Italy Bounces the US from the FIFA U-17 World Cup
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The young Italians ended the US U-17s’ run with a 2-1 victory in the first round of knockout stage play today in Kaduna, Nigeria. They will face the winner of Germany-Switzerland in the next round.
Italy scored on Giacomo Beretta’s goal in the 29th minute and Pietro Iemmello’s cannon in the 56th. The Italians took possession from US defenders throughout the match, and could have scored several more times with better finishing.
The Americans notched their lone goal in the 51st minute on a corner from Luis Gil, perfectly headed in by Nick Palodichuk.
Facing a strong Italian side, the US could not afford to miss chances. Jack McInerney failed to convert a penalty kick in the first half. In the second half, Stefan Jerome evaded at least four defenders to find McInerney in front of the goal, but his shot hit the crossbar (replays showed the Italian keeper may have gotten his fingertips on it). In the final minutes, Dominick Sarle set up Victor Chavez, but Chavez could not finish.
Regrettably, some of the Young Yanks seemed to lose their composure at the end of the match. In stoppage time, Eriq Zavaleta drew a red card for an elbow and McInerney got a yellow.
My US MVP for the tournament is Luis Gil. He was decisive and fluid with possession, played unselfishly, and seemed the most polished player on the American side. Gil has been on Arsenal’s radar for some time, and this tournament run will no doubt raise his stock further.
ESPN chose to air this match on its website ESPN360.com instead of on the channel ESPNU, where the US’s first three games of this tournament aired. So ESPN must have had something really important to air on ESPNU, right? Uh no, they aired a simulcast of Colin Cowherd’s radio show.
The US team continued their long travels around Nigeria for this match. After their first two games in Kano, in northern Nigeria, the Americans came south to Ijebu-Ode, near Lagos. Today’s contest was back in the north of the country, in Kaduna. And now they’ll have to come back south again to fly home. {#}
Italy scored on Giacomo Beretta’s goal in the 29th minute and Pietro Iemmello’s cannon in the 56th. The Italians took possession from US defenders throughout the match, and could have scored several more times with better finishing.
The Americans notched their lone goal in the 51st minute on a corner from Luis Gil, perfectly headed in by Nick Palodichuk.
Facing a strong Italian side, the US could not afford to miss chances. Jack McInerney failed to convert a penalty kick in the first half. In the second half, Stefan Jerome evaded at least four defenders to find McInerney in front of the goal, but his shot hit the crossbar (replays showed the Italian keeper may have gotten his fingertips on it). In the final minutes, Dominick Sarle set up Victor Chavez, but Chavez could not finish.
Regrettably, some of the Young Yanks seemed to lose their composure at the end of the match. In stoppage time, Eriq Zavaleta drew a red card for an elbow and McInerney got a yellow.
My US MVP for the tournament is Luis Gil. He was decisive and fluid with possession, played unselfishly, and seemed the most polished player on the American side. Gil has been on Arsenal’s radar for some time, and this tournament run will no doubt raise his stock further.
ESPN chose to air this match on its website ESPN360.com instead of on the channel ESPNU, where the US’s first three games of this tournament aired. So ESPN must have had something really important to air on ESPNU, right? Uh no, they aired a simulcast of Colin Cowherd’s radio show.
The US team continued their long travels around Nigeria for this match. After their first two games in Kano, in northern Nigeria, the Americans came south to Ijebu-Ode, near Lagos. Today’s contest was back in the north of the country, in Kaduna. And now they’ll have to come back south again to fly home. {#}
Labels: FIFA U-17, Italy, US Army
posted @ 10:38 AM,
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