The United States U-20 national team booked their place in the knockout rounds of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup with a game to spare, thrashing hosts New Zealand 4-0 in Auckland early Tuesday morning via goals from LA Galaxy Homegrown striker Bradford Jamieson IV, Emerson Hyndman, Paul Arriola and Rubio Rubin (WATCH HIGHLIGHTS).
The US (2-0-0; 6 points) can now clinch first place in Group A with a win or tie vs. Ukraine in their final group match on Friday (3 am ET; Fox Sports 1, NBC Universo). Ukraine (1-0-1; 4 points) defeated Myanmar 6-0 on Monday, after a scoreless draw with New Zealand in their opening game on May 30.
In contrast to their wobbly opening match vs. Myanmar, coach Tab Ramos’ side seized an early lead vs. the All Whites and did not waver, tallying again in the wake of a corner kick just six minutes in. The chance was made when Cameron Carter-Vickers thumped a towering header off the woodwork and Jamieson settled the rebound and shot to the far post. Rubin was initially credited with a goal-line tap-in, but FIFA later credited the goal to Jamieson.
Captain Emerson Hyndman – who delivered the corner on the opener – doubled the lead in the 33rd minute, clinically finishing a loose ball from the top of the 18-yard box after Rubin and Jamieson had carved open New Zealand’s back line.
Arriola ran the score to 3-0 after halftime with a razor-sharp strike off the base of the left post following a savvy feed by Gedion Zelalem, who started and played the full 90 minutes for the first time in his fledgling US career.
Rubin grabbed a goal that was undisputedly his in the 83rd minute after a passing combination between substitute Tommy Thompson and Desevio Payne, the latter of whom found Rubin at the far post for another close-range finish. That capped a dominating performance in which the hosts were outshot 30-11.
The victory marked the first clean sheet for the US in a U-20 World Cup match since June 18, 2005, a 1-0 win over Egypt in the Netherlands at what was then known as the World Youth Championship. It’s also the first time in U-20 World Cup history that the US have won their first two matches.
Lineups
USA: Zack Steffen; Desevio Payne, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Matt Miazga, Kellyn Acosta; Marky Delgado (Joel Soñora 87), Emerson Hyndman, Gedion Zelalem, Paul Arriola; Rubio Rubin (John Requejo 84), Bradford Jamieson IV (Tommy Thompson 62)
Substitutes Not Used: Thomas Olsen, Jeff Caldwell, Shaquell Moore, Conor Donovan, Erik Palmer-Brown, Jordan Allen
Head coach: Tab Ramos
NZL: Oliver Sail; Jesse Edge, Deklan Wynne, Sam Brotherton, Adam Mitchell; Bill Tuiloma, Joel Stevens (Andrew Blake 62), Moses Dyer, Clayton Lewis; Matthew Ridenton (Monty Patterson 46), Noah Billingsley (Stuart Holthusen 82)
Substitutes Not Used: Nikola Tzanev, Damian Hirst, Alex Rufer, Brock Messenger, Cory Brown, Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, Andre De Jong
Head coach: Darren Bazeley
Stats: USA / NZL
Shots: 30 / 11
Shots on Goal: 11 / 2
Saves: 2 / 7
Corner Kicks: 5 / 9
Fouls: 9 / 10
Offside: 0 / 1
Misconduct Summary
NZL - Clayton Lewis (caution) 21
USA - Matt Miazga (caution) 26
USA - Desevio Payne (caution) 29
NZL - Moses Dyer (caution) 34
Officials
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP)
Assistant Referee 1: Cebrian Devis (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Diaz Perez (ESP)
Fourth Official: Artur Dias (POR)
