USA defeat Puerto Rico 7-1 to open 2018 Concacaf U-20 Championship

Jaylin Lindsey - Sporting KC - Embed

The US national team opened Group A play in the 2018 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Bradenton, Fla. on Thursday with a 7-1 win over Puerto Rico.


The starting lineup included six current MLS pros for the Americans.

The scoring came early and often for the USMNT, with New England Revolution academy product Justin Rennicks opening the scoring in the 5th minute. That was followed by a goal from LA Galaxy academy product Alex Mendez six minutes later.


FC Dallas midfielder Paxton Pomykal chipped in with a goal in the 27th minute to make it 3-0, before Puerto Rico scored their lone goal of the match shortly after.


Following the halftime break, the US were back at it, with Sporting KC defender Jaylin Lindsey (pictured above) setting up Toronto FC attacker Ayo Akinola four minutes after the restart.


Rennicks scored his second shortly before the hour mark, and then Akinola scored his second of the game.

Another Galaxy academy product, Ulysses Llanez, scored the seventh goal of the night to cap off the scoring.


The US will next play the US Virgin Islands in group play, on Saturday at 6 pm ET. The USVI got off to an inauspicious start on Thursday in the tournament, losing 13-2 to Suriname.