LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. - Warm trade winds blew across Florida on Friday, where the U18s took a break to give way to the U16s on the third day of the Development Academy Showcase. The U16s got going on Thursday, and Friday presented an opportunity for the younger age group to take center stage as a number of players vied for looks at the next level.

Here’s a glimpse at some notable performances from Friday’s slate of games. 

Philadelphia Union 2-0 Capital Area Railhawks

The Union nearly nipped Chivas USA in their opener here in Florida before the Goats got an 80th minute equalizer to salvage a 2-2 draw. That gave the Philadelphia outfit some added motivation to capture the full three points headed into Friday’s battle, and the Union rightly delivered.

Morgan Hackworth, the son of senior team coach John Hackworth, delivered with a goal of the week candidate on a 25-yard free kick that gave the Union a 1-0 lead about 15 minutes into the game. Hackworth struck again about 20 minutes from time when he sliced a pinpoint 30-yard slicing cross to Isaiah Young, who only had to one-touch his shot past the keeper to double the lead and create enough cushion so the Union could coast home.

It was a solid win for a team that had nearly nipped one two days earlier.

“To turn around so quickly and get ready for this game is a credit to the players,” Union coach Jeff Cook said. “We used pretty much everybody in the squad over the two games, so that’s a positive to get all the players some experience down at this event. I think they’ll grow as players from the experience.”

Young in particular has already gotten a workout after being involved in the U16 select game on Thursday night and performing well on the right flank. He did most of his work up top on Friday, though he only played the final 45 minutes in homage to his heavy workload this week.

But the best player on the field was undoubtedly Hackworth, who epitomized industry and made the Union go over his 90 minutes. There was no bigger cause for Philadelphia’s three-point performance.

“He’s got a great engine,” Cook said. “I think he’s got a really advanced understanding of the game. He is a coach’s son. His willingness to cover space and pick up good areas - we’re trying to work with him to control the tempo and dictate our possession play, and I think he’s really growing as a player.”

Dallas Texans 2-2 Portland Timbers

This game in the later time slot on the day struggled to morph from the feeling-out stage into a fluid contest befitting the talent of both sides. The Texans did their best to made the game a straightforward affair, blunting the Timbers’ attempts to pass through the midfield and set up any semblance of a rhythm.

Still, the Texans were more or less the better side for large stretches of the first half, and they used those moments to their advantage. Less than two minutes into the game, striker Jeffrey Palomarez latched onto a free ball and poked it past the Timbers’ keeper for a shocking early lead. In those early passages, the Timbers struggled to string together passes as their midfield became distended without anyone stoking possession.

But each time the Timbers fought back. They equalized just before half on a beautiful feed from Rene Hernandez, which sprung striker Nick Evans for his first goal on the day. The Texans took the lead again when shifty forward Martin Gonzalez shimmied loose on the left and bested his marker before being brought down in the box. Keegan Woolley converted the penalty to put the Texans up again 2-1.

But once again, the Timbers fought back. They got the final equalizer about 13 minutes into the second half when Evans did it again, slicing into the penalty area to make it 2-2 and secure the Timbers’ second comeback in as many halves.

“It was an ugly game,” Timbers coach Adam Smith said. “We knew that coming in, because we were playing against a team that was quite direct, physical. We knew it was going to be a battle. It was not really the way we wanted to play the game today. We got very stretched from front to back. But I think the biggest positive was a very young team, and they actually sort of matured today. Character-wise, it was a very good lesson for them.”

Other noteworthy U16 results:

L.A. Galaxy 3-1 Houston Dynamo

Boca United 5-4 Everton FC Westchester

Colorado Rapids 0-2 Vancouver Whitecaps

Chivas USA 0-5 FC Dallas

Albertson SC 3-2 Solar Chelsea