Two Academy defenders called up to U-16 camp

Andrew Aprahamian and Mathew Real will be representing the Philadelphia Union Academy in Europe next week when they join up with the U.S. Under-16 boys’ national team camp in Clairefontaine, France.

Aprahamian and Real, both defenders on the U-15/16 team, were among nine players called into the 22-man roster from MLS academies and the only MLS academy teammates called up. Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, LA Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City and Real Salt Lake each had one player called.

The squad, composed primarily of players born in 1999, will gather from November 13-21 and are scheduled to face France's U-16s in a friendly on November 20.

Former D.C. United defender Clint Peay, a U.S. Soccer technical advisor, will oversee the camp.

Aprahamian, 15, of Malvern, has started all five games he's played in for the U-15/16 team this year and Real, 15, of Drexel Hill, has started in six games. The U-15/16 team is at the top of the East Conference standings with an 8-0 record.

Aprahamian played for Penn Fusion before joining the Union Academy last year, appearing in 23 games last season with the U-13/14s and scoring a pair of goals. Real played at FC Delco and Lower Merion before joining the academy and appeared in 26 games and scored five goals for the U-13/14s last season.

Matthew Ralph

Matthew Ralph is the managing editor of Philadelphia Soccer Now. He's covered soccer at all levels for a decade in the Philadelphia region and has also written for TheCup.us, NPSL, PrepSoccer and other publications. He lives with his wife and two young children in Broomall, Pa., but grew up in South Jersey and is originally from Kansas.

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