By Mike Woitalla
The USA made history on Tuesday when for the first time it won its first two games at a U-20 World Cup. Coach Tab Ramos‘ team, in its 4-0 winover New Zealand, also marked the first time the USA started a lineup of field players at a U-20 World Cup who neverplayed college soccer.
In fact, Ramos’ 21-player roster is the first of the USA’s 14 U-20 World Cup squads, dating back to 1981, that does not include any current collegiatefield players.
Three of the 2015 field players have some college experience. Midfielder Jordan Allen, who started in the 2-1 opening win over Myanmar, played one season atVirginia. Midfielder Tommy Thompson, who came off the bench in both games, played a season at Indiana, and defender Conor Donovan, who has yet to see action, playedone season at North Carolina State. All three are now with MLS clubs.
Ramos, speaking with Soccer America’s Paul Gardner about college ball in a 2013 interview, said:
“College now is not as important — we know that most of thebest players don’t go to college — it’s a secondary option. If they go, they stay one or two years only. Twenty games a year are just not enough. Plus, the free substitution rule makes ita different game. … Maybe it still makes sense for a goalkeeper.”
Ramos’ starting goalkeeper, Zack Steffen, played two years at the University of Marylandbefore going pro with Germany’s SC Freiburg. Reserve keepers Jeff Caldwell (Virginia) and Thomas Olsen (San Diego) are the squad’s only currentcollegians.
Four of the starters against New Zealand went straight to MLS: Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Marco Delgado (Chivas USA, now Toronto FC), MattMiazga (New York Red Bulls), Bradford Jamieson (LA Galaxy).
Two went abroad before finishing high school: Emerson Hyndman (Fulham) and GedionZelalem (Arsenal). Two moved overseas after high school: Paul Arriola (Tijuana) and Rubio Rubin (Utrecht). And two grew up abroad: CameronCarter-Vickers (England, Tottenham Hotspur) and Desevio Payne (Netherlands, FC Groningen).
Under-20 World Cup: Results & Schedule
Skillful Thompson studied videos
Tommy Thompson, a player Ramos describes as “extremely creative, extremely skillful with the ball,” explained how hewas a “virtual student of Brazilian greats Ronaldinho and Ronaldo” in a San Francisco Chronicle feature:
“I spent hours with the ball, just juggling andtrying new things, whether it was by myself or with a few friends. I’d study the videos and want to learn and want to master the skills that I’d see on my computer screen.”
Thompson’s father,Gregg Thompson, played two years in the old NASL and in the Major Indoor Soccer League after starring at Indiania University, and also played for the USA at the 1984 Olympics. Atfirst, he discouraged his son from trying spectacular moves and implored him “to keep it simple.” But he soon realized Tommy was on the right track.
“He’d do these flips orsomething — he’d pull that stuff on me and I was just helpless,” said Gregg Thompson, a former defender. “I just thought, ‘If he can do that on me, I’m going to letthis thing go, because he could turn this into something.’”
Thompson joined the Earthquakes in 2014.
AMERICANS ABROAD: Russell Canouse, who captained the USA during U-20 World Cupqualifying play but was a late scratch after suffering an ankle injury, has re-signed to a two-year contract with German club Hoffenheim, which he joined in 2014 from the New York Red Bullsacademy.
Roster: U.S. U-15 boys head to Argentina
Coach John Hackworth has named 20 playersfor the U.S. U-15 national team’s second training camp of 2015, to be held from June 4-14 in Buenos Aires.
The U-15s will face Uruguay on June 8 and June 10 and Paraguay on June 12.
Fifteen players on the roster were part of the squad that won the Tournament delle Nazioni in Gradisca d’Isonzo in Italy last month.
“It is always an important experience for ouryoung players to compete against the South America soccer powers of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay,” Hackworth said. “Perhaps just as important is also the valuable learning experience ofplaying in such an amazing soccer culture as Argentina. The history, passion and environment will undoubtedly provide our team a unique opportunity.”
U.S. U-15boys national team
GOALKEEPERS: Alexander Budnik (Sockers FC; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Carlos Dos Santos (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.).
DEFENDERS(6): Jake Arteaga (LA Galaxy; Glendora, Calif.), Kelee Cornfield-Saunders (Chivas USA; San Marcos, Calif.), Jaylin Lindsey (Sporting Kansas City; Olathe, Kan.), Bryan Perez (Sherman OaksExtreme SC; Los Angeles, Calif.), Tyler Shaver (Beachside SC; Riverside, Conn.), Chandler Vaughn (D.C. United; Woodbridge, Va.).
MIDFIELDERS: George Acosta (Estudiantes de LaPlata; Miami, Fla.), Carlos Anguiano Diaz (Chivas USA; Los Angeles, Calif.), Christopher Durkin (Richmond United; Glen Allen, Va.), Blaine Ferri (Solar Chelsea; Southlake, Texas), Christopher Goslin(Georgia United; Locust Grove, Ga.), Adrian Villegas (Portland Timbers; Hood River, Ore.).
FORWARDS (6): Ayomide Akinola (Toronto FC; Brampton, Ont.), Zico Bailey (LA Galaxy;Las Vegas, Nev.), Andrew Carleton (Georgia United; Powder Springs, Ga.), Mario Licor (Orlando City SC; Titusville, Fla.), Nicolas Morillo-Garcia (Weston FC; Miami, Fla.), Kevin Negrete (LA Galaxy;Hawthorne, Calif.).