Submitted to goalWA.net

BURLINGTON, WA— On August 2nd a group of high school soccer players from Japan landed in SeaTac airport to begin a 10-day trip to tour local colleges and universities in the hopes of getting a chance to play college soccer in the US.

Nine players from high schools across Japan comprised WithYou United, a group — though they had just met the day they would be flying to Seattle from Japan—which shared one common goal: play college soccer in the US.

Coach Oliver Wellman, a former Bellevue College and Western Washington University player, led the team to a competition in the Rush Cup, held in Burlington, Washington beginning on August 4th, 2017.

On August 4th, WithYou United took on Fury FC 00 of Pierce County. WithYou United scored the first goal within 10 minutes of the first half. Their success continued, and after showing great technical ability and disciplined play, WithYou United came away with a 7-0 victory.

On August 5th, WithYou United took on Fury FC 99. The AM kick off proved to be an obstacle, so the boys got off to a slow start and ended the first half 1-0. Fury FC showed great persistence, and after 10 minutes into the second half the score was tight, 2-1 WithYou United. Fury FC kept the pressure up and on many occasions came close to scoring. Near the end of the second half, a brilliant goal from 30 yards out, curving the ball into the upper right hand side, sealed the victory for Withyou United, with the final score of 4-1.

In the evening game, the boys faced Northeast Blazers, a team composed of college bound players who teamed up for a last tournament before college preseason started. Blazers showed their physical might, scoring 2 quick goals off a corner kick in the first half. At half time, WithYou United was down 0-3. However, the boys of WithYou United rallied behind their possession based football and put two goals in the back of the net to make it 2-3 at the final.

The rematch was set for the final on the following day, August 6th.

On August 6th, 2017 WithYou United took on the Blazers for the final. Once again the Blazers got off to a quick start, scoring a brilliant goal in the run of play. But the boys of WithYou United responded by getting one back following a high pressure moment, forcing the defender to give up the ball in the Blazers defensive third.

A game of tactical adjustment implemented by Coach Oliver, forced the Blazers into connecting short passes, not allowing them to look for that long ball in which the American players could use their superior strength and power. Yet the Blazers found a way to play a long ball over the top to force a difficult decision for the keeper to come out, 2-1, the Blazers took the lead once again. WithYou United did not shy away from this challenge and put the pressure on the Blazers’ goalie with multiple shots on goal. It all looked to be finishing up when a lucky break forced an own goal to make it 2-2. We were headed to PKs. As luck will have it, after few brilliant saves by the WithYou keeper, WithYou United won in PKs 4-2.

Coincidentally, that day, August 6th, marked the anniversary of the American bombing of Hiroshima. 72 years later, we were able to see great sportsmanship and friendship from these young men, coming together in peace through football.