Philadelphia Union U13s score eight goals in Champions League opener

Newcomers to the Philadelphia Union Academy accounted for five of the eight goals scored in a lopsided win over Luz y Vida of Honduras to kick off Concacaf Under-13 Champions League action in Costa Rica on Saturday.

Matthew Routzahn, a new arrival from Washington United in South Jersey, had a hat trick and Aaron Heard and Gael Angel Medrano also scored in their competitive Union debuts. Dominic Wilson had a brace and was nominated for player of the day while Henry Bernstein added a goal in the rout.

Wilson, who scored 27 goals for the U13 team in Development Academy play over the past two seasons, opened the scoring in the 13th minute and Routzahn went to work eight minutes later with his first of the game. He scored again in the 24th minute and Wilson made 4-0 in the 26th minute.

Routzahn and Medrano continued the scoring spree after halftime (games are 60 minutes) with goals seconds apart and Heard and Bernstein capped off the blowout with goals in the 45th and 57th minutes. Bernstein had eight goals for the Union U13s in DA play last season.

The Union continue group B play today against Futbol Consultants of Costa Rica, which lost their first game 1-0 to Mexico club Chapulineros De Oaxaca. Games are being streamed live on the Scotiabank FC Facebook page.