U.S. U-15 boys beat Italy to reach tourney final

The U.S. U-15 boys national team, coached by John Hackworth, scored 12 goals in its three group-stage games at the Torneo Delle Nazioni before reaching the final with a penalty-kickshootout win after a scoreless semifinal against host Italy.

After playing its first three games in Slovenia, which is hosting the 12-team tournament along with Austria and Italy, the USA facedthe Italians in Romans D’Isonzo. The Americans were unable to capitalize on the 56th minute ejection of midfielder Sdaigui Zakaria but prevailed, 5-4, in the shootout. U.S.goalkeeper Eric Lopez saved Italy’s fifth shot from the spot to tie the shootout, 4-4, after five rounds. Tim Weah converted the USA’s sixth shot before Italy’sGavioli Lorenzo missed.

The USA faces Austria, a 2-0 semifinal winner over Slovenia, in the final on Friday.

The Americans clinched a semifinal spot with wins overCosta Rica (4-1) and Croatia (6-2), before falling to Slovenia, 3-2.

Tourneo Delle Nazioni Semifinal
April 29 in Romans D’Isonzo,Italy.
Italy 0 USA 0. (USA wins, 5-4, on PKs).
Italy — Alessandro, Raoul, Gomes, B.Davide, Federico (Simone, 65th), Zakaria, Lorenzo, Salvatore(Andrea, 41), Marco (Ludovico, 41), M. Davide (Federico, 59; Flavio Junior, 84th Bioty Moise.
USA — Lopez, Bailey, Lindsey, Cornfield-Saunders, Vaughn, Durkin, Goslin, Acosta,Del Rosario (Weah, 58th), Akinola (Villegas, 75th), Carleton.

Group C
April 27 in Nova Gorica, Slovenia
Slovenia 3 USA 2. Goals:Bijol 23, Zan 37 Kerin 40; Goslin 66, Acosta 70.
Slovenia — Bicic, Hodzic, Drkusic, Urh, Mesaric (Spanja, 50), Bijol, Medved (Milic, 48), Bozic (Rogelj, 36), Horvat (Kovacic,58), Kerin (Jasaragic, 60), Celarn (Piskule, 65).
USA — Lopez, Perez, Arteaga (Vaughn, 42), McGann (Lindsey, 12), Cornfield-Saunders, Anguiano Diaz (Goslin, 46), Durkin,Villegas (Acosta), Weah (Bailey, 54), Del Rosario (Akinola, 46), Carleton.

April 26 in Renje, Slovenia.
USA 6 Croatia 2. Goals: Akinola (Acosta) 31,Akinola (Acosta) 42, Akinola (Villegas) 45, Akinola (Villegas) 60, Carleton (Akinola), Carleton (Villegas) 65.
USA — Budnik, Lindsey (Perez, 53), McGann, Cornfield-Saunders,Vaughn (Durkin, 53), Goslin, Ferri (Anguiano Diaz, 60), Villegas, Acosta (Carleton, 60), Akinola, Bailey.
Croatia — Pandur, Kapitanovic, Jelenic (Palaversa, 36), Radic, Colina(Krizmanic, 36), Dumlijan, Lovric (Franjic, 36), Pavlak, Petrovic (Ernst, 36), Baturina, Vuk (Marin, 18).

April 25 in Vipolze, Slovenia.
USA 4 Costa Rica1. Goals: Carleton 10, del Rosario (Weah) 17, del Rosario (Weah) 23, Carleton (del Rosario) 28; Valverde 2.
USA — Lopez, Perez, Arteaga, Lindsey, Vaughn(Cornfield-Saunders, 56), Durkin, Anguiano Diaz (Ferri, 56), Taitague (Acosta, 28), Weah (Villegas, 50), Del Rosario (Akinola, 50), Carleton (Bailey, 50).
Costa Rica — Mejas,Loasiga, Morales, Guzman, Bolivar Garcia, Salazar (Quesada, 43),Bustamante (Fonseca, 36), Guiles (Vargas, 36), Roldan (Guzman, 54), Vado (Tristan, 66), Valverde.