2019 World Cup (U-20). Introducing the Opponent: Team USA

24.05.2019 12:39

Photo by ussoccer.com

Today in the Polish city of Bielsko-Biala national team of Ukraine U-20 will start the speech at its fourth World Championship in this age category.

But the first rival of Oleksandr Petrakov's team is a regular participant of the World Cup for 20-year-olds. Of the 22 tournaments since 1977 (the same time when the USSR team won gold medals, half of them were Ukrainians, and Volodymyr Bezsonov won the Golden Ball), the US team played for 15. This is the 16th.

The teams of Argentina and Mexico have the same statistics - this is the best indicator among the participants of the 2019 World Cup. Only Brazil (18) played more often in the final tournaments, but this time it did not qualify. By the way, it consisted of Marquinhos Cipriano and Tete from Shakhtar.

However, despite stable participation in the U-20 World Cup, the Americans only once (1989) advanced to the quarterfinals. In 2017, the team included goalkeeper Brady Scott, defender Tyler Adams and forward Josh Sargent (scored four goals and received a "Silver Boot"), who are older than the current team.

But Adams and Sargent are already players in the US national team. The first (he currently represents RB Leipzig) has 10 matches and one goal for the main team, the second (Werder Bremen) has six and two respectively. And they were not included in the US U-20 national team for the World Cup. Forward Jonathan Emon from Danish "Norschellan", who is also included in the national team, will not play in Poland.

These are very serious losses, but even without this trio, coach Taba Ramos has a very strong team - the 2018 CONCACAF champion. In that tournament, the star-striped team won five matches out of five in the first group stage with a total score of 39: 2. In the second group stage, they added two more victories - over Costa Rica (4: 0) and Honduras (1: 0), after which in the final match they put Mexico on the shoulders - 2: 0. As a result - 100% of victories in eight matches, the total score - 46: 2.

The best player of the tournament was Alex Mendes (scored eight goals - the second result), the best goalkeeper - the same Brady Scott, who went to the 2017 World Cup. And the symbolic team of the tournament included eight Americans and three Mexicans. Our opponent includes goalkeeper Scott, defenders Sergino Dest, Chris Gloucester, Mark Mackenzie, midfielders Mendes (the same best player) and Brandon Cervania, forwards Aio Aquinola and Uli Llanes. The last two scored seven goals each.

But the main star of the team - the son of the famous George Weah, Timothy, who on loan from "PSG" spent the last season for "Celtic". The 2000-born forward has already played eight matches (one goal) for the US national team. Transfermarkt estimates Wea even higher than Sargent (personal account - 5: 3 million euros). He did not play at the CONCACAF Championship 2018, but he will play at the World Cup.

Almost half of the US national team is from European clubs. This is serious. And another very interesting detail - most players are not born in 1999, but in 2000. The Americans have one of the youngest national teams at this World Cup.

The US National Team U-20