By Mike Woitalla
If you watched the USA at the U-20 World Cup in New Zealand — you saw it score just one goal in its final 300 minutes of play. On the other hand, it didn’tconcede a goal in its final 210 minutes — and missed a semifinal spot by losing a penalty-kick shootout to Serbia.
Compared to the USA’s previous results at the biennial worldchampionship, Tab Ramos’ team fared well, advancing to the second round for the first time since 2007 and the quarterfinals for the fifth time in 14 U.S. appearances.
USA Under-20 World Cup Finishes:
YEAR PLACE (W-L-T)
1989: 4th place (2-3-1)
2003: 5th place(3-2-0)
2015: 7th place (3-1-1)
2007: 7th place (3-1-1)
1993: 8th place (1-2-1)
(PK shootout games are consideredties.)
The draw was kind to the Americans in New Zealand, opening against a debutant Myanmar, which the USA beat, 2-1. Next came host, New Zealand, which had never won a U-20 WorldCup game and which the Americans dispatched, 4-0, to secure passage before falling, 3-0, to Ukraine.
Colombia outshot the USA, 24-8, in their round of 16 clash in which the Americansprevailed, 1-0, with a Rubio Rubin goal. Zack Steffen preserved the lead with a penalty kick save.
Tab Ramos: ‘They showed a lot of courage’
For sure, the USA, impressed defensively, asidefrom the Ukraine game. Central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is only 17 and 19-year-old Matt Miazga has already been starting for the New York Red Bulls.
Attacking players Emerson Hyndman, Rubio Rubin, Paul Arriola and Gedion Zelalem all shone at times. Zelalem, only 18 and eligible for the next U-20 World Cup,displayed some of the most impressive ball skills ever seen in a U.S. jersey. This team, however, failed besides in the New Zealand game to control the play for prolonged periods. Hyndman and Zelalemspent much of the knockout stage play toiling along with the defenders rather than creating U.S. chances.
The USA may have come within a penalty-kick tiebreaker of the semifinals, but in thescoreless quarterfinal marathon, the Serbs outshot the Americans, 19-8.
Ramos did have the luxury of the most experienced squad the USA has ever brought to a U-20 World Cup. All of the fieldplayers are signed with professional clubs and 13 of them have made their professional debuts. No longer does the USA have the excuse that it’s matching inexperienced players against theopponents’ young pros.
Which makes a quarterfinal finish thanks mainly to solid defensive play a good but not extraordinary result for Ramos’ team.
Goalkeeper Zack Steffen averaged the highest marks in Soccer America’s reportcards over the USA’s five-game U-20 World Cup campaign.
Team Ratings:
AVG. GAME
4.07 USA-Myanmar 2-1 (
6.23 USA-New Zealand 4-0 (
3.15 USA-Ukraine 0-3 (
5.75 USA-Colombia 1-0 (Report Card)
5.25 USA-Serbia 0-0; PKs, 5-6 (Report Card)
Zack Steffen (Photo courtesy ofU.S. Soccer.)
Player Ratings:
AVG. PLAYER GAMES
6.20 Zack Steffen Grades 4/6/5/8/8
5.80 Rubio Rubin Grades 7/8/3/7/4
5.75 Paul Arriola Grades -/7/4/6/6
5.75 Matthew Miazga Grades 4/5/-/8/6
5.60 Cameron Carter-Vickers
5.50 John Requejo Grades -/6/-/NR/5
5.40 Emerson Hyndman
5.33 Desevio Payne Grades -/5/-/6/5
5.00 Gedion Zelalem
4.67 Tommy Thompson Grades 3/6/-/NR/5
4.40 Marco Delgado
4.00 Jordan Allen Grades 3/-/3/6/-
4.00 Bradford Jamieson
4.00 Joel Sonora Grades 3/NR/4/-/5
3.25 Kellyn Acosta
3.00 Shaquell Moore Grades 4/-/2/-/-
One Game:
6.00 Maki Tall Grades 6/-/-/-/-
3.00 Eric Palmer-Brown Grades -/-/3/-/-
NR Conor Donovan Grades -/-/NR/-/-
No Games:
Thomas Olsen Grades -/-/-/-/-
Jefferson Caldwell Grades -/-/-/-/-
NR=no rating.
–=didnot play.
(1=low; 5=average; 10=high)
Kind of disappointing how little firepower there was after the first two matches (against weak sides). Success will be moving beyond “Plucky and ‘well-organized’ but punchless.”
Don’t shoot the messenger, but one could make the ol’ argument, that we were outsized and less physical. Don’t start with the “play-style can nullify physicality” cause we were knocked around pretty handily in the last two matches; and if you can’t keep possession, it’s pretty tough to create chances.
Funny, there seems to be not that much “knocking around” of physically small players like Messi, is there? The fact is, we did not have what it required to advance further than we did. And, again the question must be asked, are we fielding the best players?? Where, for example is Romain Gall?
So, maybe it was my imagination, but our biggest (tallest) player seemed to be long and lanky. And the rest of our team seemed smaller than the Ukraine players. They had a couple bruisers who looked like they’d been lifting weights for years. Chris is right. We got knocked around quite a bit. Messi is small, but he has talented teammates who also draw the attention of defenders…and some of those teammates are fair-sized, too. Jozy is our resident bruiser for the USMNT. He is not one of my favorite players (I still wish Klinsmann had given Adu a couple chances, but Freddy could be knocked all over the field while Jozy is rock solid). Such a shame that injuries forced some of our starters to miss games. But it happens, as we all know….
Winston, seriously? You couldn’t tell the difference out there? And you’re comparing a Messi with his vision and pace to a Raquejo/Arriola mold?(nice players to be sure…hardly able to get by a defender when pressed to do so) Point is, the US was unable to adjust to the physicality the CR was allowing, and it’s reflected in the disparity in shots and chances created. Why when someone mentions physicality is it always referenced as a negative? Do you think the players should just complain that they don’t agree with how the other team is banging on them, or should they get on with it and match the level the CR has determined sporting if they want to be successful? Ginger seems to get it, and Klinns has said it numerous times.
@ Ginger.. Wasn’t your imagination… Those Serb boys looked like Battle Hardened Automatons… It will be interesting to see if they are as effective at the next levels… Just like many of the African Countries in these age groups, you have to wonder about their **Real** Birthdates… I’m not saying they are Cheating Intentionally, But how long ago was the War in Serbia…Seems like some Records might have not been kept very well….And we all know what 6 months can mean in an ODP age…
The USA’s team was not impressive and without the Goalkeeper Steffen, it would have been a disaster. A few nice goals but as a whole, the team was average. Also, the players were not consistant throughout the tournament and no one stood out as a STAR! Good effort but I wonder whether the team did not progress because of the coaching or becasue of the player selection.
The injuries suffered by Tall & Jamieson did not help matters. I have to think that having them would have made the games different, if not the ultimate outcome.
@Georges.. Did u Miss Arriola and Carter-Vickers??? BOTH Excellent and Consistent…