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By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Editor
Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area

*Click the links on the top-left for full video and photo coverage from Thursday's games.*

With its tournament life at stake, Great Falls Elite rattled off repeated scoring chances against Blackburn Rovers FC.

Unfortunately for the team from Fairfax County, Va., however, the last line of English defense was true to form.

Blackburn goalkeeper Matthew Urwin had five saves -- and was assisted by a pair of open-goal blocked shots by his back line -- en route to a clean sheet and a 2-0 win for the Premiere League side at Georgetown University on Thursday, which locked up a berth in the Tiffany Cup championship.

"It's always good," Urwin said of his shutout. "If you keep the clean sheet, you don't lose, do you? It's always good to keep the clean sheet."

While shutouts make losses impossible, wins require goals.

And in the sixth minute, Blackburn striker Jason Blanton -- a U-17 England National Team call-up -- earned one for the visitors on a free kick.

The one-goal lead held for the remainder of the first half, despite several threats to goal from GFA Elite.

The most menacing chance was an artful volley by midfielder Dylan Bowman -- a U-17 Men's National Team pool player -- that Urwin frayed with a leaping left-handed punch in the 13th minute.

But it was not until the 61st minute that the club from Northwest England lengthened its margin.

Bowman made a long run down the left channel before firing a low shot that was kicked to the top of the box by GFA keeper Mark Bixler. Rovers midfielder Filip Pivkovski settled the rebound, dribbled to the end line and played a ball to midfielder James Knowles at the top of the six.

Knowles stretched the net with a smooth, right-footed strike, all but clinching a win and a championship game berth with Real Madrid CF at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Va., on Saturday at 11 a.m.

"It takes pressure of you," said Urwin of Knowles' insurance goal. "You still have to work hard, but it keeps pressure of you.

"That's a bit better, isn't it?"

Added Knowles, a Northern Ireland youth national team member: "It gives us more time to relax and we can bring players off, which gives us more time to relax for the final."

Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com


Blackburn Rovers FC   1  1  --  2
Great Falls Elite '91       0  0  --  0

Goals:                 
BR -- Banton (6, FK)
BR -- Knowles (61)

Blackburn Rovers FC Roster  (National Team Exp.)
1. Matthew Urwin
2. Damilola Ajagbe
3. Cameron Lindsay *(New Zealand)
4. Thomas Murray
5. Oliver Nicholas *(England)
6. Anthony O'Connor *(Rep. of Ireland)
7. Jordan Bowen *(England)
8. James Knowles *(Northern Ireland)
9. Micah Evans
10. Reece Hands
11. Jason Banton *(England)
12. Jackson Ramm
13. Connor Ripley
14. Jadan Hall
15. Travis Gray
16, Osyamen Osawe
17. Will James
18. Filip Pivkovski

*National team experience

Great Falls Elite (High School)
1. Mark Bixler, GK -- (Hidden Valley; Roanoke, Va.)
3. Roshan Patel, D -- (Langley)
4. Drew Ruggles, D -- (Osbourn Park)
5. Andrew "Bennett" Varney, D -- (Potomac School)
7. Calder Street, M -- (Centreville)
8. Calle Brown, M -- (Loudoun County)
9. James "Peyton" Case, M -- (Heritage)
10. K.C. Onyeador, F -- (Park View)
11. Dylan Bowman, F -- (James River)
12. Conor Shanosky, M -- (Potomac Falls)
17. Robert Crissy, D -- (Bishop O'Connell)
18. William Simpson, M -- (Kettle Run; Noakesville, Va.)
19. Daniel Reategui, F -- (Broad Run)
20. Jamar Umar, M -- (Chantilly)
23. Tim Whitebread, M -- (McLean)
24. Daniel Flitcroft, M -- (Langley)
25. Zach Malanoski, F -- (Gonzaga)
26. Koko Makumbi, F -- (Robinson)
27. Farhan Khan, D -- (Stuart)
36. Charlie Ahn, M -- (Oakton)