U.S. SOCCER: Adu hat trick leads U-17s to win over Poland in France

• by Soccer America , Oct 31, 2003

Freddy Adu scored a hat trick with goals in the fifth, 30th and 57th minutes to lead the U.S. under-17 national team (players born on or after Jan. 1, 1987) to a 3-2 victory over Poland at the Val de Marne Tournament in France.

The U-17s, who lost to Japan, 2-0, Tuesday, consist of players, mostly high school seniors, in the expanded residence program in Bradenton, Fla, plus former U-17 player Brian Mascarenhas, who is in English club Tottenham's academy program.

Most of the U-17s are not eligible for the next Under-17 World Cup. Three U-16 players (eligible for the 2005 U-17 World Cup) played against Poland: Ryan Soroka, Quavas Kirk and Richard Edgar. Adu, 14, is ineligible for the next U-17 World Cup since FIFA rules prohibit a player from appearing in more than one Under-17 World Cup tournament.