Hoops Home and Abroad: Chris Richards makes Bayern Munich U19 debut

Welcome to another week of Big D Soccer’s coverage of your favorite players with ties to FC Dallas, the FCD Academy, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

It was a week full of debuts, as Chris Richards made his Bayern Munich U19 debut, Atiba Harris made his OKC Energy debut, and Anton Nedyalkov made his Ludogorets debut.

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Europe - Preseason

Weston McKennie (AP - Schalke 04/Bundesliga:

Keaton Parks (DFW - Benfica/Primeira Liga): Benfica held a scrimmage against Swindon Town (English 4th Division) on Wednesday. Keaton got the start, and helped Benfica get off to a fast start:

Benfica would go on to post a 5-0 victory.

Emerson Hyndman (DFW - Bournemouth/Premier League): Emerson is still with Bournemouth, and played for them last week in a big scrimmage against top Spanish side Sevilla:

Anton Nedyalkov (FCD - Ludogorets/Bulgaria): Anton suited up Tuesday in Champions League Qualifying, as Ludogorets travelled to Crusaders FC (Northern Ireland), for the 2nd leg of their series. Anton would make his Ludogorets debut in the 70th minute, and would help Ludogorets maintain a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory. Ludogorets wins the series by a 9-0 aggregate score, and advances to the 2nd round of Champions League Qualification. Ludogorets will host the 1st leg against Videoton FC (Hungary 1st Division) next week.

Next Match: Ludogorets vs. Etar, Saturday, July 21, 10:30am

Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round - Ludogorets vs. Videoton, Wednesday, July 25, Noon

Chris Richards (AP/FCD - Bayern Munich/U19 Bundesliga): Chris made his Bayern Munich U19 debut this past weekend, as Bayern Munich U19 hosted Slavia Prague U19. Chris entered the game in the 30th minute, with the teams tied at 1-1. Bayern Munich U19 would not allow another goal, en route to a 3-1 victory.

Besides making his debut, Chris has also participated in several practices with the senior team, and talks about it at length in this interview:

Here’s another excellent interview with Richards:

Middle East - Season Concluded

Mexico - Season Concluded

Central America - Season Concluded

Blas Perez (FCD - CSD Municipal/Guatemala): Blas had a strong season with Municipal, and was a key player for the Panama World Cup team. As a result, Blas is drawing attention from a Panamanian team:

South America

Anibal Chala (FCD - LDU Quito, Loan/Ecuador): Anibal did not feature for LDU Quito this week.

Major League Soccer

Chris Seitz (FCD - Houston Dynamo): Chris got the start Wednesday night, in Lamar Hunt US Open Cup action, against visiting Sporting Kansas City. He finished with one punch, and four saves, in a 4-2 win.

The win sees the Houston Dynamo advance to the USOC semifinals.

Next Match: Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas, Saturday, July 21, 8:00pm

Walker Zimmerman(FCD - Los Angeles FC): Walker got the start Wednesday night, in US Open Cup action, against the visiting Portland Timbers. He got the assist, on the second goal of the game:

LAFC would go on to win 3-2. The win sees Los Angeles FC advance to the USOC semifinals. Or does it?:

Next Match: Minnesota United FC vs. Los Angeles FC, Sunday, July 22, 6:00pm

Lee Nguyen (DFW - Los Angeles FC): Lee got the start Wednesday night, in the 3-2 win over the Portland Timbers. Lee played 63 minutes, and was subbed off shortly after getting a yellow card.

Next Match: Minnesota United FC vs. Los Angeles FC, Sunday, July 22, 6:00pm

Brek Shea (DFW - Vancouver Whitecaps): Brek started on the left wing, Wednesday night at the Montreal Impact, in the 1st Leg of the Canadian Championship Semifinals. Vancouver would go on to lose 1-0, and will now host Montreal in the 2nd Leg of the series.

Next Match: Seattle Sounders vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, Saturday, July 21, 3:00pm

Canadian Championship Semifinal - Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Montreal Impact, Wednesday, July 25, TBD

Richard Sanchez (AP/FCD - Chicago Fire): Richard started Wednesday night, in USOC Quarterfinals action against visiting Louisville City FC (USL). Richard would go on to earn a clean sheet, with three saves, and two punch outs, in a 4-0 Fire win.

The win sees the Chicago Fire advance to the USOC semifinals.

Next Match: Chicago Fire vs. Toronto FC, Saturday, July 21, 6:00pm

Mikey Ambrose (DFW - Atlanta United FC): Mikey suited up, but did not play in a 1-1 draw against visiting Seattle Sounders.

USL

Francis Atuahene (FCD/Loan) & Atiba Harris (FCD - Oklahoma City Energy FC): Francis and Atiba both started for the Energy, in the USL Game of the Week against the visiting Las Vegas Lights. In a game that would turn into a wild shootout, it didn’t take long for the debuting Atiba Harris to join the fun:

Atuahene would then join Atiba on the score sheet, with the fourth Energy goal:

OKC Energy would go on to post a wild wild 6-4 victory. Former FC Dallas player Eric Avila, started on the right wing for Las Vegas.

The win sees OKC Energy FC to 12th place in the Western Conference, just seven points out of the final playoff spot, with 15 games left to play.

Walker Hume (FCD - Orange County SC): Walker started Saturday, and helped OCSC achieve a clean sheet, in a 3-0 win over visiting San Antonio FC.

Walker started on Wednesday, as OCSC got their second clean sheet of the week, in a 4-0 win at the Swope Park Rangers.

The back to back wins see OCSC move up to 3rd place in the Western Conference.

Connor Presley (DFW - San Antonio FC): Connor was a 71st minute sub, in the 3-0 loss to Orange County SC.

The loss keeps SAFC, 11th place in the Western Conference.

Aaron Guillen (AP/FCD - North Carolina FC): Aaron was an 81st minute substitute, in a 1-1 draw against Bethlehem Steel.

The draw keeps North Carolina FC 13th place in the Eastern Conference.

London Woodberry ( FCD/AP - Nashville SC) - London started last Wednesday (July 11) in a 1-0 loss to the Charlotte Independence.

Corben Bone (DFW - FC Cincinnati) - Corben started at CAM in the 4-2-3-1 formation on Wednesday, and his stellar 92.2% passing accuracy, powered an attack that would score two goals. FC Cincinnati would go on to win 2-0, in front of a mid-week USL record crowd:

The win sees FC Cincinnati remain 1st place in the Eastern Conference.

Je-Vaughn Watson (FCD - Charlotte Independence): Je-Vaughn started for the Charlotte Independence, in the 2-0 loss at FC Cincinnati.

The loss sees the Charlotte Independence drop to 8th place in the Eastern Conference.

Adonijah Reid ( Loan - Ottawa Fury) - Adonijah started Wednesday night, in the 1st Leg of the Canadian Championship semifinals, against visiting Toronto FC (MLS). He and the rest of the attack would struggle, as Ottawa would go on to lose 1-0.

Ottawa Fury will now travel to Toronto FC next week, for the 2nd leg of their series.

Brandon Servania (Loan - Tulsa Roughnecks) - Tulsa’s game against St Louis SC was postponed due to inclimate weather.

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