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U.S. U-17 Men's National Team Falls To Spain In Group E Opener
The U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team lost 2-1 against Spain in their opening match of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Despite Jack McInerney opening the scoring in just the fourth minute, Spain was able to recover and score twice in the first half. The U.S. next faces Malawi at 11 a.m. ET. on Thursday, Oct. 29, live on ESPNU and ESPN360.com.
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Oct. 26, 2009
© John Dorton/isiphotos.com
IN THE IMAGE: The U-17 MNT will face Malawi on Thursday, Oct. 29.
KANO, Nigeria (Oct. 26, 2009) - The U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team took advantage of an early red card to Spain to get on the scoreboard in the fourth minute of their opening game of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, but the seven-time European champions soon showed their class in clawing back two goals of their own to take a 2-1 victory at Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano. With the result, the U.S. is now 6-7-0 in FIFA U-17 World Cup openers, and 4-7-2 at the event against European teams. Five of their last eight matches at the event have come against UEFA foes, and the U.S. has come away with a 2-3-0 record.
The two group favorites played a crowd-pleasing match up and down the pitch. The U.S. started the match on the attack, taking it to the Spaniards down the right side. Luis Gil launched a deep ball for Jack McInerney to run onto, and run onto it he did—clearly beating Spanish defender Sergi Gomez, who could do little but try to tackle the ball away from behind. The resulting foul was an obvious red card for denying the goal-scoring opportunity, and Spain quickly found themselves down a man in the second minute.
Two minutes later, the U.S. took full advantage with a goal by McInerney, who challenged the Spanish goalkeeper on a high, lofted ball from Marlon Duran off a throw-in. The high cross fell through the hands of Edgar at the edge of his six-yard box and McInerney only had to tap the ball across the line behind the goalkeeper. The goal was a team-leading tenth in 2009 for the forward from Alpharetta, Ga.
Spain settled down and began to pass the ball up towards their own No. 9, Borja. The striker kept trying to get behind the U.S. line, even appearing to put one past Earl Edwards before seeing the linesman’s flag up for offside in the 17th minute.
The U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team lost 2-1 against Spain in their opening match of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Despite Jack McInerney opening the scoring in just the fourth minute, Spain was able to recover and score twice in the first half. The U.S. next faces Malawi at 11 a.m. ET. on Thursday, Oct. 29, live on ESPNU and ESPN360.com.
Share
Subscribe to RSS
Email This
Oct. 26, 2009
© John Dorton/isiphotos.com
IN THE IMAGE: The U-17 MNT will face Malawi on Thursday, Oct. 29.
KANO, Nigeria (Oct. 26, 2009) - The U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team took advantage of an early red card to Spain to get on the scoreboard in the fourth minute of their opening game of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, but the seven-time European champions soon showed their class in clawing back two goals of their own to take a 2-1 victory at Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano. With the result, the U.S. is now 6-7-0 in FIFA U-17 World Cup openers, and 4-7-2 at the event against European teams. Five of their last eight matches at the event have come against UEFA foes, and the U.S. has come away with a 2-3-0 record.
The two group favorites played a crowd-pleasing match up and down the pitch. The U.S. started the match on the attack, taking it to the Spaniards down the right side. Luis Gil launched a deep ball for Jack McInerney to run onto, and run onto it he did—clearly beating Spanish defender Sergi Gomez, who could do little but try to tackle the ball away from behind. The resulting foul was an obvious red card for denying the goal-scoring opportunity, and Spain quickly found themselves down a man in the second minute.
Two minutes later, the U.S. took full advantage with a goal by McInerney, who challenged the Spanish goalkeeper on a high, lofted ball from Marlon Duran off a throw-in. The high cross fell through the hands of Edgar at the edge of his six-yard box and McInerney only had to tap the ball across the line behind the goalkeeper. The goal was a team-leading tenth in 2009 for the forward from Alpharetta, Ga.
Spain settled down and began to pass the ball up towards their own No. 9, Borja. The striker kept trying to get behind the U.S. line, even appearing to put one past Earl Edwards before seeing the linesman’s flag up for offside in the 17th minute.