By Mike Woitalla
Mexico entered the qualifying tournament for the 2017 U-20 World Cup having won the last three Concacaf U-20 Championship titles, in 2011, 2013 and 2015, andhadn’t lost a game in the competition since 2009. The last time the USA had beaten Mexico in a competitive U-20 game was in 1986, when the Americans qualified for the 1987 U-20 World Cup, whereits squad included Tony Meola, Marcelo Balboa and Jeff Agoos.
On Monday, the USA beat Mexico, 1-0, in the first of its twosecond-round games at the Concacaf U-20 Championship, which means a U.S. tie or win against El Salvador on Friday will clinch a World Cup berth for the USA. (The USA would also qualify with a loss onFriday if El Salvador beats or ties Mexico on Wednesday.)
The win by Coach Tab Ramos‘ team, on a 29th minute goal by captain Erik-Palmer Brown, ended theUSA’s eight-game losing streak against El Tri’s U-20s, which had gone 20 games without a loss in Concacaf Championship play.
Mexico entered the gamehaving won its three first-round games over Antigua & Barbuda (3-0), Canada (5-0) and Honduras (1-0). The USA opened with a 1-0 loss to Panama before beating Haiti, 4-1, and St. Kitts & Nevis,4-1.
Palmer-Brown scored with a 6-yard header from Brooks Lennon’s corner kick. Besides Palmer-Brown’s strike, neither team created solid scoring chances in thefirst half, but for most of the first 45 minutes the Americans succeeded in pinning the Mexicans in their own half. It was much the same in the second half as Palmer-Brown led a U.S. midfield thatprevented the Mexicans from finding their rhythm.
“It felt great but I think what felt the best was the fact our team gave everything it had and didn’t really give options to Mexico towin the game,” said U.S. coach Tab Ramos. “We know Mexico is always a high-scoring team. Weknow they always create a lot of chances. And we gave them very little if anything at all today. The team made an incredible effort and we got the result.”
Shortly after the second-halfkickoff, central defender Tommy Redding slid to clear a threatening low ball near goal area to deny Ronaldo Cisneros a shot — but it wasn’t a sign of amore lethal Mexican attack. Cisneros, who entered the game with a tournament-leading five goals, saw little of the ball and it wasn’t until the final minutes that the Mexicans, who finished thegame without a shot on frame, had any sustained possession in the U.S. half. But even late in the game, it was the USA that came closest to scoring as Mexican keeper Jose Hernandezdenied Coy Craft and Jonathan Lewis on breakaways.
“I think what was important for us is that tactically we wanted to push them from the start of the play,”Ramos said. “We didn’t want them to feel comfortable at all in the game and I think the boys did a great job. It requires a big effort in order to not allow a team to play. And we did thattoday.”
Feb. 27 in Tibas, Costa Rica
USA 1 Mexico 0
Goal: Palmer-Brown (Lennon) 29,
USA– Klinsmann, Fossey, Redding, Glad, Acosta, Palmer-Brown, Adams, de la Torre (Gutjahr, 90), Williamson (Lewis, 80), Lennon, Ebobisse (Craft, 57).
Mexico —J.Hernandez, Cortes, Alvarez, Aguayo, Torres, Antena, Cervantes, Cordova (Lara 55), Aguirre (Zamudio, 78), Magana (Lopez, 46), Cisneros.
Referee: Melvin Matamoros(Honduras).
Stats: USA/Mexico
Shots: 8/3
Shots on target: 4/0
Saves: 0/3
CornerKicks: 5/6
Fouls: 22/14
Offside: 1/4
Yellow cards: Alvarez (Mexico) 61, Palmer-Brown (USA) 90.
U.S. U-17 boys prep in Honduras
The U.S. U-17 boys national team is in Hondurasfor a training camp preparing for the U-17 World Cup qualifying tournament hosted by Panama (April 21–May 7). Coach John Hackworth took a 26-player squad to San PedroSula. The USA played Honduras in a friendly Monday and will have a rematch with the Catrachos Thursday.
U.S. U-17 boys national team
GOALKEEPERS (3): Alexander Budnik (Sockers FC; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Justin Garces (Kendall SC; Miami, Fla.), Quantrell Jones (Baltimore Celtic; Baltimore, Md.).
DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Asensio (Atlanta United; Roswell, Ga.), Ethan Bartlow (Crossfire Premier, Woodinville, Wash.), Jean-Julien Foe Nuphaus (Unattached, San Jose, Calif.),Christopher Gloster (New York Red Bulls; Montclair, N.J.), Jaylin Lindsey (Sporting Kansas City; Charlotte, N.C.), Rayshaun McGann (Philadelphia Union; Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), James Sands (New YorkCity FC; Rye, N.Y.), Arturo Vasquez (FC Golden State; Mira Loma, Calif.).
MIDFIELDERS (10): George Acosta (Weston FC; Hollywood, Fla.), Isaac Angking (New England Revolution;Providence, R.I.), Grayson Barber (Sporting Kansas City; Blythewood, S.C.), Taylor Booth (Real Salt Lake AZ; Eden, Utah), Christopher Durkin (D.C. United; Glen Allen, Va.), Blaine Ferri (Solar ChelseaSC; Southlake, Texas), Christopher Goslin (Atlanta United; Locust Grove, Ga.), Indiana Vassilev (IMG Academy; Savannah, Ga.), Adrian Villegas (Portland Timbers; Hood River, Ore.), Akil Watts (IMGAcademy; Fort Wayne, Ind.).
FORWARDS (5): Ayo Akinola (Toronto FC; Brampton, Ont.), Nicolas Garcia-Morillo (Atletico Madrid; Madrid, Spain), Bryan Reynolds Jr. (FC Dallas;Little Elm, Texas), William Sands (New York City FC; Rye, N.Y.), Joshua Sargent (Scott Gallagher Missouri; O’Fallen, Mo.).
U.S. U-18 girls tie England, 0-0
The U.S. U-18 women’s national team tied 0-0 with England to finish off its10-day training camp in England that included a 3-1 win over the host six days earlier and a 5-0 win over Norway. The April Heinrichs-coached U.S. team U-18s once again outshotEngland, but goalkeeper Hannah Hampton posted seven saves and shut out Sophia Smith and Summer Yates, who had scored five and two goals, respectively, in the previous two games.
Feb. 25 inWellington
England 0 USA 0.
England — Hampton; Pattinson, Palmer, Morgan, Cooke, Taylor (O’Donnell, 78), Douglas, Hemp, Neville, Syme,Ravenscroft (Lalani, 78).
USA — Hancuff; Bell, Martinez, Holmes,Piper, Viggiano (Vergura, 70), Dyke (Nighswonger, 55), Yates, Jones (Vatne, 70), Spaanstra, Smith,
Referee: Thomas Cooke
Att.: 250
Stats Summary: England/USA
Shots: 8/12
Shots ontarget: 6/7
Saves: 7/6
Corner Kicks: 1/6
Fouls: 4/3
Offside: 2/1
Holy smokes! Don’t really understand some of you commenters! Here we have los Gringuitos our USMNT beat my home country of Mexico 1-0, the U18 WNTA ties jolly old England, the Men/s/Boys USMNT U17 prep in Honduras, and not a peep from yall!!! What, que paso, you only write if we get beat? How about writing when we win, or tie and/or even prep for forthcoming games? Wow, sometimes I really wonder about you guys!!!
Would really help if i could at least watch the replay on the u20 match. Against mexico you think there would be more exposure. The highlights aren’t enough to tell how the team is playing. Good result, but were they just separated by one set piece? Anyway, some breathing room for Tab’s squad is good. one down, two more to go.