The USA will attempt to qualify for the 2009 Under-20 World Cup at Concacaf qualifying next spring in Trinidad. Here’s a look at some of the top U-20 prospects – none of whom advanced through the traditional development stage from U-17 residency to the U-20 team.
Tag: under-20 world cup
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Phenoms included in U.S. U-18 squad for France trip
[ROSTER] Coach Thomas Rongen will be taking the U.S. under-18 national team to France Oct. 27-Nov. 4 as preparations begin to build a team for 2009 Under-20 World Cup qualifying. While the nucleus of the team consists of players who competed at the recent Under-17 World Cup in South Korea, Rongen selected several young phenoms.
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Adu and Bradley named to Under-20 World Cup team
Americans Freddy Adu and Michael Bradley were named to the U-20 World Cup team by FIFA’s Technical Study Group. The 27-player short list was used to pick the player of the tournament. Adu finished sixth in the balloting. Goals by Danny Szetela and Adu remain in contention for the top goal of the tournament.
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Argentina beats Czech Republic to repeat as U-20 champion
Argentina successfully defended its Under-20 World Cup title and won for the sixth time when it defeated the Czech Republic, 2-1, on Sunday in Toronto. The Czechs took the lead in the second half on a fine goal by Martin Fenin, but the Argentines recovered thanks to goals by Sergio Aguero, the tournament’s MVP and top scorer, and Mauro Zarate. Aguero scored off a through ball from playmaker Ever Banega, and Zarate beat Czech keeper Radek Petr to the near post with a fierce shot from the edge of the area in the 86th minute.
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Argentina’s Aguero sweeps top honors at Under-20 World Cup
[UNDER-20 WORLD CUP AWARDS] Like fellow Argentine Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero is small in stature but a big-time player. The 5-foot-7 Aguero followed in the footsteps of Messi and swept MVP and top scorer honors at the Under-20 World Cup.
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Argentina routs unhappy Chile, 3-0, in Under-20 World Cup semifinals
Argentina moved closer to defending its Under-20 World Cup title when it beat Chile, 3-0, in their semifinal on Thursday in Toronto. Argentina, which meets the Czech Republic in the final, got goals from Angel Di Maria, Claudio Yacob and Maximiliano Moralez. Chile had two players sent off and fought with police and security officers after the game. One member of the Chilean delegation was subdued by taser during the brawl.
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U.S. men fall to Bolivia at Pan-Am Games after blowing 2-0 lead
The USA blew a 2-0 halftime lead and lost to Bolivia, 4-2, in its second game in the men’s soccer competition at the Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Czechs deal early knockout blow to Austria in Under-20 World Cup semifinals
Czech Republic advanced to the final of the Under-20 World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Austria on Wednesday in Edmonton. The Czechs will meet Argentina or Chile in Sunday’s final in Toronto. The South American teams face off Thursday at BMO Field in the other semifinal.
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THOMAS RONGEN: ‘This one hurt more’
[Q&A] U.S. under-20 coach Thomas Rongen had just a few days to reflect on his team’s showing at the U-20 World Cup, in which the Americans lost in overtime to Austria, 2-1, Saturday in the quarterfinals. Before leaving Wednesday to join the U.S. teams at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Rongen spoke with Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney about whether any of his players are ready for the full national team, what American defenders are lacking, Freddy Adu’s progress, and how this quarterfinal elimination compared with the 2003 loss …
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OFF THE POST: Red card theft backfires
[VIDEO] In the U-20 World Cup, as referee Mohd Salleh prepared to eject Portugal’s Mano for bowling over Chilean Christian Sepulveda, Mano’s teammate’s Zequinha thought he was coming to the rescue by snatching the red card out of Salleh’s hand. But Salleh quickly took it back and showed to Zequinha and Mano. Click HERE for video.
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Argentina moves into driver’s seat at U-20 World Cup
Argentina is the firm favorite to win its sixth Under-20 World Cup after edging highly touted Mexico, 1-0, in the quarterfinals on Sunday in Ottawa. Argentina meets Chile, a 4-0 winner over Nigeria in overtime, in one semifinal. Austria, which upset the USA, 2-1, in overtime, faces the Czech Republic, which eliminated European champion Spain in a shootout after their game ended 1-1.
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Luck and fatigue finally catch up to Americans
[U-20 WORLD CUP] Two consecutive overtime matches took a severe toll on the U.S. under-20 team, which battled all the way but couldn’t summon the moment of magic or the ounce of luck they needed to stay alive in the FIFA U-20 World Cup. An early goal by Jozy Altidore, his fourth of the tournament, brought the USA a 1-0 lead Saturday but it conceded an equalizer just before halftime and in overtime, down to 10 men, succumbed to a second goal that swept Austria into the semifinals with a 2-1 win.
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Mexico and Argentina set to meet after wins at Under-20 World Cup
Mexico and Argentina meet again. Four days after Argentina’s 3-0 win in the semifinals of the Copa America, Argentina and Mexico will meet at the U-20 level. Argentina, Mexico, Nigeria and Chile advanced to the quarterfinals of the Under-20 World Cup with victories on Thursday.
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2007 Under-20 World Cup TV Schedule
Play at the Under-20 World Cup continues with four quarterfinal games over the weekend, including the USA-Austria quarterfinal. For the complete Under-20 World Cup schedule …
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USA aims for U-20 World Cup semifinals
One win stands between the U.S. under-20 national team and only the second semifinal appearance by an American team in the 30-year history of this world championship. The USA meets Austria in Toronto Saturday at 2:15 pm ET (ESPNU, Galavision) and that last semifinal appearance might as well be ancient history. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller helped the USA to a fourth-place finish in 1989, the same year the youngest members of the current squad were born.
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2007 Under-20 World Cup TV Schedule
Play at the Under-20 World Cup continues on Thursday with the remaining four games in the round of 16. For the complete Under-20 World Cup schedule …
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Spain leads European teams into U-20 World Cup quarterfinals with win over Brazi
Three European teams joined the USA as winners on Wednesday in the round of 16 at the Under-20 World Cup. European champion Spain knocked out South American champion Brazil, 4-2, in overtime, while the Czech Republic and Austria both moved into the final eight.
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Late heroics send USA to U-20 World Cup quarters
Coaches rhapsodize about talent, and sing the praises of the skillful, but what they relish above all else is toughness. If not for ample doses of resolve, the USA wouldn’t be among the eight survivors that play in the U-20 World Cup quarterfinals this weekend. Misfortune and circumstance piled up against the Americans, yet still they beat Uruguay, 2-1, in Toronto Wednesday night with an own goal and an overtime winner by Michael Bradley. Of obstacles there were plenty. A charley horse sidelined its stud goalkeeper. A central defender returned to the lineup sporting a gash under his left eye suffered in the first game of the tournament. A wild tackle knocked its specimen of a striker out of the game early in the second half.
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U.S. U-20 scouting report — what makes Freddy and the boys go
The U.S. under-20s have made only two changes in the starting lineup after opening with an unimpressive 1-1 tie with South Korea. It recovered in its next two games to hammer Poland, 6-1, and stun Brazil, 2-1. Coach Thomas Rongen has used 14 field players but has yet to summon forwards Gabriel Ferrari and Andre Akpan, thanks to the excellent play of wingers Robbie Rogers and Sal Zizzo, and striker Jozy Altidore. Midfielder Dax McCarty and defender Amaechi Igwe have been used as subs. Tim Ward started the first game and has also come on as a sub. Barring any unforeseen changes, this is a rundown on the expected starters who face Uruguay Wednesday (7:45 p.m. ET, ESPNU, Galavision) …
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2007 Under-20 World Cup TV Schedule
Play at the Under-20 World Cup resumes on Wednesday when the USA faces Uruguay in Toronto in a game televised on ESPNU and Galavision. Eight second-round games will be played Wednesday and Thursday. For the complete Under-20 World Cup schedule …
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The Freddy and Jozy Show is big hit at the Under-20 World Cup
[EXTENDED U.S. U-20 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS] The USA has been the story of the Under-20 World Cup in Canada. It clinched first place in its group at the U-20 competition for the third straight time thanks to a pair of breathtaking performances: a 6-1 demolition of Poland and a 2-1 victory over Brazil, the first by an American men’s team against Brazil in a FIFA competition in 18 years. The goals, all golazos, left the Americans on top of the U-20 scoring charts with nine goals in three games. Once again, Freddy Adu was brilliant against Brazil, and the U.S. goals — both scored by Jozy Altidore — spectacular. For Ridge Mahoney’s report and all the video highlights …
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Canada bombs at the Under-20 World Cup
Host Canada was ignominiously dumped from the Under-20 World Cup when it lost to Congo, 2-0, for its third straight shutout loss of the competition. Canada is the first host team in the 30-year history of the U-20 competition not to score a goal. All four African entrants and all four South American teams advanced to the U-20 World Cup. Scotland — winless in all three games — was the only European team not to advance.
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2007 Under-20 World Cup TV Schedule
The USA closes out group play at the Under-20 World Cup on Friday when it faces Brazil in Ottawa in a game televised on ESPNU and Galavision. Group play continues through Sunday. For the complete Under-20 World Cup schedule …
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More disappointment for Canada at U-20 World Cup
There was more bad news for host Canada at the Under-20 World Cup. Canada’s U-20s dropped their second straight match at the Under-20 World Cup, falling to Austria, 1-0, on a header by Rubin Okotie in the 47th minute. The Canada-Austria game drew 31,000 fans in Edmonton as the U-20 event continued to generate extraordinary interest in Canada. Six of the first nine dates were sellouts, including the Poland-Brazil and USA-South Korea doubleheader in Montreal that drew 55,800 fans. The U-20 World Cup in Canada is on track to break the record turnout of 1,155,160 in Mexico in 1983 — and double the turnout two years ago in the Netherlands.
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Japan and Nigeria advance at Under-20 World Cup
Japan and Nigeria became the first teams to clinch berths in the round of 16 of the Under-20 World Cup when they both won their second straight Group F games with wins over Costa Rica (1-0) and Scotland (2-0 on a pair of goals by captain Ezekiel Bala), respectively, on Wednesday in Victoria, B.C. European champion Spain survived a scare to beat Zambia, 2-1, in Group B action. In other game in Burnaby, Edison Cavani of Italian club Palermo scored to give Uruguay a 1-0 win over Jordan.