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U.S. U-17s advance to next round of World Cup qualifying with thrilling win over Mexico

Wednesday’s match between the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team and the Mexico U-17s certainly lived up to the hype and, when all was said and done, it was the U.S. that emerged victorious from a legitimate thriller.

Forward Josh Sargent provided two goals and an assist for the U.S., helping lead the way in a thrilling 4-3 win over their biggest rivals in Wednesday’s CONCACAF U-17 Championship group stage match. The win propels the U.S. to the top of the group and into the next round with six points through two matches. In addition, the victory is the U.S.’s first ever win over Mexico in a CONCACAF U-17 Championship.

Just six minutes in Mexico seized an early advantage via a Roberto de la Rosa goal, but the U.S. bounce back 20 minutes later on Sargent’s first of the day.

Sargent added his second goal in the 40th minute, but the lead wouldn’t last until halftime thanks to another de la Rosa goal for El Tri. Just six minutes into the second half, though, the U.S. was back on top as Blaine Ferri fired home a pass from Andre Carleton to push the score to 3-2.

In the 84th minute, Ayo Akinola scored what turned out to be the game-winner, scoring on a one-time finish from a Sargent pass. A late own goal from Jaylin Lindsey proved little more than a consolation for Mexico, who remain on three points ahead of a clash with Jamaica in their third and final match of the opening round.

The U.S., meanwhile, returns to action on Saturday against El Salvador knowing their spot in the next round is fully sealed. There is still something to play for, though, as the U.S. looks to finish top of the group with a draw or win in their final match.

Comments

  1. mexicans are criying,they lost en U21 and know whit the u17 usaboys national team,like a said
    en minor categories USA is know better than mexico,but in mls clubs not yet but later whit FC Dallas

    Reply
  2. Here’s the link if anyone wants to watch the game.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym5PGslF64M

    I understand probably only 4 or 5 of these guys will ever even be regulars in MLS, its just how it goes and only 2 or 3 will play for the full national team, but there is a lot to be excited about with this group. Carleton, Sargent, and Akinola all are tremendously fun to watch. I hope all three sign in Europe when they turn 18. That doesn’t even include Weah who usually is just used as a second half sub.

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    • It’s always difficult to predict how youth players will turn out. Players in this age bracket are just beginning to enter into the stage (ages 18-22) where they’ll begin to be truly challenged and refined. This is the time where many US players advancement slips/slows due to the lack of competition level. Weah may currently be a 2nd half sub for this squad now….but he’s in an environment where he’ll receive the coaching and competition needed to maximize his chances to succeed.

      That being said Sargent, Carleton, Durkin, Acosta, Akinola, & Weah have looked good to this point. They seem to be well rounded players with good fundamentals. Just have to hope that they’ll continue to progress.

      Reply
      • You’re asking me? Weird. I have no idea. I can only confirm that you’re an idiot… that isn’t debatable. The one thing I can relate to Trump on is real estate. I own a ton in that little brain of yours.

  3. I know people will love this. Looks like a former manger/ technical director did a pretty good job with emphasis on youth development. Looking pretty good right now. Wonder if down the road people will look back like they did in Germany and talk about Jurgen changing the youth development and how much it helped the country’s national team.

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    • That’s really hard to say how much JK had to do with results in the Youth teams. I don’t think he had much say with the day to day operations of the teams or with the MLS academies and elite level youth clubs. Its really hard to draw lines between any national team coach and the development of the youth there are simply to many other factors to consider. Its not like Jurgen is known for his training methods, he’s more known for his intense belief in his players and his ability to motivate players to play better than they have before.

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      • A year or two ago there was a poster who listed all the changes that Klinsmann made to our youth system. They are quite extensive and significant. I think all our present youth coaches are pretty much Klinsmann choices.

      • he’s more known for his intense belief in his players and his ability to motivate players to play better than they have before

        That’s what he’s known for?

      • i found the article, gary, but, as you said, the valueable comments are still missing.

        Report: Klinsmann in ‘power struggle’ over technical director role
        U.S. Soccer· October 22, 2015 2:00 pm ET · SBI Soccer

        http://sbisoccer.com/2015/10/report-klinsmann-in-power-struggle-over-technical-director-role

        lowercase letters/two cents guy: “yes, comments from this article are lost! acidburn – please repost your excellent comment about jk’s poor concacaf record. we need that post! and bryan – please repost your excellent comment about jk’s amazing long list of structure building in us soccer. we need that post, too! both are gone!!! and anyone else who thinks they had a good comment, if you can remember it, please repost!!! my two cents. cheers!”

        gary page: “Well, because we lost the comments from before the switch over in formats, now we’ll never know if we would have reached the 200 comments that someone predicted.”

      • well, am i wrong? isn’t jurgen like “the music man”? you know, in the broadway musical? that fast-talking guy who comes into town, baffles everyone with bs and earns a good buck by teaching children to play real, actual musical instruments in a marching band using his amazing “think” method. isn’t that like jurgen telling the players they can win by having the right attitude or some bs like that?

        like diskerud delaying the marsch hug, for me there are many important usa victories between now and the day that i feel in the mood’ to sing jk’s praises for his excellent structure building at the lower ends of the soccer pyramid (while he was driving our first team into the ground).

    • klinsmaniacs need to come to a consensus on this: when the youth teams weren’t doing well, we were told that we’d need to wait 15-20 years for klinsmann’s systemic changes to come to fruition. a couple years later they’re doing well, and it’s now because of klinsmann? he must be some genius. (what are they going to say when the youth aren’t doing too well again?)

      Reply
  4. Has the US wever finished ahead of Mexico in two WC qualifying youth tournaments in the same year? My guess is that the answer is no. This is really a remarkable, maybe even revolutionary, development.

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    • While we may finish ahead of Mexico in the group….We haven’t finished ahead of them in the tournament (yet), as we could face them again during the knock-out rounds.

      Hopefully these kids learn the importance of getting max points from their first 2 matches. The coaches can now rest key players before they get into the knock-out stage. Avoiding suspensions for car accumulation, recoup from any minor injuries, and be fresher for when the matches matter most.

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    • This was the first year we won the U20 Championship so yes this would be the first time if we were to win, although it might take another victory in the final should both squads make it. A draw with El Salvador would clinch the US being in the preferred 2nd round group with most likely Honduras and Cuba/Suriname. This would put Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama in the other group, top two from each group go on to India 2017 in October.

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      • According to wikipedia (didn’t want to sure CONCACAF.com) the US has already clinched the group because head to head trumps GD if the US and Mexico would tie with 6 points, and since it is impossible for there to be a three way tie with 6 points at this juncture the US is the group winner and will play the 2nd place teams from Group A and B.

      • We do need to clarify that there was no final CONCACAF U20 champion from 1998 to 2007 because two teams in separate groups in the region qualified for the World Cup and no final was played.

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