MLS attackers Romain Gall and Zach Pfeffer combined on a second-half goal to power the US Under-20 national team to a 1-0 win over Croatia in a friendly on Saturday in Salzburg, Austria. The win closed out a week-long camp that was held to help the team prepare for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which begins on May 30.
With six MLS players in the starting lineup, it was one who came off the bench - Columbus Crew SC's Gall - who provided the game's only goal. Philadelphia Union midfielder Pfeffer started the play on the left before feeding Gall at the top of the penalty area, where Gall beat a defender before firing home the game's only goal. Gall (pictured) tied for the CONCACAF U-20 Championship scoring title with five goals at the tournament in January.
Other MLS starters included Sporting Kansas City's Erik Palmer-Brown, Toronto FC's Marco Delgado, Seattle Sounders' Cristian Roldan, San Jose Earthquakes' Tommy Thompson and Real Salt Lake's Jordan Allen. Orlando City defender Conor Donovan, who scored the game-tying goal in Tuesday's 2-2 tie against Qatar, came off the bench to help seal the win.
At the U-20 World Cup, the US will play in Group A with hosts New Zealand, Asian runners-up Myanmar and Ukraine. The top two teams from each group and the best four third-place sides from the six groups will advance to the knockout rounds of the 24-team tournament.
US 1, Croatia 0
April 25, 2015
Red Bull Salzburg Academy, Salzburg, Austria
Scoring Summary
USA -- Romain Gall (Zach Pfeffer) 66
USA -- Zack Steffen; Shaquell Moore, Erik Palmer-Brown, Cameron Carter-Vickers, John Requejo; Marky Delgado, Cristian Roldan (Joel Soñora 64); Zach Pfeffer (Conor Donovan 87), Tommy Thompson (Junior Flores 64), Maki Tall (Romain Gall 64); Jordan Allen (Amando Moreno 81).
US U-20 Schedule
Nov. 12, 2014 Russia - Marbella Tournament - W 4-3
Nov. 15, 2014 Ireland - Marbella Tournament - W 1-0
Nov. 18, 2014 Canada - Marbella Tournament - L 0-1
Dec. 18, 2014 at Honduras - W 2-1
Dec. 21, 2014 at Honduras - W 2-1
Jan. 9 Guatemala - CONCACAF U-20 Championship - T 1-1
Jan. 11 Panama - CONCACAF U-20 Championship - L 0-1
Jan. 14 Aruba - CONCACAF U-20 Championship - W 8-0
Jan. 18 at Jamaica - CONCACAF U-20 Championship - W 2-0
Jan. 21 Trinidad & Tobago - CONCACAF U-20 Championship - W 1-0
Jan. 24 El Salvador - CONCACAF U-20 Championship - W 2-0
March 29 at England - L 1-2
April 21 Qatar - T 2-2
April 25 Croatia - W 1-0
May 30 Myanmar - FIFA U-20 World Cup
June 2 New Zealand - FIFA U-20 World Cup
June 5 Ukraine - FIFA U-20 World Cup
