ASN: After rise with Sounders, Leyva & Ocampo-Chavez bold with U.S. U-17s

Daniel Leyva and Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez have had necessary moments collectively in 2019 after profitable the GA Cup with the Sounders academy group, signing homegrown offers, and now in the midst of U-17 World Cup qualifying. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta spoke with the duo on their rise this yr and the ambitions sooner or later. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
Could 08, 2019
8:00 AM

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TO SAY THE PAST two months have been a whirlwind for Daniel Leyva and Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez could be an understatement. As each people and teammates, the 2 have achieved rather a lot not too long ago however the subsequent few two days will see them play crucial video games of their careers so far.

Each Leyva and Ocampo-Chavez have come up by way of the Seattle Sounders academy and have been enjoying for its reserve group, the Tacoma Defiance, within the USL. However the two had been additionally teammates final month on the GA Cup the place the Seattle Sounders U-17 group defeated among the greatest academies on the earth in Flamengo, River Plate, West Ham, and Valencia to turn out to be the primary MLS group to win the event.

After the 1-0 win over Valencia within the closing, Leyva was named the event’s MVP and Ocampo-Chavez was awarded the Golden Boot because the main scorer with six targets and one help.

Lately, the 2 signed first-team homegrown contracts with the Seattle Sounders and are teammates on america U-17 group that has reached a crucial section of qualifying the place it should win two video games in a row to qualify for the World Cup.

“It’s been very exciting these past two months,” Leyva instructed ASN from Florida. “Everything is happening very fast – now being part of the first team more and being here with the national team. Getting all those experiences and learning from everyone.”

However the experiences are additionally associated and one has led to a different – and success the Sounders has paved the way in which for the GA Cup and the GA Cup paved the way in which for the nationwide group.

“Before the GA Cup, us as an academy team for the Seattle Sounders we have a very good team, so we had to have the right mindset into the GA Cup,” Ocampo-Chavez mentioned. “We just tried to play with everything we have and leave it all on the field. I just tried to help in all areas – making runs, helping to keep the ball, scoring goals. That’s my job. After the week at GA, I felt more confident on the field and more mature off it because I had to be leader on the team because with me, Leyva, and a few others, we were the ones who had pro contracts already. We felt we had a bigger responsibility with that team.

“Coming into qualifiers, I feel like I have more confidence now,” he continued. “I want to help the team out scoring goals, with my hold up play and as an overall player both on and off the field.”

The 2 have delivered to this point on the CONCACAF qualifying event in Florida. Ocampo-Chavez scored within the 6-1 win over Barbados and added one other within the group stage finale, a 3-0 win over Guatemala. In the meantime, Leyva has been an asset within the midfield – each beginning and off the bench.

For each gamers, nonetheless, the turning level got here within the first recreation when the U.S. fell behind Canada after conceding the primary targets. For a youth group, nonetheless, the group was mature and didn’t panic. As a substitute it calmly asserted itself within the second and gained 3-2.

Ocampo-Chavez cites new head coach Raphael Wicky as being a catalyst of the group’s response in opposition to Canada and as being a constructive chief who can rally the group regardless of being new to the group and solely having been employed in March.

“For us, as players, we really look up to him because he knows what he is talking about,” Ocampo-Chavez mentioned. “We have a lot of confidence in him. He is a good man on and off the field and he gives us his ideas. If we listen to him, we will be successful. He’s a great coach. Of course, he coached in the Champions League. He has great experience after playing with Atletico Madrid and others.”

Following the U-17 event, Ocampo-Chavez and Leyva will return to Seattle the place they’re now on first group contracts. Each are anticipated to proceed to play with Tacoma however each cite first-team alternatives with the Sounders as one other high objective in 2019 along with the U-17 World Cup in Could.

If it involves fruition it could be one more milestone the 2 have reached collectively.

“It’s great being able to go through the ranks with him,” Leyva mentioned. “I’ve known him very well since we were in the academy. It’s great seeing both of us move up through the ranks together from the academy to the first team. He’s a great player and he’s scoring a lot of goals and is a clinical finisher.”

The choice of the place highly-rated younger American gamers ought to start their careers has been a significant level of dialogue in American soccer. Lately, a number of gamers who developed in MLS academies left for European groups on free transfers however in 2019, a number of younger gamers have been incomes important minutes and there have additionally been some high-profile gross sales to Europe.

For each Ocampo-Chavez and Leyva, the choice to signal with Seattle got here from constructive experiences throughout the academy and in discussions with the membership over their roles transferring ahead.

“I definitely talked with them about that and the opportunities they would give me,” Leyva mentioned. “But I felt that with the Tacoma and now with the first team – I feel I will get that opportunity soon. Ever since I first joined the Sounders, they made the decision easy. All the development they implemented in me since I was 14 years old, I really liked how the club watched out for the players and implemented a plan to make them better – to move them up the ranks, play above their age and gain experience…It made me feel that this is the club where I can develop the best.”

For now, nonetheless, the main focus for each is on getting the group certified with a semifinal look together with profitable the event and being named the U-17 champions of CONCACAF.

On a private word, it could possibly be an fascinating event if america meets archrivals Mexico within the finals. The 2 nationals the standard favorites in CONCACAF competitions and the wave of improved Mexican-American gamers who’re eligible for both nation has solely added gasoline to the rivalry.

Ocampo-Chavez and Leyva are each Mexican American and have distinctive tales. Leyva’s father as soon as performed for the academy group of Mexico’s storied Membership America earlier than incomes a civil engineering diploma in Mexico and transferring to Las Vegas 19 years in the past – the town the place Leyva grew up. Each of Ocampo-Chavez’s are from Mexico however transfer to California the place their son grew up and developed as a participant earlier than becoming a member of the Sounders academy.

3-0 USA! Nice cross by Danny Leyva to arrange his Seattle Sounders teammate Alfonso Ocampo Chavez, who buries his 2nd of the event from shut vary. pic.twitter.com/g0QfbOm8Ny

— Future USMNT (@FutureUsmnt) Could 6, 2019

Ocampo-Chavez’s background highlights the complexities and the individuality of rivalry between the 2 nations in soccer. Whereas he grew up supporting Mexico, he took honor within the alternative to play for america. Now he would relish the prospect to face El Tri in a significant recreation.

“My parents supported Mexico, especially me, I supported Mexico,” Ocampo-Chavez mentioned. “For me, it was whoever was going to give me a chance. I was going to take it. Right now, the US gave me a chance…Since I got the callup to the United States, I feel like this is my future and they are supporting me. I love the support from parents and I even have family in Mexico that is supporting me. I am really looking forward to hopefully playing against Mexico.”

“At this tournament we can make it far,” he added. “But it is up to us to be the champions.”