For many of Tuesday’s FIFA U-20 World Cup Group B showdown between the U.S. males’s nationwide crew and Fiji, it didn’t seem like the outcome would come for the Individuals, however a relentless second-half efficiency helped get the job completed.
Diego Luna, Cade Cowell, and Caleb Wiley all scored their first match targets in a 3-0 group stage victory over Fiji, clinching a knockout stage berth for Mikey Varas’ squad heading into their remaining Group B match on Friday. Regardless of leaving loads of scoring alternatives on the desk, the USMNT U-20’s bought a breakthrough purpose from halftime substitute Luna earlier than Cowell and Wiley padded the shutout victory.
The relentless and aggressive attacking model from the Individuals helped maintain Fiji below numerous strain within the remaining 30+ minutes of the match, a theme that captain Daniel Edelman credited for the way the USMNT U-20’s moved to 2-0-0 in Argentina.
“Fiji definitely gave us some challenging moments, not being able to score in the first half, they were on us,” Edelman mentioned postmatch. “We felt we controlled the possession and chances, but in the second half we definitely showed our aggressiveness, relentlessness, and determination. Diego got the first goal, Cade got the second and Caleb for the third, so now it’s about Slovakia up next.”
“The subs that came on Niko [Tsakiris] and Diego [Luna] came on and gave us a new energy on the field,” Edelman added. “The message at halftime we to keep being relentless in the final third because Fiji was looking to hit us on the transition so you never know what could happen. It showed our winning mentality to get that result.”
The USMNT U-20’s registered seven photographs on purpose out of its 31 efforts in complete, leaving the door open for an even-larger scoreline. Nonetheless, after needing a stoppage-time winner from Jonathan Gomez to defeat Ecuador 1-0, the Individuals will really feel assured heading into Friday’s showdown with Slovakia understanding they added three extra targets to their haul on Tuesday.
Luna, Tsakiris, and Wiley all made impacts off the bench whereas Cowell’s continued struggle to get on the scoresheet was a key constructive after his first-half misses. As well as, the USMNT U-20’s delivered their second-consecutive clear sheet with Gabriel Slonina solely being troubled as soon as within the 100-minute efficiency.
Though the USMNT U-20’s have already clinched its spot into the Spherical of 16, the group’s mindset isn’t altering heading right into a showdown with Slovakia.
“Win the next game,” Varas mentioned. “Our mindset never changes, we want to stay relentless and play our football. The next step is to win the next one.”