Team Chicago Academy-Botafogo remained unbeaten with a 0-0 tie today against Connecticut FC at the US Youth Soccer National Championships in Overland Park, Kansas. After both teams opened play with a 2-1 victory on Tuesday they sit tied atop Pool A with 4 points and a 2-1 goal-difference.

Botafogo will now need to beat Oklahoma FC by a bigger margin than Connecticut FC beats Lou Fusz Wipke in tomorrow’s 11:30am games to secure a spot in the National Champions game on Sunday.

Botafogo played a solid game and created by far the most chances. A 4-1 or 4-2 scoreline in Botafogo’s favor would not have been an unfair result. But a combination a great goaltending and a little lack of composure denied Botafogo the deserved win.

Megan Geldernick earned the shutout in goal with a strong performance aided by a solid back-line of Hope D’Addario, Rachele Armand, Jenna Romano, Dana Miller and AJ Jakuszewski.

Team Chicago Academy-Botafogo got off to a winning start at the USYS National Championships in Overland Park, KS by beating Lou Fusz Wipke from Missouri 2-1 behind Ashley Handwork’s brace in the 2nd half. It was a very intense and hard-fought game where Botafogo never really got its passing game going.

After a scoreless first half, Ashley Handwork opened the scoring in the 55th minute when she stole the ball from a Lou Fusz defender and drove by two defenders to easily score. However, Lou Fusz answered right back when Hannah Leinert tied the game three minutes later. However, Botafogo was not to be denied and in the 78th minute Ashley Handwork would get the game-winner off Heather Handwork and Bryce Banuelos’ assists.

Megan Geldernick had a solid game in goal for Botafogo.

Up next is Connecticut FC, who defeated Oklahoma FC 2-1, on Thursday at 8:30am. With a win in that game Botafogo would be all but assured a spot in the National Championship game on Sunday.

Ahead of last Saturday’s Messi & Friends match at Soldier Field Antonio, Francesca, and Emilia Magno decided to kill some time at the Michigan Avenue Apple store. To their great surprise Lionel Messi and fellow Argentine National Team star Ezequiel Lavezzi, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, had the same idea, so they got to meet the two soccer superstars.

Luckily, the Magnos who all play for Team Chicago are huge Argentina fans, so they were all decked out in their Argentina soccer jerseys for the once-in-a-lifetime photo-op.

Team Chicago Academy-Internacional winger Tori Christiansen has accepted a great scholarship offer to continue her soccer career at Miami University of Ohio. Tori, who plays her prep soccer for Head Coach Julie Bergstrom at Waubonsie Valley H.S., will be part of Miami Head Coach Bobby Kramig’s 2015 recruiting class.

Miami is a perennial powerhouse in the Mid-American Conference. At Miami Tori will be joining Team Chicago Academy-Botafogo standout Dana Miller who is part of the 2013 recruiting class.

Team Chicago Academy-Cruzeiro went to Toyota Park this afternoon to meet their namesake Cruzeiro Esporte Clube from Brazil. Cruzeiro is one of the biggest and most storied teams in Brazil.

The girls had the opportunity to watch practice and then meet the players, the mascot Raposao (The Big Fox), and Head Coach Marcelo Oliviera. At 3pm tomorrow the girls will attend the Cruzeiro-Morelia game at Toyota Park where four players will walk onto the field with the Cruzeiro players during the pre-game ceremony. At halftime the entire team will get a chance to play a scrimmage on the field.