5) first of the season.

“Again (Technical Director Leandro Amaral) and I talk about it, we have to put two halves together,” said Kraze United head coach Joe Avallone. “Everyone here watching knows we played a very good second half. A lot I think is youth, a lot of the teams are older, or more established and know how to finish,” he said. “It was a good learning experience for us today.”

The first half saw the Storm spend a lot of time in the attacking half of the field, pressure the backline of the Kraze often.

In the 18th minute, Storm midfielder Carlos Berastain took advantage of his team’s continuing pressure the scored the game’s only goal.

The second half saw the Kraze make a few changes in the lineup, getting some of Kraze United’s younger players on to the field – Cutler Coleman and Josh Sauer, both who play for the local youth club Florida Kraze/Krush U17 Krush team, saw time in the second half. Both had chances to score.

“That is the future of our team, the youth, they are gaining the experience now and to have them for a couple more years will be great,” Avallone added.

In the end, however, Avallone reiterated playing an entire game.

“We missed a penalty kick, we had three or four golden opportunities to put the ball in the net,” Avallone said. “We can’t play 45 minutes and we have been doing it all year.”

Kraze United play next on July 10 at home against Weston FC. Game time is set for 6 pm at UCF. They finish the regular season with another home game on July 12 also at 6 pm against Jacksonville United.