A memorable 2015-16 season came to an end Saturday for the Chicago Fire Academy U-16 squad, which fell in its national third-place match vs. Real Colorado, 4-1, in Carson, Calif.
The group was one of four teams left standing in the chase for their age group's U.S. Soccer Development Academy national championship, taking eventual champion FC Dallas U-16s to the wire in Thursday's 1-0 loss in the tournament semifinals.
On Saturday, the Fire had hopes of ending their campaign on a winning note and entered halftime of their clash vs. Real Colorado with both sides still scoreless.