Commentary
U.S. boys brilliantly book a ticket to the Under-17 World Cup
- by Mike Woitalla @MikeWoitalla, Feb 22, 2023
GK-Duran Ferree, 15-Christian Diaz, 8-Pedro Soma, 17-Keyrol Figueroa, 4-Taha Habroune, 4-Tyler Hall; 13-Aiden Harangi, 3-Sawyer Jura, 7-Brian Romero, 10-Cruz Medina, 11-David Vazquez.
Coach Gonzalo Segares' U.S. U-17s delivered some delightfully successful soccer when they faced host Guatemala in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf U-17 Championship.
The 5-3 victory earned the USA a spot at the 2023 U-17 World Cup while the performance indicated this generation of young American players could be especially intriguing to follow into the future.
Peru hosts the U-17 World Cup Nov. 10-Dec. 2, and during the months in between the U.S. boys will continue their quests to forge pro careers — all are in pro club youth programs and four have already signed pro contracts. But first they'll aim to win the regional U-17 crown.
On Friday, the USA will play either Canada or Puerto Rico in the semifinals. Reaching Sunday's final from the other side of the bracket will be the winner of Mexico vs. Panama or Honduras.
The USA last lifted the Concacaf U-17 title in 2011.
Against Guatemala on Tuesday, the USA in the 7th minute patiently combined for nine passes — including a back pass to goalkeeper Duran Ferree — before David Vazquez's under-hit pass was intercepted in the Guatemalan half. But Vazquez reacted fast and stole the ball from defender Jeffrey Lopez — one of six U.S. products on Guatemala's roster — and delivered a pass for Brian Romero to stroke home from six yards.
"The feeling was amazing," Romero, a Charlotte FC Homegrown signing, said about coming out on the Estadio Doroteo Guamuch "Mateo" Flores field. (Guatemala's national stadium is infamous for the horrific 1996 incident.) "All that energy. All that anger from the fans I think hyped the whole team up. Everybody was fired up. ...
"When David lost the ball he did a really good recovery getting the ball. He lifted his head up. I think it was me and Figgy [Keyrol Figueroa] in there. And when the ball got to my feet I was so excited. I was really happy to break the game like that. To score against the home country. The whole crowd was against us. They were all booing us. We used that as motivation."
In the 28th minute, Figueroa made it 2-0 after Vazquez, fed by Cruz Medina, managed to hit a low ball from the deep right wing to the edge of the goal area. That's where Figueroa finished on the turn, as a good center forward should. The sequence began with Ferree's chip to left back Sawyer Jura.
The reason for penalty kick call, which led to Guatemala going to halftime just 2-1 down, was hard to spot. But it may have been a good thing that for the USA that Olger Escober, a New England Revs academy player, scored. Because it set up a dramatic second half that demanded more creativity from a U.S. team that had hardly been tested in wins over Barbados (5-0), Trinidad & Tobago (3-1), Canada (1-0) and Dominican Republic (7-0).
"[At halftime], Coach was saying everything was fine and we need to come out strong in the second half," Aiden Harangi said. "But actually we didn't. We had a tough start to the second half but we still managed to get through the game."
It was Harangi who ended the tough second-half start after only six minutes with a skimming low shot from 28 yards into the low corner of the net, assisted by Medina after he beat Guatemala's right back. That made it three goals by the USA from balls driven in low from the wing, as opposed to hopeful high balls into the "mixer."
But the game stayed intense, thanks to a finish by Gabino Vasquez a minute later to make it 3-2 after defender Christian Diaz missed heading away a high bouncing ball while getting a nudge from Vasquez.
The Guatemalan goal failed to dent U.S. composure and a combination of individual skill and slick teamwork put the USA up 4-2.
Romero cut back so swiftly he left a Guatemalan sprawled on the grass. Romero somehow realized Medina was streaking through on his left — when the predictable pass would have been to Taha Habroune on the right — and with a no-look pass Romero sent Medina into the penalty area. Medina tapped the ball to Figueroa, who finished off the rebound of his first shot.
After Carlos Aguilar's header made it 4-3, it took the USA nine minutes to silence the revved up home crowd.
"One of the toughest atmosphere that I've been in," said Segares. "Our players had the personality and the guts to pull this through even with all the adversity. They never put their heads down in some very difficult conditions. I'm super proud of how they boys stayed composed.
"[At halftime] we said to stay calm. We knew we were going to play against 11 guys and the 12th, the crowd. The crowd was feeding them a lot of energy every time the ball was around our box or whenever we were committing fouls. I think we gave them a little bit of a lifeline that way, but we were able to manage to pull through."
Diaz intercepted the ball and boldly passed through the middle, where center back Tyler Hall one-touched it to Jura, whose first touch sent the ball to Vazquez near the center line.
Vazquez's first touch moved him away from the first foe and he evaded the second with a Maradona spin move. Adrian Gill and Micah Burton synchronized in the middle and after Paulo Rudisill received the ball on the right wing his low delivery made for an easy close-range finish by Habroune, who had timed his run perfectly.
"It was a great experience," said Vazquez. "A lot of trash talking from he Guatemalans in the stands. They brought an amazing atmosphere. I couldn't be happier to come out with the win."
Feb. 21 in Guatemala City
Guatemala 3 USA 5. Goals: Escobar (pen.) 45, Vasquez 52, Aguilar 74; Romero 7, Figueroa 28, 53, Harangi 51, Habroune 83.
Guatemala — Bolanos; Prillwitz (Salama, 75), Lopez, Merida, Elington (Aguilar, 11); Recinos (De Leon, 75), Sagastume (Guerra, 56), Illescas, Garzaro; Vasquez, Escober.
USA — Ferree; Harangi, Diaz, Hall, Jura; Soma, Habroune (Hawkins, 87), Medina (Gill, 70); Romero (Rudisill, 71), Figueroa (Burton, 56), Vazquez (Soto, 86).
Yellow cards: Guatemala — Illescas 38; USA — Diaz 73, Ferree 88, Burton 90. Red cards: none.
Referee: Victor Caceres (Mexico). ARs: Michel Espinoza (Mexico), Leonardo Castillo (Mexico). Fourth Official: Jefferson Escobar (Honduras)
U.S. scorers (5 games)
Keyrol Figueroa (Liverpool academy), 6 goals
Cruz Medina (San Jose Earthquakes), 3 goals
Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew academy), 3 goals
Christopher Aquino (Tacoma Defiance), 2 goals
Micah Burton (Austin FC academy), 2 goals
Ezekiel Soto (Houston Dynamo academy), 2 goals
Paulo Rudisill (LA Galaxy academy), 1 goal
Brian Romero (Charlotte FC), 1 goal
Aiden Harangi (Eintracht Frankfurt academy) 1 goal
Photos: Concacaf.com
Mike, I didn't watch any of the matches so far, but this article convinced me to watch the next one. It wasn't so much what you said, but rather than you invested a lot of time in the article. So you must believe this group was special. I trust your eyes, but I don't put much weight on what people tell reporters.
I went back and read your interview of coach Gonzalo Sagares for the first time. There wasn't much different about him unless it was a confidence and modesty underneath his responses. So now we have two relatively young Hispanic coaches in the USMNT program doing well. Hiring these two may be the best thing that happened during the last MNT cycle.
I wish that I could feel as optimistic about the WNT staff. We were really lucky to have Ellis. I don't think most fans realize how rare and special she is.
Good article. Thank you.
CVery Composed and Professional display....
Still only see #11 Vasquez(A True Left Footed-Left Winger) and "True Center Forward" Figueroa as "Top Knotch" Players, that will make it at the Next Level... (#4 some Possibilities... Gks.???)
I was Impressed with our Composure, Playing out of the Back.
Our Central Defenders, Are Better at Playing Offensively, than they are at Being Defenders.!!!
Good Team Unit,,, Well Coached... Well Prepared... Keep It Up.!!!
CVery Composed and Professional display....
Still only see #11 Vasquez(A True Left Footed-Left Winger) and "True Center Forward" Figueroa as "Top Knotch" Players, that will make it at the Next Level... (#4 some Possibilities... Gks.???)
I was Impressed with our Composure, Playing out of the Back.
Our Central Defenders, Are Better at Playing Offensively, than they are at Being Defenders.!!!
Good Team Unit,,, Well Coached... Well Prepared... Keep It Up.!!!
CVery Composed and Professional display....
Still only see #11 Vasquez(A True Left Footed-Left Winger) and "True Center Forward" Figueroa as "Top Knotch" Players, that will make it at the Next Level... (#4 some Possibilities... Gks.???)
I was Impressed with our Composure, Playing out of the Back.
Our Central Defenders, Are Better at Playing Offensively, than they are at Being Defenders.!!!
Good Team Unit,,, Well Coached... Well Prepared... Keep It Up.!!!
Oops... Entered that Twice some how as I was Writing....
CONGRATULATIONS on Qualifying for the World Cup...
Turned out to be 3 times... Very Strange.!!!
Congrats to the boys on qualifiying. Win a win, but this was red-herring for me. Watched most of the game. Guatemala very poor, lost to Panama 0-1 and Mexico 0-2, then got a couple of CONCACAF cream puff caribbean island teams and beat each soundly. They were on equal or more shots than the U.S. well into the second half, for extended periods they pinned USA back, their keeper was not on a good day, a decent keep would have stopped several of U.S. goals. Composed? Seriously? This team cannot go deep in world class level tournaments unless they figure out how to stop shipping goals and their coaches learn to adjust tactics and use subs to slow down and close games. Here you lead, 2-0, give one. Then get and another and give another. Then again another, until the 5th for the U.S.. Guatemala showed a lot of spirit, as one would expect at home in national stadium, however, their defending was far from world class. The U.S. never adjusted to the situation, being ahead, needing to close out. When you have these situations, you have to use them to test closing out games with players, tactics and formations. There was some very poor decision making in the back line that kept shipping goals, there were not changes made, one U.S. player was involved in all three of their goals. Young guys, they can learn. They could/should have up to 2 more games. Make the most of it boys!
Glad to see the away atmosphere didn't put them off their game. Still got CONCACAF'd, though. 8th minute in, super dangerous play by #16 Elington results in....no card? I guess because he hurt himself, ref just suspends the LOTG? Then in the 43rd minute a hand ball call. Even without slow motion replay you can see there was no Handling, but center gives it anyway after conferring with AR? I don't expect that officiating team to go much further, but maybe CONCACAF rewards that kind of performance?
Having been on both those Fields in Guatemala, I can Tell you, they are Terrible...
True CONcacaCrApF
Only Redeaming Value is to Look over the South Goal in Antigua, and See a Hugh Puffing Volcano,
Sprouting Up out of, what seems like the Street Behind the Goal.!!!
Very Inspiring...
Not so Inspiring... The smell of Urine in the Hallway as you walk out on to the Pitch.!!!
NIce win and great covera
Nice win and great coverage Mike!