Tab Ramos's US Under-20 national team might have gotten the better of River Plate in the opening match of the 2014 Dallas Cup, but the Argentine side had the last laugh, beating the Yanks 2-0 in the tournament's grand finale on Sunday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
The match was delayed twice due to stormy weather, but nothing could stop River's Lucas Boye, who struck both goals for los Pibes. He notched his first goal in 35th minute after a mad scramble in the US area.
Boye then iced the match with a low drive that slipped through two defenders and beat goalkeeper Zack Steffen in the 83rd minute.
Midway through the second half, the US looked like they were back in the match, but an apparent goal was nullified by an offside call. It was an usual play, but replays indicated it was a correct one. A shot trickled across the River goalmouth, where US attacker Rubin Rubio slid to touch it goalward. His shot caromed off the post, but Ben Spencer was there to put away the rebound.
However, there was only a lone defender between Rubio and the goal on the original cross, as the goalkeeper had stepped forward, putting Rubio into an offside position before he ever had the chance to shoot on goal.
Afterward, Ramos said that the grueling schedule of games -- five in seven days -- took its toll.
“I thought we were out of gas,” Ramos said. “For the most part, we aren’t used to playing this many competitive games. When you play South American teams, they’re [used to] playing all the time.”
“We were completely flat in the first half. Completely flat. I was disappointed. You can only ask so much of the boys when you play so many games in so few days.”
Ramos now turns his attention to the U-21 camp being held in Southern California this week.
US U-20s: Steffen; Moore, Miazga, Amick (Felipe, Acosta), Dainkeh, Vazquez, Gooch, Gall, Rubin, Spencer, Allen
River Plate: Batalla, Carreras, Barboza, Vega, Dho, Sánchez, M.Quarta, Zúñiga, Arario, Kaprof, Boyé
