By FRANCO PANIZO
After some tough World Cup draws in recent years, the heavens have smiled on the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team.
The U.S. learned during the early morning hours on Tuesday what group it will be in at this summer’s Under-20 World Cup, and the Americans received a relatively favorable draw. The U.S. was lumped into Group A alongside hosts New Zealand, Myanmar, and Ukraine, and will be expected to reach the competition’s Round of 16.
Tab Ramos’ side begins its campaign on the first day of the tournament, facing debutant Myanmar on May 30 at Northland Events Centre in Whangarei. The Americans then take on New Zealand on June 2 at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland before closing out group play against Ukraine at that same venue on June 5.
The kind draw for the U.S. comes after seeing Lady Luck turn her back on the Americans during the last two years. The senior team fell into a challenging group at the 2014 World Cup that it advanced from, while the previous incarnation of the U-20s failed to move past the group stage after landing in a tough spot at the 2013 Under-20 World Cup.
The three other CONCACAF teams to reach this summer’s tournament were drawn into more difficult groups. Panama drew Argentina, Austria and an undetermined African team in Group B; Mexico went into Group D with Uruguay, Serbia and another yet-to-be-decided African team; and Honduras was placed in Group F alongside Germany, Uzbekistan and Fiji.
Here is a full rundown of the 2015 U-20 World Cup groups:
GROUP A
New Zealand
Ukraine
United States
Myanmar
GROUP B
Argentina
Panama
CAF 3
Austria
GROUP C
Qatar
Colombia
Portugal
CAF 4
GROUP D
Mexico
CAF 2
Uruguay
Serbia
GROUP E
CAF Champion
Brazil
North Korea
Hungary
GROUP F
Germany
Fiji
Uzbekistan
Honduras
—–
What do you make of the group the U.S. U-20s fell into? Where do you see them finishing in Group A? Which of New Zealand, Myanmar and Ukraine will be the toughest/easiest opponent in your opinion? How will the other CONCACAF teams do?
Share your thoughts below.
this is really lining up for them to make a deep run. hope they do well!
What about D. Yomba, currently with Atletico Madrid development squad?
training with the first team too. if he keeps it up, no doubt he’s there.
Am I the only one who’s really pumped that #11 is rocking the old school Copa Mundials? Well played, sir.
FINALLY, USSF is paying FIFA money to give us better draws. I imagine we’ll win the U20 World Cup, and follow it up with getting the World Cup in 2026 and win that too.
Good to see that FIFA finally sees how much money our country has for bribing
I wonder if the Koch Brothers or Sheldon Adelson are soccer fans. They seem to have a lot of money to throw around.
Are these games on TV???
The US soccer website is always slow to get these on the schedule on the website.
You’ve have to wonder how mentally into this tournament the UKrainian kids will be. There are still kids and their countries is crumbling around them. Gotta feel for them.
The Ukranian senior team didn’t have a problem beating us at a neutral site last March at a neutral site. Iraq won the 2007 AFC Asian Cup and I believe they couldn’t even practice in their own country.
Novakovich, Sonora,Akalle and de la Torre should be called.
Luca DeLa Torre plays for U-17… I like him, he’s on the upcoming talent list, but no way he takes a roster spot from the other midfielders..
do all of the Euro teams even try to qualify for this? A lot of the bigger names dont appear to show up with any consistency: england, france, holland, spain, etc.
How the f*** does Fiji and Myanmar qualify but Canada Can’t!!!
Geography.
If they played soccer on ice, Canada would be golden.
Fiji got the bonus Oceania pass since New Zealand got in automatically since they are hosting it. This tournament normally has a guaranteed Oceania participant and this time they get two. Crazy enough the second Oceania bid could have gone to Vanuatu if they could have pulled of the victory against Fiji in the 2014 OFC U-20 Championship.
Somehow Myanmar managed to make it through a tournament with Japan and Australia that didn’t qualify to punch their ticket. The Kiwis had to get a laugh out of Australia missing out.
It just goes to show you that your grandparents are right kids these days are crazy and unpredictable.
It didn’t hurt that Myanmar hosted the Asian qualification tournament.
The results in this thing were crazy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_AFC_U-19_Championship
any idea how a 24 team, FIFA U20 World Cup only has 6 european teams? in the past, a 24 team FIFA tourny had 10-11 euro teams…. Platini, Blatter dropped the ball… 😉
From what I understand UEFA places more value on the u21 tournament which also counts as their Olympic qualifications. The UEFA teams going to this tournament are actually u19. Pretty sure that’s why there are only 6 teams, however it should still be a well balanced tournament.
And if we win the group, the next round or even two just stay pretty easy.
Big incentive to win the group:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_FIFA_U-20_World_Cup#Knockout_stage
possible match ups of Mexico, Qatar or even North Korea in the R16! then you move on to the winner of Honduras-Panama…
we need a big tournament from the YNT’s. like the last time we took 4th place in New Zealand!
Agreed. Being assured a match up with the third place team in the round of 16, and then a runner up from either group B or F in the round of 8 is about as soft a landing as you could ask. Mexico’s group is the closest to a “group of death” that the tournament has and could produce a tough third place team.
Obviously anything can happen, but I think the a top four finish isn’t unreasonable.
A favorable draw with a good schedule (Weakest to Hardest) to allow them to build up to the knockout round. The question now is who does Ramos select for the tournament?
GK: Steffen
Defense: Carter-Vick, Palmer-Brown, Donova, Miazga, Acosta, Moore, Turner
Midfield: Canouse, Hyndman, Gal, Gooch, Zelalem, Senora, Flores, Scott, Pfeffer
Forward: Rubin, Areiola, Thompson, Bailey, Morris, McBean
There are likely going to be some talented players staying at home this summer.
Good list, but I would also add Kyle Scott and Mukwelle Akale to the list.
+1 Mukwelle Akale
yup. Scott has been doing reallllly well for Chelsea. scoring goals even as a defender. been training with the first team here and there as well.
another who should be seriously considered is Dembakwi “Boxi” Yomba. plays for Atleti and has also been scoring for his team and earned time training with the first team.
@leftcoastmetro Really? Doesn’t even resemble that haircut. They all have pretty normal cuts, don’t understand your discomfort.
Mattingly! Get rid of those sideburns.
Nice Article
Keep Goin !!
Can someone help me out with the time difference of when the games will be shown back here in the Midwest. It’s been a long day at work and my head hurts
The Myanmar match will be 7 AM CT; the New Zealand and Ukraine matches will be 10 AM CT.
umm google?
All well and good, but I just can’t get over the bad hair… is that Liberace’s son front row, second from right?
r u one of the serial whinners from ASN. dude just because u r bald and fat
Hey, as the unofficial president of the bald and fat club, I resent that comment and the implication there is a correlation between bald and fat and whining.
If that kid’s hair bothers you so much, walking down the average street must be an ordeal for you