U.S. U-17s capture another title

• by Soccer America , Jan 25, 2014

[AEGEAN CUP] Less than six months into its new cycle, the new U.S. under-17 national team is on quite a run. After crushing England and Brazil to win the Nike International Friendlies in December, Richie Williams' U-17s beat host Turkey, 2-1, on Saturday to win the Mercedes Benz Aegean Cup.

USA-France: 2-1
USA-Norway: 5-2
USA-Scotland: 1-1

LA Galaxy Academy forward Haji Wright and Joe Gallardo, who joined Mexican club Monterrey's youth program from San Diego's Nomads, scored the U.S. goals to give them a combined five goals at the Aegean Cup. They had scored nine goals between them at the Nike Friendlies.

Wright left the game in the 70th minute and watched on crutches as his teammates celebrated the victory.

Will Pulisic claimed the tournament's Golden Glove award. Kevin Silva, who won the Golden Glove at the Nike Friendlies, did not accompany the U-17s to Turkey.

The U-17s were also missing Joshua Perez, cousin of former U.S. international and current U-15 national team coach Hugo Perez, and Danny Barbir, who was playing for Manchester City at the Al Kass International Cup in Qatar, where he scored for City against the Chicago Fire's U-16s.



Jan. 25 in Manisa
Turkey 1 USA 2. Goals: Ibrahim 58; Gallardo 53, Wright 55.
USA -- W.Pulisic, Olosunde, Lara, Velela, Arellano, Calvillo, Wright (McCabe, 70), de la Torre, C.Pulisic, Da Silva (Rice, 65), Gallardo.
Turkey -- Mehmet, Resul, Yusuf, M. Haktan (Muhammed 70), Kadir (Muhammet 56), Ibrahim (Cengizhan 72), Furkan (Mucahit 62), Sait, Seydi, Atakan (Bugracan 56), Recep.