
<p>The USA is, yet again, into the U20 World Cup quarterfinal. The Americans got there via a comfortable 4-0 win over New Zealand on Tuesday. This was the best performance for the young American side, usurping that title from a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/us-dominates-fiji-in-u20-world-cup-group-stage-win-20230523-WST-434305.html">3-0 win over Fiji</a> in group-stage play. Tuesday’s win maintained a perfect defensive record, as well. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/late-gomez-goal-gives-u-s-win-in-u20-world-cup-opener-20230520-WST-433961.html">Ecuador failed to score in the opener</a>, and Slovakia could not find a breakthrough on matchday three.</p>



<p>The United States was, perhaps, surprised to score the first goal. Given its success in the U20 World Cup thus far, scoring has been no issue. Six goals in three games is a strong return. However, the 14th-minute opener against New Zealand was one of the more unexpected. After picking up the ball 25 yards from goal, Owen Wolff, a midfielder for Austin FC, released a shot on net. </p>



<p>It took the ball a full second to reach the New Zealand net as it rolled along the ground. While the All Whites’ goalkeeper Kees Sims looked likely to save, he retracted his hands thinking it was going wide. However, it slid inside the keeper’s righthand post, giving the USYNT a lead.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THERE IT IS! <br><br>It&apos;s an ambitious effort from <a href="https://twitter.com/AustinFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AustinFC</a>&apos;s Owen Wolff that opens the scoring for the <a href="https://twitter.com/USYNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USYNT</a> 👏 <a href="https://t.co/ejW0ly7eet">pic.twitter.com/ejW0ly7eet</a></p>— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1663603908735021063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>That goal began a period of dominance for the United States. One of those chances was a deflection off the crossbar. </p>



<p>In total, by the end of the first 45 minutes, Michael Varas’s American outfit had three-fourths of the possession. That led to a spell of phenomenal chances at the end of the first half. Diego Luna made a terrific run through the midfield that produced a corner. On the following scramble, Daniel Edelman forced a strong save out of Sims on a volley from distance. The final chance was on a clipped cross from the right side. However, the American shot in the goal-mouth went wide.</p>



<h2>USA into another U20 World Cup quarterfinal with second-half display</h2>



<p>The United States continued that unfortunate trend just minutes into the second half. More well-worked play in the New Zealand end almost set up a goal. Caleb Wiley was in behind the defense, and he passed the ball into the middle for Jonathan Gómez. However, Gómez, who is in the Real Sociedad system, <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1663617692958437379" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">touched his shot wide</a> of the gaping goal.</p>



<p>The United States finally cashed in via the only player with multiple goals in the side at this tournament. Cade Cowell, who entered the game with goals in back-to-back games, fired a left-footed shot on the floor from inside the box. He dragged it across a helpless Sims. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HE&apos;S CLINICAL 🇺🇸<a href="https://twitter.com/SJEarthquakes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SJEarthquakes</a>&apos; Cade Cowell tucks it away for the <a href="https://twitter.com/USYNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USYNT</a> and doubles the United States&apos; lead! <a href="https://t.co/x6I54WrS6K">pic.twitter.com/x6I54WrS6K</a></p>— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1663620639331106818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Justin Che made it three not long after. Another strong run through the midfield from Diego Luna led to an odd-man rush for the United States. Cade Cowell, one on one with Sims, went wide. With his angle to goal shut, the San Jose Earthquakes talent squared the ball. <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1663624497293828103" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Che was the one to pounce on the loose ball</a>, slamming it into the New Zealand net with 15 minutes left in the 90. Rokas Pukštas&nbsp;made it four six minutes later. A free kick swooping in from the left side met the 18-year-old’s head, who simply had to get it on target.</p>



<p>The win punches the USYNT into the quarterfinals of the U20 World Cup for the fourth-straight year. In each instance, though, the United States lost in the last eight. The Americans will play the winner of Thursday’s game between Uruguay and Gambia. </p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire</em></p>


The USA is, yet again, into the U20 World Cup quarterfinal. The Americans got there via a comfortable 4-0 win over New Zealand on Tuesday.

USA wins to reach fourth-straight U20 World Cup quarterfinal


<p>The United States U20 team beat Fiji 3-0 in the first matchup between the two sides at the U20 level. Goals from Diego Luna, Cade Cowell, and Caleb Wiley gave the Yanks three points. The United States now has won both of its first two games at the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/u-20-world-cup-schedule-features-usa-in-action-20230516-WST-433098.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U20 World Cup</a> in Argentina. </p>



<p>The young Yanks began their U20 World Cup run with a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/late-gomez-goal-gives-u-s-win-in-u20-world-cup-opener-20230520-WST-433961.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">feisty victory</a> against Ecuador on Saturday. Although the game looked certain to end scoreless, Jonathan Gomez had other plans. The fullback scored a stunning late goal in added time to give the Americans all three points in the group.</p>



<h5>Yanks can’t find back of the net in opening period</h5>



<p>Unlike against Ecuador, the Americans were well on the front foot from the beginning of the match on Tuesday. A vast majority of play in the first period took place in Fiji’s half. Cade Cowell, Jack McGlynn, and Quinn Sullivan all had solid opportunities to score inside the opening 20 minutes. Sullivan perhaps had the best chance, but pulled his shot just wide in the 20th minute. </p>



<p>However, the key final touch was lacking early in the match. Darren Yapi went close to an opening goal for the Americans in the first half as well. Much like Sullivan, the Colorado Rapids forward sent his shot inches wide of the Fiji post. The match entered the halftime break perhaps unpredictably at 0-0.</p>



<p>Fiji started the second half confidently. American goalkeeper Gaga Slonina was forced to make a quality save with the opening moments of the second period. The <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/chelsea-tv-schedule/">Chelsea</a> shot-stopper dove to his left to block the Fiji shot directly after a corner kick. It was the team’s first shot on target in the match.</p>



<h2>US defeats Fiji in U20 World Cup group stage with three goals</h2>



<p>Nevertheless, the Yanks finally broke through the stingy Fiji defense in the 66th minute. Second-half substitute Diego Luna pounced on a loose ball inside the box and fired a curler into the bottom corner of the net. Cowell went down inside the area moments prior to the Luna shot and it seemed as if the match referee would have given a penalty if not for the goal. It was the Americans’ 18th total shot on the day, but just the fourth on target.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">RESISTANCE BROKEN 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/realsaltlake?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realsaltlake</a>&apos;s Diego Luna puts the <a href="https://twitter.com/USYNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USYNT</a> ahead 1-0! <a href="https://t.co/qraI2Kqaa1">pic.twitter.com/qraI2Kqaa1</a></p>— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1661091633192943647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Cowell finally grabbed a goal for himself with just a few minutes left on the clock to put the game away. The highly-rated forward collected a pass from Luna, dropped his shoulder to get some space, and fired a beautiful shot beyond the diving goalkeeper. It was his third goal at the U20 level in eight total matches. Cowell also hit the crossbar and post within two minutes of each other in added time.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WHAT A BEAUTY 🤩<br><br>The <a href="https://twitter.com/USYNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USYNT</a> increases it advantage to 2-0 thanks to the <a href="https://twitter.com/SJEarthquakes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SJEarthquakes</a>&apos; Cade Cowell!  🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/TCDtsAo0PT">pic.twitter.com/TCDtsAo0PT</a></p>— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1661096955802427393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Another substitute, Caleb Wiley added the cherry on the top with a goal deep into added time. The young fullback was the first to react after the Americans hit the post once again. Wiley tapped the ball into the open net from a few yards away after the Fiji keeper attempted the initial save. </p>



<p>The win takes the United States to the top of Group B, ahead of Slovakia for the moment. Slovakia faces Ecuador later on Tuesday for a chance to be level with the Americans once again. The Yanks face Slovakia on Friday in the final matchup of the group.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Xinhua</em></p>


The US thoroughly dominated Fiji during their U20 World Cup match on Tuesday. The victory takes the Yanks to the top of Group B.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Cade Cowell"

U-20 World Cup

USA wins to reach fourth-straight U20 World Cup quarterfinal

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US dominates Fiji in U20 World Cup group stage win