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U.S. Under-17s rout Cuba, 5-0

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Jack McInerney recorded two goals and two assists to help lead the U.S. Under-17 national team to a 5-0 victory over Cuba in their opening match of the CONCACAF Under-17 championships in Tijuana, Mexico. Stefan Jerome scored the opening goal while Luis Gil added a goal and two assists.

The U.S. team continues tournament play on Thursday against Canada, with the goal of moving a step closer to qualifying for the U.S. Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria in October.

Comments

  1. Wow you guys are crazy on here. They win 5-0 to a team that scored 29 goals and gave up like 4 in the runup to the tournament and all we talk about is how these guys are going to be the next quavas kirk or how overrated they are or how crappy the opponent is. If everyone would just get over the fact that we ain’t Brazil or Argentina or France or whoever yet and just see that we have some talent in the youth ranks that could be pushing us forward in the future it would be refreshing.

    What I have is seen is that Wilmer has taken these guys all over the world to play good games and that will payoff in the end. I see some skill, guile, speed, size and muscle on the team that other teams have not had before them. Someone mentioned how small JM is? Look as USSOCCER.com and you will see the kid is 5’10 and growing. Just be happy we are playing well.

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  2. Not a great game, but not a great opponent. It really is going to always be difficult for the U.S. when our qualification opponents are this bad. I’m pretty sure there are several American High School teams that could’ve put 5 past Cuba.

    I’ll confess, I was expecting better possession from a team that is coached by a Colombian legend. I guess he can only have them play to their strengths. The McKinery kid looks a decent player, but is small. It’ll be interesting to see him play against European kids in the U-17 WC.

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  3. ” why don’t you go ahead and annoint them like you did…”

    Reminds one of the immortal words of Denis Green — If you wanna crown them, then crown their ass!

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  4. Jerome better than Altidore? Wasn’t altidore scoring MLS playoff goals at this age?

    i hope the best for these kids, but why don’t you go ahead and annoint them like you did with Szetela, and Zimmerman, and George Weah Jr, Barret, Gaven, Hill, Ferrari, Nguyen, Angulo, Smith Dalby, yada yada yada…

    I’ll wait for the ones you didn’t annoint, like Edu, Kljestan, Ching, Clark, Bradley, etc.

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  5. RK, They’re going to be there for awhile.
    I’ve only seen the U-17s when they have played on Fox Soccer Channel the past two years.
    And from that, Jerome is not the next Altidore. He looks to have better technique than Jozy but is much more thin than Jozy (at 16, he turns 17 in August).
    Jerome is a streaky finisher. He’ll be an awesome player when he fills out and learns to be consistent in front of goal.
    McInerney can be the next McBride, but McInerney actually scores most of his goals with his feet and is much more dangerous shooting with his feet than his head right now. He’s also 5-8 but being 16, he should gain a few inches.
    The two players I really like when I’ve seen them play is Gyau and Duran but at 5-6 (Gyau) and 5-4 (Duran), they might catch the David Arvizu Syndrome.
    Hopefully Carlos Martinez really has his head on straight. Because he looks to have a bright, bright future.
    Edwards is already 6-3, 205 and a beast in goal.

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  6. where did this Mcinerney kid come from? Never heard of him. Is he a Yeouman with a low ceiling like Dax Mcarty or is he a future stud like a Jozy?

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  7. From following them over the past 2 years, I think this is the strongest U-17 team we’ve fielded in awhile.

    Stephan Jerome is the next Altidore. Sebastian Llegett is the next Michael Bradley/Claudio Reyna. Jack McInerney is the next McBride.

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  8. From the videos of the friendlies a couple of years ago when he was plying with the 17s at 15 or 16, Jerome screams “I may be the best America sees for a while”. There’s one play where he’s in the corner, killing time, when two Brazillians come to disposses him. What’s he do? Juggles to tease, juggles over them, splits them, makes the same move back to the corner, then backheels down the line towards the goal to get away. Simply amazing.

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  9. Lineup, from ussoccer

    Edwards
    Polak
    Kicthen
    Zavaleta
    Watts
    Shisnky
    Duran
    Gil (G, A, A)
    Lletget (G)
    Jerome (G)
    McInerney (G, G, A, A)

    subs:
    Craven
    Gyau
    Martinez

    Sounds like Jack Mac had a game — 2 goals, 2 assists, and 2 other first half shots off the post. Jerome’s goal was scored when Jack broke in 1-on-keeper and put of shot off the post that Jerome tapped into empty net.

    I believe Concacaf was going to upload the games in segments to YouTube

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  10. @ DC Josh . . .

    “I keep hearing “Stephan Jerome” in box scores of their games. He must be a stud. ”

    HE IS!

    Size, Speed, Power, Technique

    He is a special player. I see things in his game that make me project he will be better than Altidore. If he can improve his finishing, the sky is the limit.

    Where/when can we get the games? Ives, you got any confirmation on viewing possibilities?

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  11. when i was seventeen
    it was a very good year
    it was a very good year for small town girls
    and soft summer nights
    We ed hide from the lights
    on the village green
    when i was seveenten

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  12. usfooty – from articles I’ve read about him I like what he is doing. But I have to see how the team plays to get a grasp of what type of coach he is.

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  13. I keep hearing “Stephan Jerome” in box scores of their games. He must be a stud. Also I thought that McInerney kid was injured?

    Great for the boys, although Cuba and Canada aren’t exactly World class competition.

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