The US Under-17 national team is off to a good start at the Mondial Minimes tournament in France, and two MLS academy products are helping to make it happen.
The Americans rolled to a 4-0 win on Wednesday against the United Arab Emirates in their first match of the tournament, with a 71st-minute goal from New York Red Bulls Academy striker Wesley Wade and another from Chivas USA Academy striker Bradford Jamieson IV four minutes into stoppage time helping to ice the victory. The US are now tied with Portugal for the lead in Group B.
The US opened the scoring in the 23rd minute behind Ahinga Selemani. Tyler Turner doubled the lead in the 50th minute before substitutes Wade and Jamieson made the most of their limited time by putting the third and fourth goals past besieged UAE goalkeepr Mohammed Alshamsi.
The US put 13 shots on target over the 80-minute match. The UAE nearly matched them blow for blow by hitting nine on frame, but Seattle Sounders Academy goalkeeper Paul Christensen proved equal to the task en route to a shutout.
Coach Richie Williams' team will play their final match in the three-team group on Thursday against the Portuguese, with kickoff scheduled for 12:15 pm ET. Portugal opened their tournament with a 3-0 win over the UAE.
Should the US advance out of their group, they will play again on April 7 and 9.
Lineups
USA: 1-Paul Christensen, 3- John Requejo Jr., 4-Tyler Turner, 5-Tommy Redding, 2- Shaquell Moore, 6- Cameron Lindley, 8-Angel Heredia, 10-Junior Flores (12-Bradford Jamieson IV, 68), 11-Rubio Rubin, 9- Ahinga Selemani (14-Wesley Wade, 60), 7-Corey Baird (13-DeAndre Robinson, 51)
Subs not used: 15-Kevin Politz, 16- Adonis Amaya, 17- Elijah Martin, 18 - Evan Louro
UAE: 17-Mohamed Alshamsi, 5- Ahmed Almehrzi, 19-Ali Karam, 18-Rashed Sulailman, 23-Khalid Bilal, 12-Abdulla Alshams (16-Abulrahman Mohammad), 8-Khaled Alshamsi (10-Ibrahim Abdulla), 15- Humaid Almesmari, 11-Khaled Alshamsi, 9- Mohammed Alakberi, 7- Sultan Alshamsi
Subs not used: 4- Hamad Aljesmi, 24-Khalid Alhashmi, 25- Mayed Alzaabi, 1- Mohammed Almonsoori, 14- Mohammed Alneyadi
