[REACTION: Mexico-USA] U.S under-20 national team coach Tab Ramos summed up the Mexico-USA final for Concacaf U-20supremacy nicely. “This is an experience that obviously we couldn’t pay for,” he said. The U-20s came to Puebla with one goal in mind: qualify for the Under-20 World Cup. Going on and playingarchrival Mexico, arguably the best team in the world at the youth level, in a packed house was the kind of experience you don’t get every day the under-20 level.
USA-Cuba:
“I’m proud of the effort they made,” Ramos said after the 3-1overtime loss. “I’m proud that they were able to grow in a game like this.”
In particular, Ramos loved how his players reacted after going down a goal early in the game.
“I think we did very well,” he said. “This just shows the character of the players that we have coming up through the U.S. We’re not only playing in a difficult environment but we takea goal early and we take a goal when we’re attacking, and the players responded well. We got a goal back and we almost got another one right away. I’m very happy about the response of theplayers.”
The U.S. players tired late in the game, but Ramos was handcuffed because he only had 12 healthy field players available for the game. Daniel Cuevas, the star of the tournament for the USA up until the final, did not play because of an ankle injury.
“There’s no question with about 10 minutesleft in the game, in regulation time,” Ramos said, “that I started to think about the possibility of making some changes to try to either win the game right at the end or start thinking also intoovertime. If there was a possibility, I know that Daniel Cuevas really wanted to play. The doctor, we had a discussion during the game, and the doctor didn’t think it was a good idea. Danielsaid ‘I really want to play.’ But that was one of those things where maybe we could have put him in for 10 minutes and I didn’t want to put him in the last 10 minutes of the gamebecause then if we didn’t win we’d have to go to overtime and he couldn’t play for that long.”
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Ramos quotes and Soccer America writes: “Arguably, Mexico the best Team in the World at the Youth Level?” Guys, please quote and write responsibly!!! This is one of the ridiculous statements written I have ever read! Yes, the United States gave it an effort and should be congratulated!
Let’s see. Mexico won U17 W.C. in 2011 of which 6 of those players are on this team. They took 3rd at U20 W.C. that same year. They won U23 Olympics with absolutely no Euro based players beating a team full of them in Brazil. Ridiculous?? Explain please.
Congratulations to both teams for a good competitive match. The US showed good skills and attacked effectively. The Mexicans were also very good but at times i thought I was watching the Mexican Acting & Diving Team. That stuff has got to stop. It’s killing the game. Also the refereeing was suspect. He robbed us of a second PK [no guts to call it in Mexico against Mexico] but he gave them a patsy PK later in the match. No balance at all. Mexico’s second goal was a great strike!