Youth & High School

Big win clinches U-20 progress
January 22, 2007

The USA Under-20s clinched a place in the FIFA U-20 World Cup with a thumping 5-0 victory over Panama on Sunday.

Freddy Adu led Thomas Rongen's side to the win with the USA's first and last goals, while Connecticut's Johann Smith, Robbie Rogers and Jonathan Villanueva also found the net against the host nation of the final qualifying tournament.

The USA, for whom the Revolution's Amaechi Igwe and Harvard' Andrew Akpan were unused substitutes on Sunday, entered the game knowing that a win or a tie would be enough to see them secure qualification and, from the moment Adu converted Smith's pass for his side's opening goal in the seventh minute, there was little danger of anything other than a winning outcome.

Four second-half goals iced the result, the highlight of which came from Smith in the 61st minute when the former Oakwood star got behind Panama's defensive line to register the first international goal in his U-20 career. Nathan Sturgis knocked the ball over the tiring home backline and Smith burst past his defender, before taking a settling touch and slipping it into the net.

“We prepared ourselves in the manner that we needed in order to ourselves through to the World Cup, regardless of (Guatemala's) result against Haiti,” said Rongen. “Our team was highly motivated this morning, wanted to finish the job on a high note and we did. We showed in this game what we're capable of. We are a good team that came into a very tough surrounding against a very good opponent.”

The World Cup will take place in Canada from 30 June – 22 July. The USA will find out their opponents for on 3 March when the draw is held in Toronto.