The U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team completed its dominant display in Concacaf Championship group stage play with another romp.
Ayo Akinola scored a first-half brace while Mark McKenzie and Alex Mendez each added goals in the U.S. U-20 team’s 7-0 win over Suriname on Friday.
The Americans move on to the second phase of the Concacaf Championships, where they will face Honduras and Costa Rica. The top two teams in that group automatically qualify for the 2019 Under-20 World Cup, while the group winner will play in the Concacaf Championship final on Nov. 21.
The U.S. U-20s went into Friday’s match with Suriname essentially assured of topping the group, but removed any doubts by pummeling the second-place team in the group.
Mendez’s fifth-minute free kick opened things in Bradenton as the midfielder curled a left-footed shot into the bottom-right corner.
W🤯W. Alex Mendez. Filthy free kick.
🇺🇸 1-0 🇸🇷 | #CU20 pic.twitter.com/5EZhYdCMX5
— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) November 9, 2018
McKenzie scored his third goal of the competition, heading home from a corner in the 26th minute.
Akinola extended the U.S.’s lead to 4-0 with a quick brace to close out the first-half.
Juan Pablo Torres added a fifth in the second-half before Justin Rennicks tapped in his first of the night, finishing off a pass from Chris Gloster to make it 6-0.
The Americans closed out the scoring in the 83rd minute when Manny Perez drew a penalty kick, which Mendez converted.
The U.S. U-20s will have a week off now, with head coach Tab Ramos left with the decision on what changes to make to his roster for the next group phase. He can make up to six changes to his squad, but is more likely to only make two or three changes.