The United States made it three wins from three games at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup with a 2-0 win over Slovakia in San Juan, Argentina, on Friday to top Group B.
In front Kade Cowell he was a star for the young Americans, scoring a superb solo goal in the 38th minute that led them to victory. Substitute Niko Tsakiris added a second late in the second half to ensure the US finished the group stage with more points and not a single goal conceded.
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The US was already assured of a place in the round of 16 after earlier wins over Ecuador and Fiji. Ecuador, who have six points, will join the US in the round of 16, while Slovakia, who have three points, will have to wait to see if they qualify for one of the top four groups.
The US will now face one of the best third-ranked teams on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals.
It is so San Jose earthquakes star Cowell who will rightly take the latest hits from Mikey Varas’s side. The 19-year-old’s goal shows why he has always been there MLS for three years and has been regularly linked with interest from European clubs.
After breaking through the middle, Cowell shot in and out of the Slovakian defenders at high speed before finding the net with a low shot to the left.
The goal was to come to the US and to Cowell when he was about to break even before the disaster.
Cowell should have found the net again in the 27th minute when he fired a long ball from the back. Brandon Craig In front of Slovakian goalkeeper Adam Hrdina, he lifts the ball over his head but flicks the ball into an open net.
Eight minutes later, Cowell had the ball in the net after running up to Hrdina, with the offside flag raised immediately.
But Cowell would not be denied, putting the US first this time.
That goal would be extended several times in the second half as Cowell continued to cause chaos in Slovakia. Twice die monday couldn’t capitalize on Cowell’s style of play, diving close and hitting the post with a side-footed move from the center of the box.
Cowell almost had another amazing goal of his own, too, this time denied by Hrdina’s legs.
Instead, after Cowell rose early to applause, it was San Jose teammate Tsakiris who grabbed the second goal with a smart finish from close range in the sixth minute of added time.