In a first ever, the USMNT U-20's enter this Championship as the defending champions, having taken the title in 2017 just prior to their very deep run in the U-20 World Cup. First up is the only National Team I ever faced, Puerto Rico tonight at 5 from Bradenton Fl. They will play 4 more games in their Group A, all may be seen on the Concacaf go app, concacafgo.con & Univision Deportes. Follow the games on US Soccer's Facebook, twitter & IB accts. @ussoccer_ynt. A free trial of it is accessible.
Local players are very limited with Chris Gloster now with Hanover96 out of South Orange NJ. In total players there are 10 in MLS, & 4 each overseas and 1 in the NCAA. This 20 man roster may be amended, up to 6 players, within 24 hours after the end of the final group game.
This is the largest of all U-20's with fullly 34 teams involved, after round robin play, the top of the 6 groups continue on to the qualifiers, and are placed into 2 groups of 3. Another such round robin will yield the 2 group winners and runners-up for the 2019 U-20 FIFA U-20 World Cup. These same 2 group winners will play for the U-20 title in Concacaf Nov. 21. THe seeds were determined by ranking and the draw was held in Sept. The US is hardly in the group of death matched with TNT, Suriname, Puerto Rico, St. VIncent & the Grenadines as well as US Virgin Islands. The young red white and blues will play Nov 1, 3, 5, 7 & 9, all at the IMG complex. Upon advancement the next game is set for Nov. 19 @ 8p.m. and final Nov 21 @ 7p.m.
This team has been in 6 international matches this year as they ramp up for this most important tourney, splitting games with France and Honduras while defeating Jamaica & Venezuela, with 45 players seeing action. topped with Frankie Amaya & Alex Mendex both with appearances in 6 games. Four players have 2 goals each, Justin Powers & Ayo Akinola.
USMNT in the Championship:
- Entering as reigning title holder ousting Hondouras in pks in Costa Rica.
- Runners up 6 times, lastly in 2013.
- #1 with Mexico in appearances. 15 times of 21 and qualifying in 10 of the last 11.
- Tab appointed after missing the U-20 World Cup in 2011 and they have made it all 3 times with this all time great at the controls.
- 3x host with Guatemala tops with 6.
- 1964, first time in Chnampionship, and in each one since 1974.