The U.S. U-17 national team, during its final training camp before the U-17 World Cup that kicks off in Chile Oct. 17, lost, 5-1, and won, 1-0, in friendlies with Mexico’s U-17s at the Centro deAlto Rendimiento in Mexico City.
In the first encounter, the Americans took the lead when Brandon Vasquez met a through ball from Weston McKennie and chippedMexico’s goalkeeper Fernando Hernandez in the 23rd minute. But the Mexicans equalized two minutes later and were up 3-1 by halftime en route to the 5-1 win.
In thesecond game, Joe Gallardo’s penalty kick in the 20th minute held up for the 1-0 win. The USA was without European-based Danny Barbir, ChristianPulisic and Luca de la Torre. Coach Richie Williams must name his 21-player World Cup roster by Oct. 5.
Mexico has already named its roster, whichincludes two U.S. products, Northern Californian outside Edwin Lara (who moved to Pachuca in 2014) and goalkeeper Abraham Romero, a Southern Californian who plays forthe Los Angeles Galaxy’s U.S. Soccer Development Academy team.
The Mexican team has already arrived inChile.
Sept. 25 in Mexico City
Mexico 0 USA 1. Goal: Gallardo (pen.) 20.
Mexico — Romero (Hernandez,68); Torres (Marin, 46), Venegas (Salazar, 46), Esquivel (Vasquez, 46), Cortes; Magana (Escalante, 46), Cervantes, Lopez (E. Lara, 68), K. Lara; Zamudio (Ibarra, 46), Aguirre (Gurrola, 46).
USA — W.Pulisic; Nelson, Arellano, Trusty, Olosunde (Calvillo, 73); McCabe, Adams, Zendejas; Wright (McKennie, 93), Gallardo (Vazquez, 75), Perez (Da Silva, 55).
Mexico 5 USA 1. Goals: Aguirre 25, Torres 27, Lopez, 38, Zamudio 60, Gomez 68; Vasquez (McKennie) 22.
Mexico– Hernandez (Garcia, 63); Torres (E. Lara, 63), Venegas (Salazar, 63), Esquivel (Vasquez, 63), Cortes; Magana, Lopez (Escalante, 63), Cervantes (Ibarra de la Rosa, 63), K. Lara (Gomez, 63);E. Lara (Gurrola, 63), Zamudio (Marin, 63).
USA — Silva (Lopez, 70); Panchot (Trusty, 46), Dieterich, Velela (Arellano, 46), Cannon (Olosunde, 67); Calvillo, Gonzalez (Adams,46), McKennie (Zendejas, 67); Da Silva (Perez, 67), Vazquez (Gallardo, 67), Gaines (Wright, 46).