Sporting Kansas City defender Erik Palmer-Brown and the U.S. Men’s National Team moved atop Group F of the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Senegal on Thursday in Incheon, Korea Republic.
Palmer-Brown logged another 90-minute shift as the side’s captain, partnering Cameron Carter-Vickers in central defense as the U.S. limited Senegal to just two shots on target. Seventeen-year-old Josh Sargent continued his fine run of form with the game-winning strike on 34 minutes, three days after scoring twice in the Americans’ 3-3 draw against Ecuador.
Coupled with Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 defeat of Ecuador, the United States sits alone in first place in Group F ahead of Sunday’s group stage finale. That match between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia will kick off at 4 a.m. CT on FS1, FOX Sports GO and Telemundo.
A total of 16 teams will advance to the U-20 World Cup’s knockout stage — the top two finishers in each group as well as the four best third-place finishers. The Round of 16 will begin next Tuesday and the tournament final is set for Sunday, June 11.
The U.S. will punch its ticket to the knockout rounds with a win or a draw against Saudi Arabia, and could even progress with a defeat if the Americans are among the top four third-place teams.
2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup - Group F Table
<strong>Team</strong> |
<strong>Pts</strong> |
<strong>W</strong> |
<strong>L</strong> |
<strong>T</strong> |
<strong>GF</strong> |
<strong>GA</strong> |
<strong>GD</strong> |
United States |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
+1 |
Senegal |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
+1 |
Saudi Arabia |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
-1 |
Ecuador |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
-1 |
U.S. U-20 MNT’s Group F Schedule:
- May 22, 3 a.m. CT: USA 3-3 Ecuador; Incheon Football Stadium, Incheon
- May 25, 6 a.m. CT: USA 1-0 Senegal; Incheon Football Stadium, Incheon
- May 28, 4 a.m. CT: USA vs. Saudi Arabia; Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Daejeon
2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup Group Pairings:
- Group A: Korea Republic (host), Guinea, Argentina, England
- Group B: Venezuela, Germany, Vanuatu, Mexico
- Group C: Zambia, Portugal, Iran, Costa Rica
- Group D: South Africa, Japan, Italy, Uruguay
- Group E: France, Honduras, Vietnam, New Zealand
- Group F: USA, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Senegal
