Ocean City Nor'easters To Host 2 MLS Academy Teams This Summer

OCEAN CITY, NJ — The Ocean City Nor’easters men’s soccer team already knows it will face some stiff competition when it competes in the U.S. Open Cup later this year, and in the midst of that, the team will take the pitch against a pair of top Major League Soccer academy teams.

The New England Revolution Under-23s will visit Ocean Cityon Friday, July 7, while the Nor'easters will host the D.C. United Under-23s on Saturday, July 15, the team announced this week. Both exhibition games will kick off at 7 p.m. Both teams will be making their second straight trip to the Jersey Shore.

Prior to the start of last year’s championship season, the Nor’easters defeated the United Under-23s 3-0 on May 21. Chevaughn Walsh, Tim Ogunniyi, and Nathan Regis all scored for the home team.

On June 11, Regis secured a hat trick in Ocean City’s 3-1 win over the Revolution Under-23s.

Much like the players of the Nor'easters organization, both teams feature up and coming young players who are training with the hopes of taking their game to the professional level.

D.C. United’s senior team has won 12 U.S. Soccer Majors, including four MLS Cups, three Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups wins, four MLS Supporters' Shields, and the 1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup title.

The Revolution has finished in the top five in the Eastern Conference three of the last four years under head coach Jay Heaps. The club has only one U.S. Soccer Major (2007 U.S. Open Cup), but have fallen just short of an MLS Cup title, finishing runner-up five times in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2014. Last year, they reached the U.S. Open Cup Final, but lost to FC Dallas.

Two former Nor'easters players have gone on to play with New England.

Jeremiah White, who played for Ocean City in 2003, was the club's first-ever MLS SuperDraft pick when he was taken by the Revs with the 24th overall pick in 2003. He elected to sign with a European club instead, but returned to sign with New England during the 2012 season.

Adam Williamson, who played for Ocean Cityin 2005, was taken in the third round of the MLS Supplemental Draft and spent the 2006 season with the club.

Ocean City played D.C. United’s senior team in the 2009 U.S. Open Cup, falling 2-0 at the Maryland Soccerplex.

For group tickets, email tickets@oceancityfc.com, or call the ticket office at 609-736-4849. Single game tickets are $10. Kids age five and younger get in free.

The attached image was provided by the Ocean City Nor’easters