The 2016 Generation adidas Cup kicks off in Frisco Texas on Friday, March 18, pitting the best young players from MLS academies against each other and against international competition.
MLSsoccer.com will carry select streams on every matchday. But before the action gets underway, here's a cheat sheet to help get you ready with five of the top talents on display:
Paxton Pomykal - FC Dallas
The host club of the GA Cup has become a powerhouse at the youth level in Major League Soccer. The academy that current head coach Oscar Pareja so proudly built up, is now directed by Luchi Gonzalez and continues to churn out talent like the son of former first-team star and MLS MVP David Ferreira. Paxton Pomykal stands out alongside Ferreira and not just because of his unique name.
"Pax," as he is known by his teammates, is an-Emerson Hyndman carbon copy in the midfield -- a box-to-box central midfielder with great technical ability who opens up play for his teammates and can shoot from distance. Pomykal has never-ending endurance and it looks like he will be a starter for the US Under-17 team at next year's FIFA World Cup.
SCHEDULED FC DALLAS LIVE STREAMS:3/18 @ 7 ET vs. Valencia
Omir Fernandez - New York Red Bulls
The leading goalscorer in GA Cup qualifying for the Red Bulls alongside Zach Ryan with six goals apiece, but Fernandez has scored plenty more in other matches an competitions. Attempting to follow in the footsteps of NYRB Homegrown forwards like Brandon Allen, Alex Muyl, and Derrick Etienne, Fernandez looks to be the latest up-and-comer.
Just this winter Fernandez spent time with the US Under-18 national team and will look to continue his scoring touch in Texas. A creative finisher who plays well up top on his own or with a partner, Fernandez is a handful for most any opposition defense.
SCHEDULED RED BULLS LIVE STREAMS: 3/20 @ 7 ET vs. River Plate
Andrew Paoli - San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose fought through one of the toughest GA Cup preliminary regional groups to qualify for the GA Cup Championship division. They did so with a plus-14 goal differential and a lot of that success on both sides of the ball had to do with the play of holding midfielder Andrew Paoli.
Known as a calm passer from the base of the midfield, Paoli is adept at reading the play to snuff out opposition attacks, and then immediately restart the attack with a big switch of the field. Paoli is just returning from a trip to Buenos Aires with the US Under-18 national team and he proved to be one of the brightest young American stars.
SCHEDULED SJ EARTHQUAKES LIVE STREAMS: 3/22 @ 6 ET vs. Villarreal
Jose Carranza - D.C. United
D.C. United boast one of the most successful academies in MLS history, producing professionals like Bill Hamid and Andy Najar, but the club already seems to have cultivated another star on the rise in Carranza, a diminutive attacking midfielder (photo above).
Consistently playing in older age groups, Carranza was the second youngest player last year at the USA Under-17 residency program, where he showed well and earned more national team call-ups. Carranza uses his high soccer IQ to control the pace of the game, and to create dangerous attacking opportunities for his teammates. At only 17, he has already trained with the DC first team and is on the lips of every opposing coach at the GA Cup.
SCHEDULED D.C. UNITED LIVE STREAMS:3/18 @ 1 ET vs. CA Paranaense
Glademir Mendoza - Real Salt Lake
Not to be entranced merely by creative players and goalscorers, there are also a multitude of promising defenders at GA Cup.
Like Paoli, Mendoza is also down in Argentina with the US Under-18s, helping lead the team to a clean sweep of all three international competitors. A steady and confident defender, Mendoza will look to marshall the RSL back line against all of these attacking stars.
