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U.S. U-20s open World Cup qualifying with rout of Suriname

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Photo by Omar Martinez/ISIphotos.com

 

By FRANCO PANIZO

While the U.S. men's national team was attempting to find a way to crack Paraguay's defense in Nashville, the Under-20 national team was busy pummeling Suriname's in its World Cup qualifying opener in Guatemala City.

The U.S. U-20s got one step closer to qualifying for this summer's World Cup in Colombia, defeating Suriname, 4-0, in their Group B opener at the CONCACAF championships. Bobby Wood, Joe Gyau and Conor Doyle each scored as Thomas Rongen's side jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first half, and Kelyn Rowe capped the scoring with a late goal.

The win gave the U.S. team first place in Group B, which also includes Panama. The United States will reach the quarterfinal stage of qualifying with a victory over Panama on April 2, but the U.S. U-20s would also clinch a place in the next round should Panama top Suriname on Thursday.

The United States-Panama match, scheduled for an 8 p.m. first kick, can be seen on ESPN3.com or ESPN Deportes.

Here is the U.S. U-20 national team's lineup against Suriname:

Zac MacMath; Greg Garza, Gale Agbossoumonde, Perry Kitchen, Zarek Valentin; Amobi Okugo (Moises Orozco, 46), Sebastian Lletget, Kelyn Rowe (Sebastien Ibeagha, 82); Bobby Wood (Omar Salgado, 70), Conor Doyle, Joe Gyau

Unused substitutes: Eder Arreola, Cody Cropper, Moises Hernandez, Sacir Hot

Unavailable substitutes: Dillon Powers, Korey Veeder

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What do you think of the U.S. U-20 national team's 4-0 win? Which players impressed you?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Well I saw the whole game and I like what I saw from this U20 group, Too bad that Adu and Altidore were in the wrong group but I think this group if the keep the head up and not loose concentration they can win and become the Concacaf Champs like USA U17. All the this player play great but they were playing with a team that not at high level but glad that USA did under estimated this team. Now player like **Garza,***Agbossoumonde,Kitchen,Zarek Valentin; Amobi Okugo, **Sebastian Lletget, Kelyn Rowe, **Bobby Wood, **Salgado, ***Conor Doyle, ***Gyau Hope that keep this same group at least some of them going to the next level like the U21 and the Olympic team and graduate to become the New and Improve USNMT Senior. Now making all US National Team from the Senior to the U15 playing same style and to do that we need Bielsa, Hiddink or someone who know Football(soccer)and bleed that game to show us where is the next level… SO I SEE THE FUTURE GETTING BRIGHTER FOR OUR BELOVED US SOCCER(USNMT)!!! GO USA!!!
    we need Agudelo and other to go to the U20 World Cup and be the world champs

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  2. Is it safe to say there will be absolutely no college players on the U-20 world cup squad yet because this team probably isn’t at half strenght yet and look at them

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  3. Suriname was a very weak opponent. Let’s wait and hold judgement when we face better opposition. Credit to our guys they did what they had to do in 2nd gear. No injuries and that’s good.

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  4. I thought overall we have a lot to be excited about. Maybe my only issue with that game was that a few times throughout the match, the build up out of the back was uber slow, but that could be due to the fact that Suriname was ok with letting us play with it in our own end. But again, I’m very excited for the future of US soccer.

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  5. Kitchen looked really good, both as CB and DM. The whole back 4, in fact, looked composed and patience. Garza, believe it or not, made some excellent penetrating runs at LB and had some good tackles.

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  6. That’s true, and different that before. I am under the impression that earlier there was an even adversarial relationship between different national team coaches.

    I think the best thing Rongen, Bradley, etc. are doing is prioritizing early professionalism and introducing players not from the traditional club->college->late developing pro career track. The new German movement is great on the USMNT and it’s even more prevalent in the U20s.

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  7. I wonder if Boss is our best central defense option right now, (not considering ream, only comparing him to those that we have enough history on, demerit, gooch, goodson, marshall etc.) He very well could be, which is scary because I remember when the only reason why we would be in matches was b/c of gooch/demerit, gooch/boca, boca/demerit… Seems like an eternity ago

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  8. No, they are not going to start all playing the same style and same formations. Because in the end, you have to work with the players you have. But it is good that the coaches are getting together and sharing ideas.

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  9. Are they? Rongen plays an attacking, possession-based, fluid 4-3-3 and Bradley vacillates between a counter-attacking 4-4-2 and a bunkering 4-5-1. I don’t even know what Cabrera is playing these days, but he seems to be relying on physicality of Rodriguez, etc. I like at least that USSoccer is sending Cabrera, etc. to senior games, and Bradley and Rongen are talking about players like Gale and Agudelo, but I don’t think we have a totally coordinated national team stylistic continuum yet.

    But then again, why should we? We don’t have a program like Spain or the Netherlands yet, where we have such a glut of players that we can pick and choose talent to fit into a national system. We should choose systems based on available players. Our player pool comes from a number of teams in a number of countries, not just Barca or Ajax. We should use what works. There just isn’t enough time to develop a system. It just so happens these days that many of our seniors players are playing in 4-4-2 in England, Germany, and MLS, so maybe that’s why our team plays best in it (up for debate, but I think this has borne out in the last few days – even Villarreal plays a 4-2-2-2/4-4-2 Brazilian style diamond).

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  10. I only watched the first half but there were two great shots off the post that could have easily made it 6 – 0. Maybe more chances in the second half too i am guessing.

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  11. I was really impressed with this team. I know they were playing a weaker opponent in Suriname, but the US played some attractive football. They were patient, controlled the tempo, and attacked in waves when they wanted. Gyau is a very good player from what I saw. I like that Bob Bradley is trying to get all the national team coaches on the same page. They need to all have the same ideas starting from the younger national teams.

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  12. First of all consider who they played last night. I hate Rongen…just throwing it out there. However, what I saw last night had me grinning from ear to ear. The way Rongen has this team playing is a a sight for sore eyes. I have been following the US youth and national teams for quite some time and I have never seen a team this potent. Their tactical awareness and passing as well as their dominance in the attacking third is first rate. They have an idea of what they want to do and when they don’t they retain possession and knock it around exhibiting veteran-like patience.
    There were many standouts however, I was most impressed by Gyau. This kid gets it. His quality is undeniable. He is fast, technical, strong and fundamentally sound. I have never seen someone on a youth team…or senior team grab the ball and immediately commence to dissect the opponent the way Gyau did last night. I remember him tormenting the Brazilian youth squad along with Renkin however, he was making some decisions that were not in the team aspect of the game. That problem seems to have been fixed within his development in Germany. This kid is a certified baller.

    I cant wait to see the final.

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  13. Is anyone as impressed as I am with some of the performances from this match? The service from the back was superb, the pace on the wings was incredible. Joe Gyau can absolutely fly, but combines that with skill on the ball. Combine this with promising younger guys like Chandler, LIchaj, Agudelo, and Ream, it’s hard not to feel excited about the future of the Nats.

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  14. (Trying not to strain lat muscles while I shamelessly reach over my should to pat myself on the back)

    4-0 was what I predicted. They got the result that I thought they “should” have gotten, given the opponent.

    Very nce start. Good result but Rongen has to keep them focused. Their next opponent will be tougher. If Panama take care of the Suriname by a 3 goal differential or more, it will be interesting to see which tactical approach the ttwo head coaches will take when US and Panama face off.

    I’m looking forward to checking out that match.

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