The United States, which has never had greater success in an age-group competition than it has at the under-17 level, hopes to qualify for next year’s Under-17 World Cup when it competes in the CONCACAF U-17 Qualifying Championship Aug. 18-31 in Trinidad & Tobago.
The United States, the only country besides Australia to play in each of the six U-17 world championships, meets Bermuda (Aug. 18), the Dominican Republic (Aug. 20), and Costa Rica (Aug. 22) in one of three groups. The winners of the three groups and runner-up with the best record advance to the final phase of qualifying. The top three teams will compete for the FIFA/JVC Cup in Egypt next year.
Coach Jay Miller has built his team around two clubs: Upland (Calif.) Celtic and Philadelphia’s FC Delco. Celtic had four players selected to the U.S. U-17 team, while Delco has three players on the roster.
The first U.S. win over Brazil at any level came at the 1989 Under-17 World Cup in Scotland, where Imad Baba, who would go on to play for the U.S. Olympic team this summer, scored the only goal a 1-0 win.
The United States, then coached by Roy Rees, then qualified for the quarterfinals of the Under-17 World Cup in successive tournaments (1991 and 1993). At the ’91 tournament, the U.S. beat host Italy, Argentina and China to win its group but then lost to Qatar on penalty kicks.
The United States, though, is coming off its worst performance in an age-group world championship. It lost all three matches in the U-17 finals at Ecuador ’95.
U.S. Under-17 National Team Roster
Goalkeepers — Tim Brooks (Ft. Worth, Texas, Utd.), Bryheem Hancock (Delaware FC).
Defenders — David Boultier (Princeton, N.J., Union), John Bradford (Winston-Salem, N.C., Twins), Nick Downing (Crossfire Sounders, Wash.), Beckett Hollenbach (Philadelphia FC Delco), Aaron Thomas (Philadelphia FC Delco).
Midfielders — Jimmy Craven (Dallas Texans), Jeremiah Marquez (Upland, Calif. Celtic), Brian Purcell (East Bay, R.I.), Steven Totten (Princeton, N.J., Union), Fausto Villegas (Redwood City, Calif.), Kevin Wilson (Upland, Calif., Celtic), Nozomu Yamauchi (Raleigh, N.C., Caps).
Strikers — David Castellanos (Philadelphia FC Delco), Alberto Gutierrez (Upland, Calif., Delco), Matt Monsibais (Upland, Calif., Celtic), Brad Rupsis (Chicago Sockers).
Coach: Jay Miller.
Assistant coaches: Tom Durkin, Tim Carter.
Qualifying Groups
Group One — USA, Costa Rica, Bermuda, Dominican Republic.
Group Two — Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Martinique.
Group Three — Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, El Salvador, Netherlands Antilles.