The USA qualified for record-setting sixth straight FIFA U-20 World Cup by winning Group A CONCACAF Final Round Qualifying Tournament.
After a 0-0 tie with Guatemala left the USA in danger of possibly missing out on this summer's U-20 championships in Canada, Haiti did the Americans a favor by beating Guatemala, 2-0, mathematically advancing the USA and Panama to Canada '07 even before they met in Sunday's finale.
Freddy Adu scored two goals, and Robbie Rogers, Johann Smith and Jonathan Villanueva all tallied in the second half to give the Americans a 5-0 win over Panama at Rommel Fernandez Stadium in Panama City.
The USA finished in sole possession of first place in qualifying for the second straight time, and the first time ever outside the country.
The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup will take place in Canada June 30-July 22 across six cities รป Burnaby, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Victoria. The U.S. will find out their opponents for the FIFA 2007 U-20 World Cup on March 3 when the draw is held in Toronto. With more than 350,000 tickets already sold for the competition, the U-20 World Cup is set to become the largest single-sport event in Canadian history.
Jan. 21 in Panama City
USA 5 Panama 0. Goals: Adu 7, 90, Rogers 50, Smith 61, Villanueva 71.
USA — Seitz, Kirk (Sarkodie, 46), Valentin, Sturgis, Ward (Arguez, 70), Szetela, Beltran, Adu, Smith, Altidore (Villanueva, 53), Rogers.
Panama — Mejia, Ovalle, Vasquez, Mitchell (Leslie, 58), Vergara, J.Gonzalez, Brown (P.Gonzalez, 46), Castaneda, Jaramillo, Torres Barber (Cooper, 57).
Yellow cards: USA — Altidore 3, Kirk 14, Valentin 81, Szetela 87; Castaneda 34, Cooper 79.
Referee: Joel Aguilar (El Salvador).