The U.S. Under-17 National Team played a split-squad doubleheader against the Red Bulls’ academy prospects tonight at NJIT in Newark. In the first game, the Red Bull U-16s tied the U.S. “B” team 1-1, with the “A” team beating the Red Bulls’ U-18s by a 3-1 score in the nightcap.

St. John’s freshman Walter Hines scored the lone Red Bull goal in the nightcap, an 88th-minute tally from close range. In their earlier game, the Red Bulls scored first in the 28th when Oscar Gonzalez’ shot got mishandled by GK Spencer Richey and Samuel Adjei cleaned up the rebound. The U.S. equalized 14 minutes into the second half when Hassan Saad broke free on the left side and beat GK Keith Cardona.

Red Bull prospect Juan Agudelo started for the Baby Nats and almost scored a winner seconds from full-time, but his shot rattled the crossbar. The forward/midfielder is one of the top prospects in the Red Bulls’ vaunted academy, and signing one of them has become a hot-botton topic lately with MLS loosening its rules recently. Johnny Exantus just finished the first week of a two-week trial, and 19-year-old Rutgers sophomore Dilly Duka was also working with the Red Bulls’ senior club? Do you want to see RBNY offer Johnny X a developmental deal? Hope they give Duka a Generation Adidas contract before he goes off to the Under-20 World Cup with the U.S. team?

And remember if the club does that, they can only offer one more prospect a Generation Adidas deal until Duka graduates; that means they’d have to choose between Maryland freshman Matt Kassel, Hines, perhaps Johnny X (in the unlikely event he commands one) or Agudelo, who is just 16-years-old but might well be the most promising of the entire lot.

“John is a very talented player, with exceptional technical skills, great passing abilities, and great vision,” Red Bull Under-15 coach Stan Matlak said earlier. “In my opinion, he is the most talented player in the entire RBNY Academy.”

What do you think? Share your opinion below….