The United States U-20 Men’s National Team learned its group stage opponents for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup on Wednesday, joining Ecuador, Senegal and Saudi Arabia in Group F.
Sporting Kansas City defender Erik Palmer-Brown captained the U.S. to the CONCACAF U-20 Championship title earlier this month, receiving the Gold Ball award as the tournament’s best player after the Americans knocked off Honduras in the final. The United States’ top-four finish at the CONCACAF competition secured a spot at U-20 World Cup, which runs May 20 – June 11 in six cities throughout Korea Republic.
The FIFA U-20 World Cup will consist of 24 nations split into six groups of four. The top two finishers in each group, as well as the best four third-place teams, will progress to the Round of 16.
Palmer-Brown and the U.S. enter the World Cup on the heels of their first-ever CONCACAF U-20 Championship title. After going 2-1-0 in the group stage, the U-20 MNT defeated Mexico for the first time since 1986 thanks to Palmer-Brown’s game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory. The U.S. then clinched a World Cup berth with a 2-1 win over El Salvador before ousting Honduras in a penalty kick shootout following a 0-0 draw.
The U-20 MNT will make its 15th World Cup appearance in Korea Republic, including its third straight since 2013. Palmer-Brown featured at the previous edition in 2015 as the U.S. went 2-1-0 in the group stage, beat Colombia 1-0 in the Round of 16, then fell to eventual champion Serbia 6-5 on penalties after a scoreless stalemate.
Palmer-Brown, a 19-year-old native of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, became Sporting KC’s third Homegrown Player in 2013 at the age of 16. He has previously represented the U.S. at the U-15, U-17 and U-18 levels.
U.S. U-20 MNT'sGroupFSchedule:
- May 22, 3 a.m. CT: USA vs. Ecuador; Incheon Stadium, Incheon
- May 25, 6 a.m. CT: USA vs. Senegal; Incheon Stadium, Incheon
- May 28, 4 a.m. CT: USA vs. Saudi Arabia; Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Daejeon
Ecuador has reached the U-20 World Cup for the third time overall and the first time since 2011. Saudi Arabia is also making its first appearance since 2011, when it reached the Round of 16 for the country’s best-ever finish. Senegal made a magical run to the semifinals two years ago in its maiden U-20 World Cup appearance.
